Girlfriend giving Netflix details to strangers.....

Gamer Bhoy 89

Probably petty to other people but I'm very self conscious about some of my personal details being given out to others.

My girlfriend and I share a Netflix account, with the sign-in details belonging to my email address. Now and then we switch payment options depending on who has the money to pay for it when the payment is due. (eg. I'll switch it to my debit card if I happen to have the money for it that day etc.)

Recently she's been playing Xbox Live with her cousin, and her cousin has a load of American "friends" who he games with. That's harmless, I'm sure, because almost every gamer does this at one stage or another.

But recently, she came up to me and said "oh yeah, I'm gonna let "Mike" use our Netflix account to watch Breaking Bad because he can't afford it right now.

I got lost for words so I just got annoyed. I tried to explain to her that I don't want strangers - people who I don't know, and she doesn't know - using my email and password to sign into our Netflix account.

I've never met this "Mike" lad and I don't like the idea of someone from across the pond using my details, no matter what the service is that's being used.

Her argument was "I'm paying for it at the moment so I can do what I like with the account". So to see and raise her argument I just changed it to my PayPal account and have it come out of my bank the next time.

Am I over reacting? Or am I in the right by being cross about this? And if I am, I don't know what to say to her to make her realize where I'm coming from..... However, if I'm really overreacting, could someone put my mind at ease?

I need some mature insight on this because I'm lost.........

Thanks.

m'lady

I don't use Netflix so not really up on it. What sign in details is she giving?

LegacyUser

Just use a different password on the netflix account and a new Gmail address
Sorted.
This is an extremely silly thing to be arguing over.

Gamer Bhoy 89

ntzflix wrote: »

Just use a different password on the netflix account and a new Gmail address
Sorted.
This is an extremely silly thing to be arguing over.

I thought as much after I got annoyed. This is how I see it though, my email address, and the password for said email address, being used by someone I've never even met. No idea what they're capable of. So I just panicked.

At this particular moment I can't find the option to change my email address on it. That's what I've been trying to do recently

You're not using the same password for your email address account as your netflix account are you?? Change it asap if so...

Gamer Bhoy 89

bluewolf wrote: »

You're not using the same password for your email address account as your netflix account are you?? Change it asap if so...

Yes, I am. But sure I didn't anticipate a stranger using my details. This has never, ever happened to me before in my lifetime. I've had the same email address for years and I'm very, very careful about who and where I give my details to. Until this situation...

I'm currently trying to find a way to change my netflix details

Change your email account password first. Regardless of how you now resolve this situation, these people all currently have access to your main email account which should be a higher priority than the Netflix issue.

After that you can either ring netflix/find a change of details option, or cancel the account and set up a new one

Oryx

Two things would bother me here. Your girlfriend has a very laid back attitude to data security (yours anyway) and she pulled the 'I'm paying for it card'. You guys both pay for stuff, its what sharing a life is about, the account the money comes from is irrelevant. And she cant mess with your info just because she is paying the account! If she can't see that your money is shared, its a bigger problem than the email in my book. (A case of what's yours is mine and what's mine is my own) It might have been an attempt to deflect the real argument, that she did something very thoughtless with your information, but money is a topic that can spiral into a really big issue of its own, I can kinda see that happening here.

setanta1984

You're not overreacting at all, as anyone with any information security knowledge will tell you.

If you're going to share login credentials with anyone (even a girlfriend, which security experts will tell you even that is bad practice) ensure that that username and password is unique to that service. Have a good think about what other services you use that may use that same password/username, or even slight variants on the passwords. (I used to do that thinking it was more secure - it isn't.)
I'd strongly recommend setting up two factor authentication on your gmail account after you have changed the password - https://www.google.com/landing/2step/

Even if the person who got given your login credentials is not malicious, that information is out there and vulnerable now. It's also likely that the details were sent in plaintext over email or IM or something.
Some might take the view that this is scaremongering or overreacting, but it's better to be safe than sorry with this type of security. Also once one login to a service you use is compromised, it can be remarkably easy to get access to basically every account you own. This is very interesting - http://www.wired.com/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/

A more practical solution for you two sharing Netflix is to have an account each and just choose which one to have active at a given time.

tinkerbell

OP, this is not petty at all. Your gf is WAY out of line, I can't believe she gave somebody your account details and now they have access to your email also. What a stupid feckin idiot your gf is. That is a massive breach of trust. If she wants to give her Netflix info to randomers then tell her she can set up her own bloody account. And why should you pay for a service only to allow complete strangers sponge off you?

Change the password NOW on both email AND Netflix. Tell your gf that you are never sharing your Netflix with anyone anymore and she can set up her own account. This notion of Im paying, I can do what I want is absurd - you both share the payments and besides, it's your email address. That and now that strangers have your email address they could sign you up for spam etc. Your gf is a right bloody muppet, I'd be furious.

In fact, I wouldn't share any sensitive info like that anymore with her because clearly she can't be trusted. Also, the guy she told may have forwarded your details into all his buddies too. You just dont know.

circadian

Is there a risk of Netflix scrutinising the account? I'd say multiple logins from different countries simultaneously will eventually get someones attention.

Dixie Chick

Isnt Netflix €7 a month?

imitation

circadian wrote: »

Is there a risk of Netflix scrutinising the account? I'd say multiple logins from different countries simultaneously will eventually get someones attention.

I think it would be ok, netflix dont seem too worried about people using geo location codes.

I think this is worthy of a minor row, because she has just given your details to a complete randomer. Your taking on all the risk , your gf gets the kudos and hes getting free netflix. She might not have thought it through in fairness to her, so i would lay all that out.

Sounds like hes of that age where he will shamelesaly ask for any freebies he can get as well, which is another point i would raise, theres only one cure for people like that, tell em to get lost.

Gamer Bhoy 89

I took everyone's advice and I explained it to her. So everything's good. I just needed some direction because I was really, genuinely stuck on what to say regarding the situation. I haven't had this happen before.

My details were changed and I've decided to pay for it myself from now on. She actually never gave the lad the email account yet, she was going to. Thankfully my details haven't went anywhere unknown to me. But I appreciate everyone's advice.

Now I can stop worrying.

Thanks lads.


(Can a Mod close this thread please?)

Oryx

She actually never gave the lad the email account yet, she was going to

Dont bet on that. Assume she did, just in case.

Neyite

Mod:

Closed at OP's request