PixabayIf Netflix has asked you to update your payment details, there’s a good chance it’s a scam email – and here’s how you can protect yourself from other phishing attempts.
Phishing emails have been one of the internet’s earliest and most consistent perils. You click a link saying you’ve won a prize or need to fill in your credit card information, and seconds later, you realize you’ve been targeted by scammers.
With people juggling subscriptions to countless streaming services, they probably receive loads of emails about new titles and updated terms and conditions. For a scammer, it’s an easy way to catch customers off guard; if it looks just like a company’s normal emails, then surely this one is fine, people will tell themselves.
If you’re a Netflix user, you must be extra vigilant right now – this is what you need to keep an eye out for.
Watch out for this Netflix scam email
Netflix subscribers have reported receiving an email that warns them their account “is on hold” due to a problem with their direct debit. “Let’s tackle your payment details,” the subject line reads.
“Please update your payment details,” the email opens (via VectorRoll). “We’re having some trouble with your current billing information. We’ll try again, but in the meantime you may want to update your payment details.”
Here’s where it gets really nefarious: beneath a big red button that says “UPDATE ACCOUNT NOW” there are seemingly links to Netflix’s official help center and contact pages. If you click the link, it’ll take you to a website that looks a lot like Netflix’s sign-in page, where you’ll input your details, including your password, home address, and credit card details.
This is what Netflix says you should do
NetflixAccording to Netflix, “if you get an email or text message (SMS) asking for your Netflix account email, phone, password, or payment method it probably didn’t come from Netflix.”
That said, there could be exceptions, so the platform has offered a few other tips.
“We’ll never ask you to share your personal information in a text or email. This includes: credit or debit card numbers, bank account details [and] Netflix passwords. We’ll never ask for payment through a third party vendor or website,” its help page reads.
“If the text or email links to a URL that you don’t recognize, don’t tap or click it. If you did already, do not enter any information on the website that opened.”
If you receive a scam email, don’t click anything in it. Forward it to phishing@netflix.com and then delete it.
If you’re suspicious, check the sender’s email. If their address ends in “@netflix.com” then it’s likely to be legitimate, but if it ends with anything else it’s almost definitely a scam.
In the meantime, check out our lists of new movies on Netflix in March 2025 and keep tabs on the year’s releases with our 2025 movie calendar.
