❗Let's close the gap: We still need your help to raise $40,000 by April 1. Donate now
Codebreaker

New scam targets new Apple owners

John Moe Dec 27, 2011

A whole lot of people got new iPads and Macs and iPhones and iPods this holiday season and now the bad guys are out there trying to take advantage of little baby Apple users. Sigh. This is why we can’t have nice things. CNET reports on a new and already very widespread phishing email that uses that most classic of scam tropes: we need to update your information. Beyond that derivative triteness, however, it’s pretty good:

The e-mail appears well-formatted with proper grammar, and is styled with shading and official-looking links, addresses, and copyright marks. The message also claims to come from an official looking e-mail address “appleid@id.apple.com.”

Beyond the e-mail looking authentic, the links provided in it are for a fake server that also appears to be authentic. If you click the Apple Store link, the server you go to will ask you for an Apple ID and password, and then display a page that requests you update your personal information including your credit card.

Obviously, don’t do it. The correct grammar is actually pretty impressive. A lot of these scams originate in Russia and while the art direction can be pretty slick (or not), the grammar is often the downfall. “Please updating you credit cards”, that kind of thing. Does this mean these scammers are within our borders? Could be.

 

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.