Netflix users targeted by phishing scam emails, streamer raises alerts 

Netflix users have found themselves in a dilemma as the streaming giant's subscribers have been getting phishing scam emails, leading to users getting concerned for their security and data.

An AI-powered email was received by various users, one that looked extremely similar to an official email from Netflix. It consists of a scam that tells users that their account has been put on hold and they need to update their payment details.

A phony Netflix login page is displayed to users along with a red banner with the conspicuous "UPDATE ACCOUNT NOW" button. Users can give scammers access to their accounts by entering their personal information, such as their home address, credit card number, and Netflix login credentials. The stolen information could be used for identity theft, connected account access, or unauthorized transactions.

Because the email uses official logos, colors, and fonts, it resembles Netflix's branding and is hard to tell apart from real Netflix communications.

The email reads,

“Your account is on hold. Please update your payment details. We’re having some trouble with your current billing information. We’ll try again, but in the meantime you may want to update your payment details.”

Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at cybersecurity firm ESET spoke about the issue as he told Daily Mail,

“Cybercriminals have been taking advantage of AI to target email addresses in huge numbers and they are also able to make authentic-looking login pages with ease to deceive users into divulging personal information or account credentials. Like traditional phishing attacks, however, these scams will often still attempt to create a sense of urgency, prompting recipients to act quickly without verifying the true sender’s origin or even without thinking at all.”

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How did Netflix react to the scam?

The streaming giant took to informing users about their policies, while also reassuring them that Netflix would never ask for payment details in that manner.

They reiterated that Netflix would never ask for sensitive payment information through a third party app. Also adding that they would never ask for payment information or the passwords to their account through text or email. They further added instructions on what to do in case your account has already been compromised, or how to keep their account and data safe.

Cyber scammers have constantly been on the rise for a significant time and the use of artificial intelligence has enabled them to use AI as a tool to get access to people's data and mislead them.

It all boils down to the most important note of certain events: scammers cannot get your data unless you specifically give them that, so it's advisable to look out for any suspicious emails that look inauthentic, or ones that demand access to sensitive data.