Phishing scam has not lost its popularity yet, and this is proved by the latest scam attacks aimed at Apple's clients. In January 2018, the Smith Country Sherriff's Office reported to have received some complains about scammers' attempts to deceive people owning Apple devices. This time potential victims of the scam are contacted through email to inform them that their Apple accounts are compromised and that the security breach can be solved by clicking a link in the email or calling a number given.
The fraudsters are interested in the victim's personal information which can be accessed after clicking on the link taking the victim to a log in web page. If the unsuspecting user clicks on the link and logs in to the account, the schemers instantly get access to the account with all personal information and payment history. The same information might be obtained if the victim calls the phone given.
The name of famous companies whose software production is acknowledged worldwide are frequently used to trick inexperienced users into thinking that they are contacted by a representative or technical support expert of the company. Scammers employ phishing email, pop-up warnings and ads, and phone calls to take advantage to unsuspecting service users.
Phishing emails are created to resemble the company's emails to dupe users into revealing their personal information. When an email requesting to update your information or verify your account is received, it is highly advisable to access that account separately to see whether it has any notification about the need to update personal details. If there is the need to update some personal information, a notification should be present on the account.
Fraudsters may also send invoices concerning Apple store purchases you have not made. When exposed to such an email, it is important to pay attention to different elements, such as the ID of the device from which the purchase is made, the sender's email address, VAT calculations, and hyperlinks within the email. Apples invoices do not have hyperlinks, suggesting that the email is most likely a hoax. Bogus invoices may be sent as file attachments, which should not be downloaded so that no malware payload is brought to the device.
Cyber fraudsters may also distribute phony pop-up security alerts and make incoming calls. For example, a pop-up warning may claim that a security breach or the user's illegal online activity has been register and that it is necessary to call a toll-free number to have the problem solved.
Inbound calls are another more straightforward form of scam when a fraudster pretends to be a security expert of the service used. You may be asked to divulge the Apple ID password and other personally identifiable information to supposedly have some issue fixed. For example, online banking information should never be revealed, because no reputable company attempt to obtain banking information by phone call
SMS text scam is another, more modern, form of scam. IPhone users may receive a text claiming that the Apple account is temporary locked and that that it is necessary to fill in some form. The text message is likely to be sent from an unknown sender. It is necessary not to tap any link in the text because that is another attempt to harvest personal information.
Apple is well aware of the fraudsters' efforts to compromise its consumers and recommends reporting those different instances to reportphishing@apple.com. ICloud.com-related spam or questionable emails can be reported to abuse@icloud.com.
To make your Apple account more secure, not only you should use strong password, but also two-factor authentication which is employed when you want to access your Apple account on an new device. A six-digit verification code is sent to your trusted device, which can be your iPhone, iPad, or Mac; or phone number and has to be entered to the new device used for accessing the Apple account. By using this type of verification, you add an extra layer to your security, thereby minimizing the risk of identity theft and other losses.
References
Apple scams and how to avoid them. Apple.com
Avoid phishing emails, fake ‘virus‘ alerts, phony support calls, and other scams Apple.com
Don't become a victim: Smith County Sheriff's Office warns of new scam. Easttexasmatters.com