Netflix Phishing Scam Is Increasing More Than Ever — How To Stay Safe

Netflix phishing is increasing more nowadays on the internet, due to a dramatic increase during the lockdown.

According to information collected by security firm Webroot, the amount of Netflix phishing attacks recorded in July was 60% larger than the previous year.

Analysis of the entire lockdown period (March-July 2020), meanwhile, uncovered a 646% increase in the number of phishing URLs targeting Netflix users, compared with the same period in 2019.

Rival entertainment services have also been leveraged to defraud victims since lockdown was introduced. YouTube phishing has seen a 3,064% increase since February, whereas the number of HBO- and Twitch-related attacks has also skyrocketed.

Whereas Netflix phishing has been around ever because the video streaming platform rose to prominence, phishing scams have evolved significantly in recent years. Criminals are paying closer attention to grammar and syntax, which could traditionally betray a phishing email, whereas mimic landing pages have become more and more convincing.

“The phishing emails we see these days are hyper-focused on improved spelling, improved grammar, and they’re becoming more psychologically focused,” explained Kelvin Murray, Senior Threat Researcher at Webroot.

“For example, the latest tactics deployed related to Netflix might claim that the user’s account has been hacked and that they should update their account information or payment details.”

The issue can also be aggravated by the number of unmanaged devices used to conduct business tasks whereas many staff stay at the home — and also the number of company devices used for personal use.

“If the user is using a work device or is related to a work network, this provides an additional layer of threat and can have comparable results of ransomware infection on the company network.”

To protect against phishing attacks, users are suggested to investigate emails for abnormalities that include a scam and cross-check with a known address (such as www.netflix.com) before entering the account or payment information You can check the landing page URL.

You can use antivirus and internet security software for the cyber protection