Netflix scam (Removal Instructions) - Free Guide
Netflix scam Removal Guide
What is Netflix scam?
Netflix scam – a fake Netflix-themed message which seeks to swindle sensitive information from its subscribers
Netflix scam is a fake message which urges its victims to log into their Netflix account and make certain modifications to it. Besides, it can be used to swindle user's personal information, such as login details, bank information and similar data which is considered to be sensitive.
Typically, Netflix virus displays scams messages on phishing domains.[1] However, they can also be received in a form of misleading pop-up message or via an email that is presented as one that comes from real Netflix company (although it isn't). If you have been dealing with this and similar scams on your computer, make sure you double check it for adware or malware infections.
| Name | Netflix scam |
|---|---|
| Type | Online scam |
| Danger Level | High. Users might disclose sensitive data, such as login details and financial information, to cyber criminals |
| Distribution | Bundling, phishing emails, infected websites |
| Symptoms | Netflix-themed warning messages, pop-ups, redirects |
| Main types |
|
| Removal | You can delete all the unwanted applications and malware by scanning your computer with a powerful anti-malware tool |
| System fix | If you encounter post-infection issues, such as crashes or errors, you can employ repair tools such as ReimageIntego |
Phishing scams became extremely popular in recent years, mainly because there are always people who will fall for these false alerts. However, over the years, even the least computer-savvy individuals managed to recognize fake messages that contain grammar and spelling mistakes. However, most of Netflix scams are compiled pretty well and mislead hundreds of users each day.
Nevertheless, from time to time, a perfectly designed scam arises that might deceive even advanced computer users. Therefore, it is vital to know how to protect yourself from adware threats and also remove Netflix scams and redirects, which are typically related to it from your PC ASAP.
So, how do so many people get tricked by crooks hiding behind Netflix hoax and similar scams? To find out, we need to look at how adware works. Adware is the ad-supported software that aims is to expose users to sponsors’ content to earn monetary gain. Therefore, adware creators do not care which sites they might redirect users to. Their main aim is to fill their web browsers with sponsored content and similar useless ads.
This way, users might end up on the Netflix scam website. However, scams can be avoided entirely easily if users pay enough attention. On the other hand, malicious JavaScripts can be run on hacked sites and install malware[2] automatically into victims' computers. Thus, it is crucial to arm yourself with reputable security software that can protect you from such threats. Note that malware can also disrupt any computer and will no longer work the same afterward. In such a case, we recommend using a PC repair tool ReimageIntego.
The authors of the Netflix scam virus have a very simple motive to ploy phishing attacks – they want Netflix account information that contains personal details, like name, home address, banking details, etc. This data can be used for various malicious activities, such as identity theft or money extortion.
Netflix scam types
Netflix is one of the most popular and trusted video streaming platforms that are considered affordable and safe. Thus, it is not surprising that cybercriminals are trying to abuse Netflix’ customers by pretending to be the company's representatives.
At this moment, these are the most known variations of a scam:
“Special pricing for 25,000 subscribers”
This message claims that the first 25,000 individuals who will subscribe to the supposed exclusive offer will receive special pricing for Netflix for the whole year. Users who proceed with this offer are additionally redirected to a form where they are required to reveal their banking and personal information. Users of this scam can become victims of identity theft, and can also suffer from money loss.
“Unable to Bill Your Subscription” scam
In this variant, victims of the Netflix scam are explained that their connected bank account couldn’t be charged. Additionally, users are required to renew their banking details so that the streaming service would not get interrupted. If proceeded, users are redirected to the fake website of scammers, which is used to extort people's banking information. You should never ignore such redirects on your computer. To prevent such losses, always double-check the URL of the site. You can also contact the company's support to ask it about the issue.
“Your Netflix Membership Is About To Be Canceled” scam
This variation of the scam is very similar to “Unable to Bill Your Subscription” one. It states that the authorization of the bank card failed, and, if not updated, the subscription will be canceled. The notice might deceive individuals who do not want their Netflix service to be cut off. After clicking on the link provided, users are redirected to a webpage that visually looks identical to the official company's site. However, victims are providing their account login info.
“Free Netflix Subscription for a year” scam
Similarly to other versions of the scam, victims are offered a fake free subscription for a year as a nine-year anniversary gift. After proceeding with the “Join Now” button, users are prompted to enter personal data, such as a full name, email address, credit card information, etc. You should always contact the company's support to make sure that you are not trying to receive fake gifts. Otherwise, you can become a victim of identity theft.
“Netflix Membership Renewal” scam
Netflix Membership Renewal scam is another phishing message that follows the trend of ending of Netflix subscription. While in many cases, users see such notifications on random websites (or after they get redirected by adware), this fake alert is typically delivered directly to users' mailboxes.
Similarly to other versions of this Netflix scam, Netflix Membership Renewal once again claims that there have been problems with the membership of the current account. According to the message, Netflix is unable to renew the membership for the “next billing cycle.” The full message reads:
NETFLIX
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
We were unable to renew your membership for the next billing cycle of your subscription, therefore we will suspend your membership if we do not receive a response from your within 72 hours.
Obviously we'd love to hold on to your membership. If you change your mind simply you can restart your membership to enjoy all the best TV shows and movies.
RENEW MEMBERSHIP
-Your friends at Netflix
As evident, malicious actors behind Netflix Membership Renewal scam did not proof check their message. When dealing with suspicious messages like this one (no company would suspend your membership due to billing problems), spelling and grammar mistakes are the first clues you should look at. Also, it is always important to check the “From” address, as it often does not match with the real email of the company.
In case you click on the “Renew Membership” button, you will be redirected to a lookalike Netflix login screen, where you will be asked to provide your login credentials. As evident, do not provide such information, as it will be stolen and used for malicious deeds.
Ways scammers trick their victims
Adware programs promoting fake alerts can be obtained via bundling. It is a common PUP distribution method that allows freeware developers to add additional components to their installation managers. Thus, users who are rushing the installation process might not even notice that they just agreed to install unwanted programs.
Therefore, pay attention when installing free software obtained online. The most critical step is never to rush the procedure and pick Advanced/Custom settings when prompted. Recommended/Default mode is not advised as it might be hiding additional components.
Security experts[3] noted that phishing emails became extremely widespread in recent years. Thus, be highly careful when opening emails, even if it looks like the source is legitimate. You need to find the signs of fraudulent email and never proceed with links provided there.
Eliminate Netflix scam fake alerts and keep your bank account safe
You can remove Netflix scam on your computer by eliminating adware-type programs from the system. In this case, we highly recommend installing robust security software and checking your computer system entirely. Programs that we recommend for fixing this issue are given in the list below. They will not only detect unwanted programs that are responsible for these hoax popups but will also warn you if you are entering a dangerous website on the internet.
If you would like to proceed with a full Netflix scam removal without employing additional software, you can follow our illustrated guide, which is presented below this post. However, make sure you execute each step correctly as failure to do so might lead to reinfection of the virus.
You may remove virus damage with a help of ReimageIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Netflix scam. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To delete Netflix scam alerts from Windows OS, follow this guide. You need to find and uninstall all suspicious third-party programs that you can't remember installing:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Do not forget to reset your MS Edge settings to finish the removal of this scam:
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
We highly recommend uninstalling all suspicious browser add-ons from the browser. Additionally, perform a full reset on your web browser.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Netflix scam registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: ReimageIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting adware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
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- ^ What is phishing?. PhishTank. Information about phishing.
- ^ Tim Fisher. What is Malware?. Lifewire. Tech Untangled.
- ^ LosVirus. LosVirus. Italian cybersecurity experts.