Yahoo Finance ‘Don’t be fooled’: Netflix scam hits Aussie inboxes
Australians have been warned against a phishing email scam spoofing Netflix that steals users’ streaming account and personal banking details.
The fake email advises users they need to “request a refund”, before ultimately scraping their details, email security software Mailguard warned.
“We inform you in writing that the last invoice statement for march [sic] 2021 was paid twice,” the email body reads.
“We invite you to request a refund by clicking on the link below.”
Netflix’ logo and red colour scheme is implemented to fool recipients into believing the email is legitimate.
But there are certain indicators that the email is false, including typos in the display name (‘Netlfix’), and a blank subject line.
The email recipient is also never addressed directly by name.
“The email actually originates from a third party that is using potentially compromised web hosting, as well as a dynamic DNS provider for the sending domain,” Mailguard stated in a blog post.
“Unsuspecting recipients who click on the link to request a refund are led to an intermediary site hosted by BigCommerce that appears to be compromised. This site automatically redirects them to a login page asking users for their email address and password.”
The fraudulent login page again utilises Netflix’ logo and has a background of shows available via the streaming giant.
However, the site’s domain page isn’t a legitimate Netflix URL.
“This is actually a phishing page hosted on yet another potentially compromised web host using a Namecheap IP address,” said Mailguard.
Users who ‘sign in’ to the fake account will be taken to another page that asks for bank account information.
Those who key these details in are led to a page asking for a one-time confirmation code sent to their mobile phone in order to retrieve their ‘refund’.
Mailguard cautioned Australian individuals and businesses to watch out for these phishing scams.
“Exercise caution when opening messages, and to be extra vigilant against this kind of cyber-attack,” it warned.
“If you see an email from Netflix, please make sure it is a legitimate communication before you open it.”
Mailguard also advised people to share the alert with their social network to raise awareness about the threat.
Cyber security flaws have been named as a top danger by global CEOs as well as the World Economic Forum.
Parliament House’s email network was recently shut down after a potential hack attack.
In early March, a sophisticated group of hackers linked to China gained access to Microsoft’s email servers that left several Australian businesses vulnerable.
IT experts have warned that cyber attacks on Aussie organisations are a matter of ‘if, not when’.
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