When folks lose access to their favorite video-streaming service, it can create panic, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
And that concern is now leading people to becoming victims of fraud.
Deputy District Attorney John Weller explains how the scam works in this video:
In the Streaming Service Scam, victims receive an email that appears to be from a video or music streaming app claiming a subscription was canceled because the billing information couldn’t be verified.
It directs victims to click a link to a fraudulent website that requests their credit card information or other personal data to renew the subscription.
Scammers then use the information to make purchases on the victims’ credit cards or otherwise gain access to their accounts.
The bogus emails and websites scammers utilize often look legitimate, with the same format, typeface and logos used by the companies they are pretending to represent.
TIPS:
- Don’t provide personal, financial or account information requested by email or other forms; streaming services usually won’t contact customers asking for this.
- Look out for generic form-letter language, typos and grammar errors throughout the email.
- Without clicking on any links in an email, visit the official company website or call the purported sender of the email at a known phone number to verify the content of the correspondence.
