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FTC warns of Netflix phishing scams

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning consumers of a Netflix-based phishing scam that tells users they need to update their payment details.

The emails claim a user's account is on hold because Netflix is “having some trouble with your current billing information”  and prompts the user to click a malicious link to update their payment method, the FTC said in a Dec. 26 blog post.

Before responding or clicking through with any links asking users to share sensitive information, researchers recommend users consider contacting the company directly via their phone number or official website to ensure its real.

Users should also check for proper grammar or ensure the letter is even addressed properly as sometimes the customer’s name will be missing, words are misspelled, or in some cases, customers may not even have accounts with the companies requesting the information.

Netflix also urges users to be on the lookout for fraudulent requests for its customers’ information on its own security page.  

“If you’re unsure about a link in an email, you can always hover your cursor over the link to see the linked URL at the bottom of most browsers,” the company said in its warning.

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