Fake Free Netflix Premium Promotion Messages Spread on Whatsapp Due to a Fake App

Much like our lungs, having a Netflix Singapore account these days is essential for survival.

With a small monthly fee and access to thousands of movies and TV shows, it’s a wonder that people still get out of bed and go to work.

But there’s one thing even better than a Netflix account.

Reader: An Amazon Prime account?

Nope, a free Netflix account.

If someone offered you a free Netflix account, you could save around S$144 a year, which would cover your bubble tea costs for about two days.

Unfortunately, free Netflix accounts don’t fall from the sky, nor do they magically appear on our phones, despite what someone on WhatsApp wants you to believe.

Fake Free Netflix Premium Promotion Messages Spread on Whatsapp Due to a Fake App

Scammers have been spreading malware on Android phones by offering a fake two-month free Netflix subscription on WhatsApp.

Check Point Research, a threat intelligence team that discovers and assesses trends in hacking activities, has warned users of the scam.

If users fall prey to the scam, hackers could end up stealing their personal data.

How it Works

Victims will first receive a message on WhatsApp, encouraging them to download an app for “2 Months of Netflix Premium Free Anywhere in the World for 60 days.”

The full message says:

 “2 Months of Netflix Premium Free at no cost For REASON OF QUARANTINE (CORONA VIRUS)* Get 2 Months of Netflix Premium Free anywhere in the world for 60 days. Get it now HERE [Bitly link].”

The link leads users to a fake app on the Google Play Store which is actually malware disguised as a fake Netflix app.

Once it’s installed, the malware will try and steal your personal information such as login details and credit card numbers.

As Check Point Research explained: “The app turned out to be a fake service that claims to allow users to view Netflix content from around the world on their mobiles”.

“However, instead of allowing the mobile user to view Netflix content, the application is actually designed to monitor a user’s WhatsApp notifications, sending automatic replies to a user’s incoming messages using content that it receives from a remote server”, they said.

So, if a hacker manages to install this malware on your phone, they could:

• Spread further malware via malicious links
• Steal data from users’ WhatsApp accounts
• Spread fake or malicious messages to users’ WhatsApp contacts and groups (for example, work-related groups)
• Extort users by threatening to send sensitive WhatsApp data or conversations to all of their contacts

Be Wary of Suspicious Links

Over the course of 2 months, the “Netflix” app was downloaded approximately 500 times.

Check Point Research urged users to be wary of download links or attachments they receive via WhatsApp or other messaging apps, even when they appear to come from trusted contacts or messaging groups.

So, if you receive this message or something similar, you should delete it immediately. Whatever you do, don’t click on the link or download the app.

A free Netflix account certainly sounds nice, but as your grandfather used to say, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Featured Image: Vantage_DS / Shutterstock.com