I’M AN AVID MOVIE STREAMER, so it's not unusual for me to receive emails from Netflix about new things to watch. So a new message about updating my account info didn't seem out of place, especially since the email contained the familiar red Netflix logo. Here's what the email said:
We were unable to validate your billing information for the next billing cycle of your subscription therefore we'll suspend your membership if we do not receive a response from you within 48 hours.
Obviously we'd love to have you back, simply click restart your membership to update your details and continue to enjoy all the best TV shows & movies without interruption.
We're here to help if you need it. Visit the Help Center for more info. -The Netflix Team
But on closer inspection, the tone seemed a bit off (why so urgent?) and I noticed a typo ("48hours"), so I promptly deleted the message without clicking any of the links, then blocked the sender and went about my day.
I had been scammed-or rather, someone had attempted to scam me. This is a common con, engineered to trick people into providing their credit card or debit card number, bank account details and Netflix password.
THROUGH EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGES and social media requests (often with questionable grammar and spelling) and old-fashioned phone calls, cybercriminals are doing everything in their power to deceive and defraud. All around the world, people are falling victim to data breaches, viruses and ransomware when you're locked out of your computer unless you pay to regain access to your files.
Cybercrime attacks often originate in China, Russia, India and parts of Africa (Nigerian prince, anyone?). That's because it can be difficult to find and charge perpetrators in those places. But the attacks can come from anywhere.
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
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Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Pier Pressure - A brutal storm rips a floating beachside store from its moorings, sending it and its occupants out to sea
A brutal storm rips a floating beachside store from its moorings, sending it and its occupants out to sea. It was around 6:30 on a June morning in 2023, and a Facebook post caught Boyd Jordan's eye. Shell Isle Mercantile, a floating store that sold beachgoing fare-sunglasses, inflatables, food, umbrellas-had been ripped from its moorings on Shell Island, just off Florida's northern Gulf Coast, by a storm the night before and had floated 3 miles across the bay to Panama City.
Do You Kiss Your Dog? - Find out how gross your questionable habits really are, according to health experts
I admit it, when it comes to food, I have some eeew-inducing practices, like skimming mold off old cheddar and feeding the rest to my unsuspecting family. We're still alive, so how bad can it be? Because our gross human habits fall somewhere along the spectrum from mildly cringeworthy to full-on repulsive, I reached out to experts to find out where some common behaviors land on the gross-o-meter.
What's Ailing Our Doctors? - Today's physicians are burned out and battered by spreadsheets. We patients suffer too.
Today’s physicians are burned out and battered by spreadsheets. We patients suffer too. America's doctors are in crisis. Six in 10 physicians say they're burned out, with burnout rates for some specialties, such as primary care, reaching 70%. When polled by the American Medical Association, 40% of doctors said they were considering leaving their practices in the next two years. Another study, conducted by health-care industry publisher Elsevier, revealed concerns about mental health and burnout: 63% of med students in the United States reported that they had no intention of practicing clinical medicine after graduation and will instead work as lab researchers or academics. This is despite a predicted shortage of 124,000 physicians over the next 10 years.
Now Hear This
Losing your hearing suddenly, even if there is no pain, is always urgent
Go for the Gumbo
The soulful stew synonymous with Louisiana is delicious anywhere you eat it
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Pinned by a giant boulder, a hiker had two choices: panic or gut it out. He did both.
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honor the many men who helped her survive her childhood
MY SMART PET
These clever critters are some smart C-O-O-K-I-E-S
How Hobbies Help Us
Far from a waste of time, pastimes are good for body, brain and spirit
1+1 = MORE (or LESS)
A math whiz encourages you to play with your numbers