When you receive a suspicious activity alert from Netflix, your account may be at risk. Either someone with unauthorized access logged into your account, or it has been compromised. When that happens, it’s terrifying. Your payment method and personal information are now exposed.
If you’re concerned about permanently losing your Netflix account and having your information stolen, there are steps you can take to secure it. Whether you’re a regular user of the Netflix app or website, you can regain access through your Android tablet, phone, or computer by following these steps carefully.
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Determine if the suspicious activity alert is from Netflix
If your account hasn’t been locked yet, and you receive an email claiming to be from Netflix asking for personal information to verify your account, be wary that this is another masked phishing attempt. According to Netflix, Netflix will never ask you to share personal information through text or email, including:
Credit or debit card numbers
Bank account details
Netflix passwords
Payment through a third-party vendor or website
What to do if you receive a phishing attempt claiming to be Netflix?
Never click or tap on any suspicious links embedded in text messages or emails unless you are sure they can be trusted.
When you encounter a Netflix phishing scam, Netflix advises you to report it by forwarding the email or text message to [email protected]. Once you’ve forwarded the message, delete the message. If you’ve accidentally clicked or tapped on a link, proceed to change your password and contact the financial institution if you’ve accidentally already gave away your payment details.
If you are unable to log in to Netflix because your account has been flagged for suspicious activity, you should change your password immediately. Your account may have been compromised and accessed from an unauthorized location not recognized by Netflix. You can reset your password by visiting the Change password page.
You can’t change your password if a Netflix Kids profile is active. Netflix recommends changing to another profile first and then changing the password.
When creating a new password, ensure it is a strong one that doesn’t contain personal information, resembles your old password, and is not connected to another account that might have been compromised or leaked elsewhere. The password must be at least eight characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. If you’re unsure about the approach for creating a strong password, use a trusted password manager to help you generate one.
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One of the first steps you should take if you are unable to log into your Netflix account due to suspicious activity is to contact Netflix. A hacker or malicious actor may have already gained access to your account and changed your information to prevent password recovery. Double-check your connected email to see if you received an email stating that your email address has been changed. If you have, then contact Netflix.
You will need to follow a few steps before you can contact a live agent. Ensure that you describe your issue using the Help Center page. If you suspect your account has been compromised, enter the word ‘hacked’ at the top and then select the Call Us or Chat with Us option at the bottom of the page. You can also set up a call through the Netflix app by tapping the Help option from the menu.
Netflix has cracked down on account sharing. Therefore, there is a good chance that someone you know may be accessing your account without your permission. If this is the case, then you need to discuss account access and change your password (especially if they don’t listen). If a member in your own household is using the account, they should primarily access Netflix while you’re on the same network. If not, Netflix may ask the user to verify their device using an email address or phone number associated with the primary account holder.
Android Authority reports that 9to5Mac and The Streamable both cited that any device used to stream Netflix outside the primary location will be required to stream at the location once every 31 days. This restriction aligns with Netflix’s Terms of Service, which prohibit account sharing unless an additional membership slot is purchased. However, it doesn’t prevent someone from accessing their content while traveling or temporarily away from the primary account holder’s location.
If you share your account with someone living outside your household, we recommend purchasing an Extra Member slot. This allows the account holder to manage it directly, while the Extra Member can have their own account, password, and profile. Otherwise, consider hosting remote watch parties (Discord’s screen-sharing feature is fantastic for this) to fully restrict access to your account and prevent someone else from using it.
Once you’ve secured your account access, we recommend cleaning up your logged-in devices page, especially if the cause of the suspicious activity was accidental. The number of streamed devices that can access Netflix at one point is dependent on your plan: The Basic plan allows only one, the Standard plan allows two, while the Premium plan allows up to four devices. To do this, open the Netflix app or website, navigate to the menu, and select Account.Then, scroll down to Security & Privacy and choose Sign out of all devices. You can also individually sign out of devices by selecting the Manage access and devices option.
Source: Lucas Gouveia/Android Police | leolintang/Shutterstock
Once you’ve recovered your account, it’s important to prevent the situation from occurring again. You should verify that all your devices are free from malware, with a particular focus on stealer-type malware, and that no suspicious web browser extensions are installed in your web browser. Also, remove the auto-fill password option from your web browser as an extra precaution.
Unfortunately, Netflix does not offer two-factor authentication as an added security measure. Netflix instead recommends you add a phone number to help verify your account for password recovery. The saved number can also be used to verify any suspicious login attempts.
Another note is to be cautious when using public networks and accessing shared devices. If you are traveling, always sign out of your account since anyone else accessing the same device can still use it. We recommend avoiding signing into your account on public Wi-Fi (at least not extensively), as some networks are not secure enough and can be exploited by malicious actors. Otherwise, keep an eye on your Netflix account activity and report any suspicious behavior to Netflix.
Although it may be tempting to allow your close friends and distant relatives access to your account, it can lead to unwanted consequences. As we’ve outlined above, Netflix is strict about unauthorized access and account sharing.
Not only are you putting your account at risk by giving someone else access, but your payment information and personal account details are now exposed across multiple devices. Your devices might not be vulnerable and have airtight security, but someone else’s device might not. Though, you can still share the fun without resorting to giving away your credentials. We recommend checking out account-sharing methods that avoid getting in trouble with Netflix and putting your data at risk.
