(CBS NEWS) - Con artists claiming they work for Netflix created a fake website to try to get credit card and other private information from unsuspecting victims, according to the Better Business Bureau.
"It combines a phishing scam with a tech support scam," Jerome Segura, a computer expert with Malwarebytes, explained to CBS News.
In the scam, Netflix customers get an email or a pop-up directing them to a fake Netflix log-in page. The page is deceptively realistic.
Segura set up a computer stripped of personal information and recorded the screen as he investigated the scam. After logging into the fake site, he received a notice that read, "We have temporarily suspended this account" followed by a 1-800 number to call for support.
Calling the number connected him to a con artist pretending to be a Netflix support personnel. The scammer said he could fix the problem but first needed remote access to Segura's computer. He walked Segura through granting access, then proceeded to download files off of Segura's computer.
"I had set up fake banking sheets on the desktop and they were taken as we were speaking," Segura said.
Segura cut the demonstration short when the scammer asked for credit card information.
"It was time for me to just hang up," he said.
The website has since been taken down. A Netflix spokesperson told CBS News that it is aware of the scam and believe it is no longer active. The spokesperson did not say how many people were targeted.
The company said it uses various means to protect members and their brand from cyber criminals. Computer experts say you should always be very careful before giving anyone remote access to your computer.
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