Netflix Tech Support Phishing Scam: How To Avoid Having Your Personal Information Stolen

A new Internet phishing scam is stealing personal information from Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) users.

A website designed to look like the Netflix login page asks for the victim’s credentials and informs them that their account has been suspended for “unusual activity.” The page instructs the victim to call a fake customer service phone number, and the the scammer on the line walks them through downloading “Netflix support software.”

This software is actually TeamViewer, a popular remote login software. While the victim is on the phone, the scammers use TeamViewer to search through the computer for bank account information, lists of usernames and passwords and records of personal information. To keep the victim on the phone, the scammers say that hackers have infiltrated the account, and show the victim a custom-made Windows script designed to scare them into believing Russian and Chinese hackers are after their streaming movies.

Malwarebytes, an anti-malware company, reported on its blog that the scammers also asked for copies of their ID or credit card information. The scammers also demand payment for a technician to clear the “hackers” from the computer.

Malwarebytes also traced the scammers to India. The company posted a walkthrough of the entire Netflix phishing scam on YouTube.

The phony Netflix login site comes from phishing emails or pop-up ads. To avoid this and other tech support scams, always double-check the URL of a website before entering login information and never allow an unknown person remote access to your computer. Companies like Netflix always have customer support listed through their website, so use this information rather than anything in a pop-up window.