{"id":33745,"date":"2014-03-07T10:42:57","date_gmt":"2014-03-07T18:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=33745"},"modified":"2025-08-31T23:13:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T06:13:06","slug":"netflix-phishing-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/netflix-phishing-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Netflix Phishing Scam Lures Users Into Calling Fake Tech Support"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of scammers seem to have taken to heart the lesson bequeathed to us by Three Dog Night in the summer of \u201969: that yes, one is<\/em> the loneliest number. This newly unleashed attack uses not one but multiple tactics to dupe unsuspecting victims by pairing a phishing attack\u2014where hackers pose as trusted entities in order to gather personal and financial information\u2014with fraudulent tech support for everyone\u2019s favorite streaming video site, Netflix.<\/p>\n

The scam initially came to light<\/a> thanks to the work of J\u00e9r\u00f4me Segura. Segura, who tracks tech support scams for a living, documented his interaction with the new phishing scam in late February.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the scam works: after receiving an email that contains a link to a fake Netflix site, unsuspecting users who click on the link are directed to a fraudulent Netflix site where they\u2019re asked to enter their credentials (including username and password). The log in fails, and users are told that \u201cNetflix\u201d has found suspicious activity on their account and that they should call a 1-800 number at the bottom of the page for tech support.<\/p>\n

Of course, the number isn\u2019t actually tech support, but rather the scammers behind this operation. The person who answers the phone (in Segura\u2019s case, a man) then tells the victim that they\u2019ve been hacked and that the victim\u2019s account has to be suspended for security purposes. The \u201ctech support\u201d then sends a link to a software support website and asks the victim to download a series of programs to \u201cfix\u201d the computer. The programs do not fix the computer. Do not download them.<\/p>\n

The first program is a remote desktop sharing application that gives the scammer remote access to your computer. The scammer then confirms that, yes, the hackers have gained access to your computer and that they will have to transfer you to tech support to fix the problem.<\/p>\n

Maybe they just hand the phone to another person, but, assuredly, they do not transfer you to an actual tech support line. Instead, the next scammer is supposedly running a \u201cscanning\u201d program to identify how many hackers have compromised\u00a0 your computer. In reality, however, they\u2019re running a batch script\u2014a small computer program that can either be very harmful or very harmless\u2014that ends with scary numbers detailing how vulnerable you are to hackers in other countries.<\/p>\n

The scammers then \u201cfix\u201d the problem and leave you with a $389 bill for support. To pay, they ask you to hold their credit card next to their face so they can \u201cverify\u201d the card\u2019s owner over webcam. Truthfully, this is done so they can steal your identity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve seen phishing scams before<\/a>. And this scam has all the telltale signs: a badly implemented clone of a well known website, a suspicious URL and a request for sensitive information. Typically these types of scams are executed through email, and not through a brazen scheme with scammers posing as live tech support.<\/p>\n

How to Protect Yourself From Scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fortunately, there are a few ways<\/a> you can protect yourself from scams like these. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n