Generation Z is also repeatedly targeted by scammers. They adapt their tactics to the audience, as a software provider for antivirus programs reveals.
Generation Z is interested in different topics than other generations. Scammers have probably noticed this too, as they have now been able to tailor their schemes specifically to young adults. Instead of the Nigerian prince promising wealth or the locked bank account, criminals are now luring with Animes, Netflix and deleted scenes from series that do not interest Boomers.
Animes and Netflix as Scamming Tactics
How do the scammers operate? As the antivirus software provider Kaspersky reports, there were over 250,000 registered cyber attacks on Gen Z between the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.
The scammers primarily relied on popular Animes such as Naruto, One Piece, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and Jujutsu Kaisen. Young adults are often lured to fake registration pages with “exclusive episodes,” “premium access,” or “deleted scenes” (via Kaspersky).
These phishing websites appear to be like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, etc., but without users being logged in. If users then enter their login data on the fake page, it goes directly to the scammers, who can take over their accounts.
Why are Animes such good bait? Young adults have a deep connection with their favorite series or favorite anime. Since many of the animated series come from abroad and often have exclusive scenes and commercials, offers that show these sound plausible to users.
Many viewers would like to see every scene of their favorite character, even if it is just a commercial for a product that doesn’t even exist in their country. This is also evident from the advertisement for the instant noodles from the manufacturer Nissin, which was filmed with characters from One Piece. It has over 2.1 million views on YouTube.
Old Tactics in New Outfits
How does the site reach the victim? Scammers no longer have to carry out their attacks via email. They can send their bait offers through Discord or forums to anime fans. There, they reach their victims with old patterns.
The “deleted scenes” would only be available for a short time and one would have to act quickly – the exclusive offer for “free Netflix” is only valid today, or an innocent “have you seen the new scene?” are methods of the attackers to deceive unsuspecting fans.
How can you protect yourself? The best thing to do is never to click on links from strangers on the internet. There is always a risk that it is a phishing link. If you do click on a link, you should then carefully check the address bar in your browser. It could be a URL that is only similar to the actual service (via bsi.bund.de).
Two-factor authentication (2FA) should also be turned on everywhere possible. This is especially important where payment information is stored. Also, a long password with many special characters, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters, that is only used for one service, is sensible.
When it comes to secret scenes, interesting offers, and good deals, one should trust well-known sites. We at MeinMMO always bring you the latest news on anime and entertainment. If you want to know which animes are coming to cinemas soon, you can find out here: Anime in cinemas: All movies coming to Germany in 2025
