The next time you’re watching your new favourite TV show, you may want to pay attention to any unusual pop-up messages on the screen.

There’s a scam involving smart TVs and streaming services in an attempt to steal private information and money, according to the US Better Business Bureau.

It’s happening in Charlotte and around the world, too.

It even targeted Tom Bartholomy, the CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina, twice in the last week.

Once on Netflix and again on Spectrum’s streaming service.

Here’s how it works.

When customers try to log in, a pop-up will appear telling them there is a problem with their device or their streaming subscription. Then the person is advised to call a specific phone number or visit a specific link to fix it.

But the message is fake.

You’ll find yourself communicating with scammers pretending to be customer service representatives and insisting you pay an activation fee or allow them remote access to your smart TV.

Bartholomy said both pop-up ads he received looked legitimate, but the phone numbers and websites shown didn’t match the company’s official contact information when he tried to verify them.

“They can hack into your smart TV just like they hack into your laptop, how they hack into your smartphone. It’s that simple,” Bartholomy said. “A lot of people won’t realise they’ve taken on this until they get their bill or they notice something with a credit issue.”

The Better Business Bureau says there’s been an uptick in reports over the last few weeks about the scam on Roku and Paramount Plus. But most mentioned Netflix, which posted a warning about phishing emails and texts targeting customers.

“The reports I’ve seen have only been through smart TVs but it could be on your smartphone, on your laptop, on your tablet. Everything is fair game for this type of thing,” Bartholomy told The Charlotte Observer. “But don’t be quick to click on a link or to call a phone number. If you’re clicking through to a scammer thinking that you’re dealing with the real thing, it’s going to be nothing but trouble.”

How to avoid smart TV scams

● Double check any fees you have to pay directly through your account.

● Pay close attention to URLs to make sure they’re legitimate and spelled correctly.

● Check before you call. Contact a streaming service or TV manufacturer’s website to find their correct customer support number.

● Never let anyone control your device remotely.

“Anything that’s connected to the Internet, this can happen,” Bartholomy said. “That’s where they (scammers) live. That’s where they make their money. So if you have any device that’s connected to the Internet and you have anything like this happen, you just have to take a breath, step back and do some further checking.”

 - TNS