Free Netflix Scam Targeting WhatsApp

Sorry, folks, Netflix isn’t giving away subscriptions despite what scammers claim.

Who Is It Targeting: Social media users, specifically WhatsApp

What Is It: A phishing scam

What Are They After: Just like emails and Facebook messages that appear to come from someone in your contacts list, popular messaging tool WhatsApp is the latest platform for scammers to hack into accounts and reach out to you with phony offers. The message appears to be from someone you know and tells you to click the link and fill out the form in order to be eligible for one free year of movie and TV streaming service Netflix.

Unfortunately, it’s all fake. Clicking the link more than likely downloads malicious software to your computer or device, and the required forms to claim your free account will turn over your information to a scammer.

How Can You Avoid It:

• Remember the old adage: there’s no free lunch. Or in this case, no free Netflix.
• If you receive a fraudulent message like this one and you think you know the sender, it’s a good idea to contact that person via another means and inform them of the possible account hacking.
• If you receive a link that might be genuine, it’s still a good idea to verify it with the sender before clicking.

Find more current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from WeLiveSecurity.com.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530.