Remove “Netflix Account Suspended” scam email

The “Netflix Account Suspended” scam email falls into the phishing category. The email is disguised as a notification from Netflix, informing users about payment issues. Supposedly, Netflix was unable to validate the recipient’s billing information and the account will be suspended as a result. The membership will be suspended within 48 hours if correct payment details are not provided. The email provides a link that will lead to a Netflix phishing site. If users type in their login credentials, they will be stolen.

 

 

The “Netflix Account Suspended” email falsely claims that there’s an issue with users’ payment information, which will supposedly result in the account being suspended. While Netflix does notify users about payment problems, this email is clearly a scam. Those who have received genuine notifications in the past will likely recognize this as a phishing attempt. The primary goal of the email is to harvest users’ Netflix login credentials.

If users click on the button in the email, they will be directed to a phishing Netflix website that prompts them to log in. If users enter their email and password, the credentials will immediately be sent straight to the scammers behind this phishing attack. Stolen Netflix accounts can be exploited in various ways. Cybercriminals might take over the accounts immediately by changing the associated email and password. If users don’t regularly use Netflix but maintain an account, it may be a while until they notice they can no longer log in. If Netflix support is unable to restore their access, users may need to cancel their payment cards to avoid unauthorized charges.

In some instances, rather than hijacking accounts, scammers may sell access to these accounts to those seeking cheaper Netflix subscriptions. Users who buy access to these compromised accounts will be able to watch Netflix until the original account holder realizes that their account is being used by someone else, which may be a while if they are discreet.

Below is the full “Netflix Account Suspended” phishing email text:

Subject: Please Confirm Your Information

Netflix
Account Suspended !

Dear Customer,

We were unable to validate your billing information for the next billing cycle of subscription.

Therefore we’ll suspend your membership if we do not receive a response from you within 48Hours

Obviously we’d love to have you back, simply click restart membership to update your details and continue to enjoy all the best TV shows
VERIFY NOW

We’re here to help if you need it. Visit The Help Centre for more info or contact us.

-The Netflix Team

How to recognize phishing attempts

Phishing scams that target a large number of users are often fairly easy to spot. If users are careful when dealing with unsolicited emails, they should have no trouble identifying these attempts.

The “Netflix Account Suspended” phishing email is a great example of a generic phishing email as it has all the signs pointing to it being malicious. First of all, the sender’s email address clearly does not belong to Netflix. Legitimate emails from the company always have the Netflix name in the address and use Netflix’s domain. More advanced phishing emails might use more convincing email addresses, but a quick online search can help determine if an email address is legitimate or not.

Netflix users should be able to easily spot that this email is a fake. Authentic emails from Netflix always greet recipients using their main profile’s name, but this email fails to address the user individually and simply uses the word “Customer”. This is an immediate giveaway. The “Netflix Account Suspended” email is also full of mistakes that you would never see in an automatic Netflix email.

The clearest indication of a phishing attempt is the URL of the website that users are redirected to upon clicking the “Verify Now” button. This link leads to a site that imitates Netflix’s login page. Although this site is designed to closely mimic the real Netflix login page, the URL clearly does not belong to Netflix. While cybercriminals can create URLs that look legitimate, attentive users will always be able to distinguish between the two. Therefore, it’s important for users to check the URL before logging in to any site.

“Netflix Account Suspended” phishing email removal

If you receive this “Netflix Account Suspended” email, you can safely delete it from your inbox. If you have shared your login details, it’s important to log into your Netflix account right away and change your password. Should you be unable to access your account, reach out to Netflix for assistance in recovering it. If recovery is not an option, contact your bank to cancel your payment cards to avoid any unauthorized charges.