More than 700 fake websites mimicking Netflix and Disney+ signup pages have been created seeking to harvest personal information from consumers during the coronavirus lockdown streaming boom.
Mimecast identified around 700 suspicious websites mimicking Netflix that appeared between April 6 and April 13. The world’s most popular streaming service has predicted it will add seven million new customers in Q1, though the actual figure could be even higher. The uptick in new members means Netflix is now worth $192 billion, more than Disney.
The security firm also discovered four fake Disney+ signup websites during the same period. The service only launched five months ago and arrived in much of Europe just a few weeks ago, but it has still managed to attract 50 million subscribers.
While these websites can resemble the real versions at first glance, closer inspection usually reveals poor designs, suspicious URLs, and spelling and grammar errors. But some users don’t notice these tell-tale signs and end up handing over their names, passwords, and credit card details.
“We have seen a dramatic rise in suspicious domains impersonating a variety of streaming giants for nefarious purposes,” said Carl Wearn, cybercrime lead at Mimecast. “These spoof websites often lure unsuspecting members of the public in with an offer of free subscriptions to steal valuable data.”
The UK’s Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit, which comprises officers from the City of London police and Metropolitan police, has carried out searches in Leicestershire, Dorset and south-east London in recent weeks, and seized mobile phones and other devices linked to Covid-19 scams.
“Working closely with the banks and mobile phone companies, we are successfully cracking down on the criminals using the Covid-19 outbreak to defraud vulnerable members of the public,” said DCI Gary Robinson. “This sends a clear message to those callously seeking to exploit this national crisis to commit fraud
