Guide Scams and phishing
Netflix scam emails and texts: how to spot a fake “account on hold” message and what to do if you entered your card
An email or text arrives with the familiar red logo: your payment didn't go through, your account is on hold and it will be deleted within 48 hours unless you update your payment details. Just tap the link. The link leads to a copy of the Netflix sign-in page that asks for your password and your full card details. Netflix itself says it never asks for payment details by email or text. Here's how to spot the fake, how to check your subscription safely and what to do if you've already typed in your card.
Key points
- According to its help centre, Netflix never asks for your card number, bank details or password in an email or text, and never asks you to pay through another website. A message that does is a scam.
- Check your subscription yourself: open the app or type the address into your browser. Don't use the link in the message.
- Entered your card on a fake page? Call your bank and block the card now, then change your Netflix password and any other password that was the same.
- Forward the suspicious message to phishing@netflix.com and delete it. The same approach works for messages that claim to come from any streaming service.
What the scam looks like
The message pretends to be a notice from Netflix or another streaming service. The wording changes, the idea doesn't: there's a problem with your payment and only the link can fix it. Versions described by official sources include:
- A billing problem. “We're having some trouble with your current billing information”, your account is on hold, click to update your payment method (an email published by the US Federal Trade Commission).
- A deletion threat. Pay within 48 hours or your account will be blocked or deleted (a campaign described by the Slovak national CSIRT, SK-CERT).
- A free offer. A free year of Netflix, just confirm your details (also SK-CERT). Every version ends on a page asking for your card or your banking login.
The messages arrive by email and by text. The link opens a page that looks like the Netflix sign-in – logo, colours, form. It asks for your email and password first, then your full card details.
How to spot a fake message
Any one of these is enough:
- It asks for your card, bank details or password. Netflix's help centre says it will never ask you to share personal information in a text or email – specifically card numbers, bank account details and passwords.
- It asks you to pay through another website. Netflix says it never asks for payment through a third-party vendor or website.
- Urgency and threats. “Within 48 hours”, “final notice”, “your account will be deleted”. The pressure is there to stop you thinking.
- The link doesn't belong to the service. The domain only looks similar (an extra word, swapped letters, a different ending), or the link is shortened.
- A generic greeting, mistakes, or a service you don't use. The FTC lists a missing name, spelling and grammar errors, and a message from a company you have no account with as warning signs.
How to check your subscription safely
- Don't tap the link in the message.
- Open the service's app on your phone or TV, or type the address (netflix.com) into your browser yourself.
- Look at your account settings. If there really is a payment problem, you'll see it there and can update your card directly in your account.
- Nothing there? The message was a scam. Forward it to phishing@netflix.com and delete it.
The same rule applies to every streaming service, online shop and bank: handle payments and sign-ins only through the app or an address you typed yourself.
Already entered something?
- Card details: call your bank now. Use the number on your card or the bank's official website and block the card. Netflix advises contacting your financial institution if you entered payment details. Go through recent transactions with your bank and dispute any you didn't make.
- Watch out for “approve this payment”. If your bank sends you a text or app notification for a payment you didn't start, don't approve it – even if someone on the phone asks you to. It means the scammer is trying your card right now.
- Password: change it. Set a new, strong password used only for Netflix (Netflix recommends exactly that) and change it anywhere you used the same email and password. A password manager helps, and so does two-step verification wherever a service offers it.
- Report it. Tell your bank and the police in your country. In the US you can report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- The full checklist for every kind of data (email, banking, ID documents) is in I entered my details on a phishing site.
Where to report it
- To Netflix: forward the email or text to phishing@netflix.com, then delete it (Netflix's own instructions).
- A scam text: in the UK and the US, forward it to 7726. The NCSC also explains how to report scam emails and websites.
- In the US: report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; the FTC also asks for phishing emails to be forwarded to reportphishing@apwg.org.
- Lost money: your bank first, then the police.
Similar messages claim to be about a missed parcel, a tax refund or a hotel booking – always a link, always a card.
FAQ
I got a text saying Netflix has suspended my account. Is it a scam?
If it contains a link asking you to enter your card or password, yes. Netflix's help centre says it will never ask you to share your card number, bank account details or Netflix password in a text or email. Open the Netflix app yourself and see whether it shows any payment problem.
My Netflix payment really did fail. How do I fix it safely?
Sign in through the app, or type netflix.com into your browser yourself, and update your payment details in your account settings. Never through a link in a message. The same goes for every other streaming service.
I clicked the link but didn't enter anything. Am I at risk?
Just opening the page usually isn't enough. Close it and don't fill anything in. If a file or app downloaded, don't open it – delete it. The FTC suggests running a security scan after clicking a suspicious link.
I entered my card number, expiry date and the code on the back. What now?
Call your bank immediately on the number on your card or its official website and block the card. Those details are enough to pay online. Go through recent transactions with your bank, dispute anything you didn't make and report it.
I don't even have Netflix, but I keep getting messages that my subscription is ending. Why?
Scammers send these messages in bulk, hoping some recipients have the service. A message from a company you have no account with is a clear sign of a scam – the FTC lists it as one. Just delete it.
Sources
- Netflix Help Center – Phishing and suspicious emails or text messages claiming to be from Netflix
- FTC – Netflix phishing scam: Don't take the bait (26 December 2018)
- SK-CERT – TL;DR: You can't do shopping on DarkMarket anymore and be careful what Netflix asks of you (22 January 2021)
- NCSC – Report a scam text message
- FTC – Report fraud (ReportFraud.ftc.gov)
Spotted a mistake? Let us know and we will correct it openly.
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