Fact Check: Netflix offering free premium subscription is a scam

Hyderabad: It sounds too good to be true. A message claiming that Netflix is offering its premium version for free has gone viral.

It reads, "2 Months of Netflix Premium Free at no cost For REASON OF QUARANTINE (CORONA VIRUS) Get 2 Months of Netflix Premium Free anywhere in the world for 60 days. Get it now HERE https://itsmyflix.com/?m"

The message had gone viral in the USA and Australia before reaching India. Different versions of the message are doing the rounds in different countries.

The URL contained Netflix's name in other countries but in India the URL is https://itsmyflix.com/?m

The link that was shared in other countries took the user to a site that showed the number of free accounts available. It then asked the user to share the link with 10 friends.

Meanwhile, the link that's going viral in India lands you on a warning page which, in fact, leads nowhere and only puts your device's security at risk.

Though many online streaming sites have extended their free trials, Netflix told an American financial news website that it is not offering free streaming for three months.

Also, the Australian government body Scamwatch had warned its citizens against clicking on the link and asked them to delete the message immediately. "Don't fall for this #COVID -19 Netflix phishing scam! Netflix is not offering free streaming for 3 months. Don't click on the link - just delete the message," it tweeted.

Result

Therefore, the claim that Netflix is offering free premium subscription is false. It is a scam to lure people during the COVID-19 lockdown.

(Image 1 credit: thenextweb.com, Image 2 credit: Future)