Netflix has staked a claim as the premier streaming service on the market, and that is likely to continue further as the company aims to spend $8 billion on original content in 2018. However, such popularity brings with it some risks, such as the potential for unscrupulous groups to target Netflix subscribers for scams.


Recently, an extremely authentic-looking email scam has been doing the rounds, specifically aimed at Netflix customers. As reported by Deadline, individualized emails have been sent out by scammers, threatening to take away a Netflix subscription unless account information is updated. However, the email itself will instead try to steal the user’s personal information.


Targeting nearly 110 million Netflix users, the email scam comes with the subject line “Your suspension notification,” and advises that Netflix was “unable to validate your billing information for the next billing cycle of your subscription.” The email then threatens to suspend the user’s Netflix account, unless they follow a fake link where Netflix login and credit card details are requested.


Although there are several telltale signs that the email is fake, such as some odd wording and the suspicious request for such compromising information outright, the email scam does seem very authentic. As such, Netflix users should take extra diligence when reading their emails, and perhaps be a little bit more cynical when an email threatens to take away their access to the likes of Stranger Things.


As Netflix gets bigger and bigger, unfortunately, this type of scam is likely to become more prevalent. After all, the recent subscription price increase saw Netflix stocks hit an all-time high earlier this year, and the popularity of the service as a whole means that various scammers might see Netflix customers as easy prey when it comes to stealing account information. Netflix users will have to be on the lookout, and be careful when reading through emails that claim to be from the streaming service.


It’s also another area for Netflix to keep an eye on as it looks to expand. Over the years, popular online services have consistently been the target of scam artists, and often the best course of action is to increase development in areas to combat these thieves. However, with Netflix taking aim at Hollywood with original content investment, this could be easier said than done.