Better Business Bureau warns of free Netflix scam

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - How does free Netflix for a year sound? The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says it may sound great, but is actually a scam.

The BBB has seen an uptick in reports of people getting text messages saying “Due to the pandemic, Netflix is offering everyone a free year of service to help you stay at home. Click the link to sign up” with a link to get a free year of the streaming service. The message asks you to fill out personal information and a payment method.

However, this is not actually associated with Netflix. Contact the company’s customer service to find out if the text message you received is legitimate.

While many legitimate businesses use text messages to connect with customers, scammers have come up with their own SMS cons, often called “smishing” (for SMS phishing) scams. The BBB has some tips on how to avoid text message scams:

• Don’t believe every text you receive. As a general rule, companies can not send text messages unless you opt-in to receive them. If you receive a text message from a company you do not believe you have given permission to contact you in this way, proceed with caution.
• Go straight to the source. If an offer seems peculiar, or too good to be true, contact the company directly by finding their official contact information online. Call or email customer service to verify if the text message you received is legitimate.
• Take a close look at web addresses. If you follow a link in a text message that you believe is legitimate, examine the web address carefully before you take any action. Make sure you are visiting a company’s official website and not a look-alike.
• Ignore instructions to text “STOP” or “NO.” Even if you realize the message is a scam, do not text back for any reason. Scammers may want you to reply in order to verify that your phone number is active. Instead, block the number so you will not receive messages from it in the future.
• Change your password. Even if you do not fall for this scam, Netflix advises its customers to change their password if they have been targeted by scammers.
• Click here for more tips from Netflix.

To find or report a scam to the BBB, visit the BBB Scam Tracker by clicking HERE.

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