What to Do RIGHT NOW if You Think Your Netflix Account Has Been Hacked!
As one of the most popular streaming services, Netflix boasts around 231 million users worldwide. Many people use Netflix daily to watch their favorite shows. However, like all online services, Netflix accounts can be hacked. This situation can be really scary and stressful. It's important to stay calm and act wisely, or else you might make things even worse. In this blog post, we'll guide you on what to do if you think your Netflix account has been hacked. But first, let's understand how these hackers usually steal Netflix accounts.
How is a Netflix Account Usually Hacked?
Hackers often use a trick called phishing to hack Netflix accounts. They send fake emails pretending to be from Netflix, warning you about "suspicious activity" on your account. These emails usually have a link that takes you to a fake login page that looks just like Netflix. Once you enter your details, the hacker gets them.
Hackers sell these hacked Netflix accounts on the dark web for about $12 each.
People usually ignore these fake emails because they get a lot of them. Hackers exploit this, hoping you'll also ignore the real emails from Netflix warning about suspicious activity. They then use this opportunity to take control of your account.
Here's a common way they do this:
You get an email about a suspicious login, possibly from another country.
You check your Netflix account for unknown devices, but you find nothing unusual. The hacker logs out to make you feel safe.
You might experience this a few more times within a month.
Once the hacker feels you're not paying attention to the Netflix warnings, they make their move. They add their credit card details to your account, upgrade your subscription, and change the user profile names to numbers.
You'll then receive an email notifying you of changes made to your account, and that's when the hacker tries to block you from your own account.
What to Do If Your Netflix Account is Hacked?
1. Try to log in to Netflix.
If you think your account is hacked, visit Netflix's website directly and try to log in. Don't use any link you received via email or message. If you can't log in, skip to Step 4.
2. Change your password if you can log in.
If you're able to log in, change your password immediately. Create a strong password that's 10-12 characters long and includes letters, numbers, and symbols. Don't reuse or slightly modify the old password.
3. Remove unknown payment methods if you can log in.
If you're still able to access your account, check for any unknown payment methods that the hacker might have added. Remove them, but be careful not to remove your own payment card. If you do, you'll need another way to prove your identity to Netflix, so it's better to call Netflix before doing this.
4. Call Netflix support. (Don't skip this step)
Regardless of whether you can log in or not, always call Netflix support. They can help you find out what changes the hacker has made and how to fix them.
5. Check your bank statements.
After a hack, always check your bank statements for any unusual charges.
6. Change your password for other accounts if they shared the same password as your Netflix account.
If you've used the same password for other accounts, change it as soon as possible to prevent further hacks.
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Article adapted with permission from The Technology Press.