The popularity of Netflix makes it a preferred subject for phishing emails sent to people appearing to come from Netflix in which you are told you need to update your credit card information or asking for other personal information.   Reproduced below is a copy of an email received by a Scamicide reader.   The email looks somewhat legitimate although the salutation of “Hi Customer” is pretty much an indication that this is a scam.  The Netflix logo appears on the email, but it is easy to counterfeit the Netflix logo and make the email appear to be legitimate when it is not.

Two things can happen if you click on the links in the email.  Either you will be directed to a phony but legitimate looking website where you will be prompted to input your credit card information and thereby turn it over to an identity thief or, even worse, merely by clicking on the link, you will download keystroke logging malware that can steal all of the information from your computer and use it to make you a victim of identity theft.  I have removed the links in the email below.

We’re having problems with your current billing information. Please verify your card information to continue watching with your Netflix account.

Debit / Credit Card

We’re here to help if you need it.  Visit the Help Center for more information or contact us.

TIPS

As I always say, “trust me, you can’t trust anyone.”  You can never be truly sure when you receive an email seeking personal information such as your credit card number whether or not the email is a scam.  The risk of clicking on a link or providing the requested information is just too high. Instead, if you think that the email might be legitimate, you should contact the company at a telephone number that you know is legitimate and find out whether or not the email was a scam.

Another indication that this is a scam phishing email is that the email address from which it was sent has nothing to do with Netflix although it contained the word Netflix in it to trick someone into trusting it.

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