A computer emergency response team warned Filipino subscribers of Netflix and other video streaming services of phishing or fake e-mails inquiring about their billing plans as such platforms become popular amid quarantine period.
Cyber Security Philippines-CERT on Thursday informed the public about criminal elements targeting subscribers of streaming services with the intention to steal their credit card data associated with their subscription plans.
The crooks will lure the unsuspecting victim to a fake page through an e-mail claiming to be from a streaming site.
CSP-CERT advised Filipinos to open such e-mails in their browser apps or in the desktop to be able to see the full details of the sender and check “exactly where those ‘subscription or payment e-mails are coming from.'”
“Please do not click on things just because it feels and looks the same as the original!!!” the organization said.
It also included a sample photo of how the e-mail would look like.
In the photo, the e-mail account’s name was “Netflix” but its e-mail address showed a personal name with a string of random characters. The e-mail address was labeled as “bnhwaax.com” instead of Netflix as well.
“Below is what the actual e-mail looks like if accessed via browser and you can clearly see it is not made by or directly coming from Netflix,” the organization said.
Video streaming services have become more popular especially during the quarantine period as people seek entertainment through their own screens at home rather than go out.
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Netflix, iWant TFC, iFlix, HOOQ, HBO Go, Fox+ and Amazon Prime Video are some of the streaming platforms that offer subscription plans so that the user can watch content to his/her heart’s content.
Such are usually paid electronically, mostly through credit or debit card.
Phishing, meanwhile, pertains to cybercrime in which a victim is contacted through e-mail, telephone or text message by someone who is posing as a legitimate institution to trick them into sharing sensitive data such as credit card details and account passwords.
The information, once obtained, is used to access important accounts and can result in financial loss and identity theft.
Recently, Filipino students were warned of cybercriminals lurking in the conduct of their online classes through a digital caravan launched by Smart Communications Inc.
The caravan included students from around 100 schools in the metro who were provided with interactive booths where they played games about online threats and a virtual auditorium where they listened to six TED-style talks about cybersecurity.