October is National Cyber Security Awareness month, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is warning users of Apple products that scammers are targeting them for personal information and money.
In one scam targeting Apple’s iCloud users, con artists impersonate Apple’s support team and call consumers to tell them their account has been hacked. Typically, these types of scammers will tell the consumer that allowing them access will restore their service. In reality, allowing them access will open the door to personal information that may be on your device or account.
In another scam, con artists that obtain stolen AppleIDs can reset the passwords and lock users out of their own devices. Typically, they will demand a ransom of about $100 in order for the consumer to regain access. Another method of Apple ID theft occurs through legitimate-looking text messages that ask unsuspecting users to “confirm your Apple ID.”
A consumer recently reported getting an email from Apple based on a recent purchase. The email said if the item was not ordered, the consumer needed to disclose her name and social security number. Fortunately, the consumer caught on to the scam and did not share her personal information.
Here are a few tips to avoid falling for these types of scams:
- When in doubt, delete. If you have received an unexpected link in a text message or email, delete it. If you think it might be official communication from a company you do business with, go to that company’s legitimate website without clicking on the suspicious link.
- Beware of fake web addresses (URLs) that look similar to a real company’s web address. Also, find out the real email address that is sending you a suspicious email. Doing this may be as simple as hovering over the email address to reveal the real sender.
- Login and check your accounts that contain personal information on a regular basis. Doing so will help you catch scams as quickly as possible. Also, be sure that you use complex, unique passwords or passphrases for each account.
If you think your Apple ID has been hacked, Apple offers
resources to help. Keep in mind, scammers will target anyone on any device, including Android users.
Consumers who suspect a scam or an unfair business practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at
www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.