Police Warn about Netflix email scam

According to WHNT News in Huntsville, Alabama, a phishing email scam targeting Netflix customers is becoming more widespread. The scam consists of an email being sent to customers from what appears to be Netflix stating that they need to update their payment information to avoid having their service interrupted. Various law enforcement agencies, including the Bountiful, Utah Police Department, warn that these emails are attempts to get the recipient’s credit card, bank, and social security information so that he or she can be robbed electronically.

Netflix, as with every other reputable organization, will never ask for personal or financial information by email, text, or phone. These are not secure methods of communication, in any case. Any changes that take place concerning payment are usually done through a company’s secure website.

The Federal Trade Commission has some advice on how to deal with phishing emails or text messages.

• Delete them immediately. Do not click on any of the links provided or call any of the telephone numbers. The links will take you to what is called a “spoof site” that appears to be the website of the company the scammers are claiming to be.
• Alternatively, before deleting the phishing email, you can forward it to spam@uce.gov, reportphishing@antiphishing.org, and to the organization that the email claims that it is from. Include a brief explanation that this is a phishing email. This will help law enforcement and the company in question identify and fight the phishing scammers.
• Use security and anti-spamming software. A lot of the phishing attempts can be blocked in that way from entering your email box.
• Check your bank and credit card statements carefully. If you have unauthorized payments, contact your financial institution immediately and report it.
• Law enforcement cautions us not to try to “turn the tables” on phishing scammers. Such an action will only serve to irritate the scammers and will open you up to harassment.

Another way to identify whether an email is a phishing scam is to check the sending email. Very often the said address does not belong to the organization the email is said to be from. Scammers will send out millions of these emails worldwide, knowing that most will be savvy enough to recognize them for what they are, but depending on those who fall for the scam to become easy marks from whom they can loot and make a profit on their operation.

The best way to respond to such scams as the Netflix email is to not respond, but report them to the proper authorities