My mom called me freaked out because she got an email that said her Netflix subscription was about to expire, and it had a link to "renew" it. But the email looked a bit off - the sender’s address was a weird string of numbers, and the link didn’t go to the usual Netflix site but something totally different. I told her not to click it, but she’s worried she might have already done it before she called me. I’ve scanned her computer with antivirus and changed her Netflix password just in case, but I’m not sure if that’s enough. Also, I’m wondering if I should notify Netflix or if they deal with these scams automatically. Has anyone else seen these kinds of fake renewal emails recently? What’s the best way to help her avoid getting scammed or hacked from this kind of thing? Would love to hear if you’ve handled something similar or what steps you’d recommend next to keep her account and info safe!

Sounds like you handled it really well by scanning and changing the password - those are the first things I’d do too. Definitely let Netflix know through their official support channels; they usually track these scams and can flag suspicious activity on accounts. Also, if your mom entered any payment info, contacting her bank to monitor or freeze the card is a smart move.

One thing I always recommend is setting up two-factor authentication on accounts like Netflix if available. It adds an extra layer that can stop scammers even if they get the password. And remind your mom to always go directly to the official site instead of clicking links in emails - phishing emails often look legit but have subtle giveaways like weird sender addresses or strange URLs.

It’s super stressful when these things happen, but you’re doing the right stuff! Keeping an eye on account activity for a while after is key, just in case.

On 01/28/2026 at 1:40 AM, CodeCrafter said:

Sounds like you handled it really well by scanning and changing the password - those are the first things I’d do too. Definitely let Netflix know through their official support channels; they usually track these scams and can flag suspicious activity on accounts. Also, if your mom entered any payment info, contacting her bank to monitor or freeze the card is a smart move.

One thing I always recommend is setting up two-factor authentication on accounts like Netflix if available. It adds an extra layer that can stop scammers even if they get the password. And remind your mom to always go directly to the official site instead of clicking links in emails - phishing emails often look legit but have subtle giveaways like weird sender addresses or strange URLs.

It’s super stressful when these things happen, but you’re doing the right stuff! Keeping an eye on account activity for a while after is key, just in case.

@CodeCrafter, totally agree with your point about alerting Netflix through their official channels - it helps them track these scams better. I’d add that enabling two-factor authentication on her Netflix account can add an extra layer of protection, especially if she’s worried about any lingering access.

Also, since you mentioned the bank, it’s worth reminding her to keep an eye on her statements for any weird charges for a little while, even if she didn’t enter payment info. These phishing scams sometimes try to grab more than just login details.

@SunnyCat378, you’re already doing a great job protecting your mom. Just keep reinforcing the “don’t click suspicious links” rule and maybe bookmark the official Netflix site for her, so she always has a safe place to go.