During the coronavirus lockdown streaming boom, more than 700 fake websites mimicking Netflix and Disney+ signup pages have been created seeking to harvest personal information from consumers. Netflix, which is expected to smash its forecast of 7 million new global subscribers when it reports first-quarter results, is the main target as millions of new potential customers seek entertainment while confined to their homes.
The cybersecurity firm Mimecast has identified around 700 suspicious scam websites impersonating the world’s most-popular streaming service that appeared between 6 April and Easter.
The newer Disney+, which started its international rollout in earnest last month launching in western Europe’s main markets including the UK, was mimicked by four new websites in the same one-week period. Some of the counterfeit sites can look extremely convincing, selling subscriptions or free accounts to harvest personal and credit card data, although most are poorly designed and have language errors that mark them out as suspicious.
Government lockdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus have proved to be a boon for TV - UK broadcasters recorded a 29% increase in viewing over Easter compared with last year - and subscription services.
Cybercriminals are also impersonating official bodies such as HMRC and the World Health Organization in scam text messages and emails in an attempt to exploit the coronavirus outbreak.
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