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State Warns That Subscription Scams Are On The Rise – Don’t Take The Bait
July 9, 2025
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is warning consumers to be on high alert for a growing wave of email subscription scams. Cybercriminals are targeting Floridians with phishing emails posing as legitimate streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and others, all in an attempt to steal personal information and credit card numbers.
“These scams look real — but they’re designed to trick you into taking the bait and handing over sensitive information,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “We want Floridians to recognize the red flags and protect themselves before they click.”
The fraudulent emails often mimic the branding of popular subscription services and will use scare tactics, such as claiming your account has been locked or payment has failed. The goal: get you to click a malicious link or share your financial information.
FDACS offers these tips to help spot a phishing scam before it’s too late:
- Check the sender’s email address. Scammers often use addresses that look official but aren’t. If it doesn’t come from the service’s verified domain — like @netflix.com — don’t trust it.
- Look for spelling and grammar mistakes. Reputable companies don’t send sloppy emails.
- Be cautious with links. If you receive an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or open the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email.
- Beware of urgent language. Phrases like “Your account will be locked!” are designed to make you panic and act quickly without thinking.
- Go straight to the source. When in doubt, open the app or type the website directly into your browser. Never click through an email you weren’t expecting.
Consumers who believe they’ve received a scam email or have been targeted by a phishing scheme can report it to the FDACS Division of Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA
Comments
3 Responses to “State Warns That Subscription Scams Are On The Rise – Don’t Take The Bait”
Kane? You’re wrong. Amazon does not ask for bank screenshots. Seriously?
Holy crap, no, they don’t do that. A simple internet search will verify that Amazon never, ever asks for a screenshot of your bank account. The only people who fall for these ridiculous scams are old people and people with two-digit IQs. I have two Amazon accounts, one of which hasn’t been used in five years, and I have no problem logging into it, and Amazon has never locked it or asked for screenshots of my bank account.
Funny story if you don’t use your amazon account for about a year and a half, they will lock you out and request that you send them a screen shot of your bank account with your name and last four digits of the card you have on file with them.
They ask that you redact all bank account numbers and other sensitive information other than the last four of your card on file. I know I know smacks of a scam but no I contacted actual Amazon and checked the interwebs and sure enough this is a thing that happens! I just asked them to cancel my account and have a nice day because I still don’t trust it.