Don't Fall for the Latest Scam Email Targeting Netflix Subscribers

An email from Netflix saying your account has been suspended is the last thing you want to see before settling in for a binge-watching session. But there's good news: That alert should be ignored. According to Deadline, it's part of a convincing new scam going after members of the streaming service.

Here's how to spot it: The fraudulent email is sent under the subject line "Your suspension notification," and the message itself includes the official Netflix logo. In the body, the scammers claim that Netflix was "unable to validate your billing information for the next billing cycle of your subscription," and they threaten to suspend your membership if you don't update your information.

If you were to click on the "restart your membership" link, it would take you to a fake page designed to look like part of the Netflix website, complete with stills from original shows like The Crown and House of Cards. The page contains a form that asks you to submit sensitive data like your credit card and bank account numbers, which phishers can then use to steal your money and your identity.

About 110 million Netflix customers were targeted by this most recent scam email. If you're one of them, delete the message from your inbox without visiting any of the linked webpages or submitting your information. Meanwhile, you can check the status of your Netflix account (or any service you're subscribed to) by typing in the URL manually rather than following a mysterious link. And if you do all of your streaming through the borrowed account of a friend or family member, give them a heads-up about the scam: It's the least you can do.

[h/t Deadline]