If you found this article your Netflix account has probably been hacked. Bummer, that sucks, sorry. The “hacker” was either a robot with nefarious motives or a real person that just wanted to watch Everybody Loves Raymond reruns for free. In either case, I’ve outlined everything you should do immediately to recover your Netflix account from this hack and protect yourself from having it happen again. I hope you find this information useful.

Here’s What Probably Happened…

If your Netflix account was hacked you were probably a victim of one of these 4 popular scams.

1. Email Phishing Scam – Have you ever received an email that looks like it’s from Netflix asking you to verify your account?

If you click on the link it will take you to a site that looks like Netflix and asks you to login to verify your account.

If you then entered your password and user ID you have most likely been HACKED.

Always visit Netflix.com directly and login, Netflix will never send you an email out-of-the-blue asking you to verify your account.

2. You Have Weak Passwords – If you use the same password with multiple online services there’s a good chance hackers know your password and used it to hack into your Netflix account.

Always use VERY different passwords…better yet, use a password creator site like LastPass.com to create killer passwords that will leave hackers completely baffled.

3. Always Logout When on Public Devices – Be sure to logout of your Netflix account if you’re viewing on a device that’s not yours.

The best example that comes to mind is a Smart TV at a home your renting with VRBO or Airbnb.

Be sure to logout of Netflix before you checkout so the next guest doesn’t have access to your account information.

4. Look For Strange Viewing Activity – Another red flag that your Netflix account has been hacked is a strange viewing history.

If you notice this, be sure to change your password and make sure nothing else has been compromised like your payment information.

See Also: Did Your Amazon Account Get Hacked? 6 Things To Do Immediately

5 Smart Ways to Protect Yourself In The Future

1. Use Netflix’s Account Recovery Tool

Visit this page on Netflix and reset your password by either email or text message.

This is also where you go if you need to recover your account if you’ve forgotten the email or phone number that you registered with.

2. Consider a VPN

Also known as a Virtual Private Network, a VPN keeps your Netflix information private and impossible for hackers to steal.

You pay a small monthly fee and you can put all your devices on a VPN and basically have a random IP address from anywhere in the world.

It’s also great as it gives you access to other countries Netflix programming, giving you a TON more content for FREE.

See Also: Does Netflix Offer a Studetflixent Discount? (Plus Free Netflix Alternatives)

3. Change Password Every Few Months

This one seems obvious but once your Netflix account has been hacked you’ll probably be wanting to change your password all the time.

Get in the healthy habit of changing your password 3 times a year and you should be good-to-go.

Also, like I mentioned earlier, be sure the password you choose is not the same password you use on other online services.

4. Use a PIN to Protect Your Netflix Account

Most Netflix users have no idea they can setup a 4 digit PIN to protect their account.

Once your PIN is setup you CAN’T make any changes to your profile or password until you enter your PIN.

It’s also a clever way to keep your kids off your Netflix profile in case you have any not-kid-friendly titles you’re currently binge watching.

To make it happen just visit your profile in a browser window and click your profile pic and choose “Account”.

Then go down to the “Profile & Parental Controls” section and click on “Profile Lock” to setup up your PIN.

See Also: How to Get a Free Netflix Account: Smart Ways to Make it Happen

5. Last Resort…Start Over With a New Account

Sometimes you’ve been hacked one to many times and simply need a fresh start.

To make it happen just cancel your Netflix account and create a new one with a STRONG password.

Also, if you use a different email address you’re even eligible for a new 30-day free trial.

Bonus Tip: Change Your Email Password Too

If someone was able to hack into your Netflix account there is a great chance they did it by having access to your email account so they could reply to confirmation emails.

So change your email password immediately as well.

Also, check your email account settings to ensure it has NOT been configured to forward copies of your email to an email address you don’t recognize.

Ask the Reader: Was your Netflix account hacked? How did you figure it out and what did you do about it?

By Kyle James