How to spot fake Apple ID and iTunes scam emails – and what to do if you get them
Don't get caught out by scammers: spotting a phoney Apple email is easy if you follow our top tips
EMAIL scams targeting Apple customers are rife, but they're easy to spot – if you know how.
We've got a handy guide on how to spy dodgy emails, so you don't accidentally end up handing over details to a scammer.
There are loads of popular email scams out there.
Usually they involve you handing over info – like your credit card details or password – or asking you to click a dodgy link.
Some emails will be fake "virus" alerts, otherwise will make it seem like you've racked up a huge bill on your iPhone, and some will say you need to reset your password immediately.
But you should never follow links or open attachments in unexpected emails, and you should avoid giving up ANY personal details over email.
These are Apple's seven top tips to help you identify phishing scams:
- The sender’s email address or phone number doesn’t match the name of the company that it claims to be from
- Your email address or phone number is different from the one that you gave that company
- The message starts with a generic greeting, like “Dear customer.” Most legitimate companies will include your name in their messages to you
- A link appears to be legitimate but takes you to a website whose URL doesn’t match the address of the company’s website
- The message looks significantly different from other messages that you’ve received from the company
- The message requests personal information, like a credit card number or account password
- The message is unsolicited and contains an attachment
Apple Scams – what if you get a phone call?
Here's Apple's advice for what to do if you get a suspicious phone call or voicemail
- "Scammers spoof phone numbers and use flattery and threats to pressure you into giving them information, money, and even iTunes gift cards"
- "Always verify the caller's identity before you provide any personal information"
- "If you get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from Apple, hang up and contact us directly"
- Contact Apple Support
If you think you've received a scam email, you should forward the email to [email protected], Apple's support address.
You should keep in mind that Apple will never send an email asking for your:
- National Insurance Number
- Mother's maiden name
- Full credit card number
- Credit card CCV code
If you've been sent an email asking you to update your payment information, do it manually using .
If an email tells you that you need to change or update your password, do it manually using .
And if you've received a big bill from Apple on your email, check that the payment is actually legitimate using .
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"Scammers often try to trick you into sharing personal or financial information by sending you messages or links to websites that might look like they’re from Apple, but their actual purpose is to steal your account information," explains Apple.
"Some phishing emails will ask you to click on a link to update your account information. Others might look like a receipt for a purchase in the App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store or for Apple Music, that you’re certain you didn’t make.
"Never enter your account information on websites linked from these messages, and never download or open attachments included within them," the company adds.
Have you ever been scammed with a dodgy Apple email? Let us know in the comments.
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