Consumers throughout the country have been getting phone calls or emails claiming to be from “Apple Support.” These calls or emails allege that your iCloud account or Apple ID have been compromised. You may be prompted to push a number to speak to Apple Support, told to call a toll-free phone number or asked to click on a link. Follow these tips to ensure you’re not putting your accounts at risk.
- Don’t trust your caller ID. Scammers use spoofing technology to put whatever phone number they choose on your caller ID screen. You may even see the trusted Apple logo on your phone when they call. When in doubt, hang up and contact the company using contact information you know to be legitimate. This will help you verify whether the request is part of a common scam.
- If you receive a robocall, do not push a number to speak to Apple Support or otherwise engage with the scammer. If you get a voicemail claiming your iCloud account has been hacked, do not call the phone number provided by the caller. These calls will likely be routed to a scam call center.
- Do not provide any personal identifying information to a caller, including your Apple ID, your passwords, any temporary verification codes or credit card numbers.
- Do not allow remote access to a stranger. Some scammers will ask you to allow them to remotely connect to your device to “fix a problem.” If you don’t know who you’re talking to, they could be trying to put malicious software on your device, or charge you to fix problems that don’t exist.
- Never click on links or download attachments appearing in emails when you don’t know the true sender, as they may be malicious.
- If you receive an email purportedly from Apple, check the grammar carefully. Poor grammar is often a sign of a scam email. Also, hover your cursor over the sender’s email address. Even if the name appears to be Apple Support, hovering your mouse over that name will allow you to see the real sender’s email address.
- Apple offers tips and support in case you receive bogus emails, phone calls, pop-ups or other communication from scammers. Take advantage of official Apple communications for help.
- Try to search the web for help. Use search terms that describe your situation, such as “iCloud support,” along with the words “scam” or “complaint.” Your search will likely bring up articles and blogs to help you check whether the phone call or message you received is a scam.
These tips can be applied to any sort of imposter or phishing scam where a business contacts you out of the blue. They often express an urgency to act, which may cause some consumers to let their guard down.
Consumers who suspect an unfair business practice or want help addressing a consumer problem should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at
www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.