One thing is clear right now in this generation! Scammers are everywhere. But the question is; How do I avoid them? How do I get rid of them?
But another thing is also clear; Only a thief will know the thief's strategies. This does not mean that you should join the scammers so that you can avoid them.
This simply means that you should know how they work and how they scam people so that you will know how to counter them any time you are a victim.
Well, Apple is very secured but at times can have one or two bridges that could cause a scammer to take advantage. But with this article today, we will guide you on how you can avoid or get rid of Apple ID phishing scams.
How Do I Avoid Apple ID Phishing Scams right Now?
Understanding Phishing scams
A phishing scam is a scamming method whereby the scammer imitates a company's strategy for contacting their users (usually by email or text messages) to convince the user it's from the company for stealing the user's informations or money.
Well, there are many types of phishing scams. Some of them are;
- Emails or text messages for updates on your account or to inform you your account has to be updated since the account has been updated.
- Fake or misleading ads or pop ups that will tell you that your account has security problems.
- Scam phone calls you receive
- Fake promotions to help you win prizes
- Unwanted calendar updates and invitations
How do I spot and avoid an apple ID Phishing Scam?
To spot a phishing scam first of all is knowing what type of scam you are facing. And to spot an apple ID phishing scam is not a big deal. Just understand from the points below. But you must first of all know all the type of phishing scams and techniques.
And to avoid a phishing scam, is just a technique to bypass the scammer's technique. And below we will show you all those techniques to take special note.
Here are some tips to spot and avoid Apple ID phishing scams:
1. Check the Sender of the email address:
Is the sender an Apple's official? Well, be very cautious if the email sender’s address doesn't match Apple’s official email domain (@apple.com). Scammers often use fake or similar email addresses.
And so, if you see an email address @aple.com, you should be aware that it is not from apple though it looks similar. With scammers, you have to take note of every detail to make sure that you will have them.
2. Check the links:
Scammers usually send emails or text messages with a link in it where you will click and it will take you to a website that is very similar to that of Apple.
This platform is very similar and will be very convincing if you use that link. And anything you do on the website will be a copy and paste for them since they will have all your informations.
What to do?
The first thing to make sure is that you should never click that email or text link especially if you have not checked the sender of the message. But never click that link.
Once you receive that type of message, forget about the link and go to Apple's official app or official site and access your account from there where you are far away from danger.
3. Watch out for urgent calls to action:
Scammers try to pressure you into taking immediate actions, such as clicking on a link, downloading an attachment or providing login details.
What they do is that they call your number and they start informing you that your account has a problem and you have to solve the problem quickly.
What to Do?
This usually fools many people into believing them. But just keep calm. Never provide login information on a linked page unless you’ve confirmed it’s legitimate.
And also if you receive this type of call, just kindly tell the person to wait and that you will go and check for yourself the problem. Then you can contact the official apple support team and pose your problem to them.
4. Check for bad spellings and grammar:
Scammers often produce poor-quality, badly-written emails with poor spelling and grammar. Apple pay has very intellectual workers and make sure their emails and messages are well written before sending them the information.
What to do?
Well, when you get this type of email message, just kindly delete it from your message box and get rid of it. Because going back to look at it might cause you to re-look and you might make and error.
5. Check your account:
If you are unsure if the email is legitimate, go to your account that the email is supposed to be from, and check for any suspicious activity.
Apple will never ask you to provide personal or account information in an email. And even if they had to send the email, they will have a pop up message for you or a notification for you in your app.
6. Use two-factor authentication:
Sign up for two-factor authentication to ensure you get alerts before anyone accesses your account, and to protect against unauthorized access.
How to Protect your Apple Account and Devices
Well, you now know how to avoid phishing scams in your apple account. You never know what will happen in the future, and so, the best thing to do is to protect your account right now. Protect your account so that one cannot steal your information.
Well, this is how to protect your apple account from Phishing scams:
- Never share any of your personal info like your credit card number, except if you can verify the recipient is who they claim to be(should be a trusted relative or friend). If not, don't share it with anyone.
- Use two-factor authentication to protect your account, and always keep your contact information secured and up to date.
- Never share your Apple ID password or verification codes with anyone even if you trust the person. Because Apple never asks for this information to provide support.
- Knowing when an email is sent by Apple or not is a very great step. And so, you have to learn how to identify a legit email. If you send or receive money with Apple Pay (U.S. only), treat it like any other private transaction.
- Learn how to keep your Apple devices and data secure.
- Never use Apple Gift Cards to make other kinds of payments.
- Download software only from sources you can trust.
- Don't follow links or open or save attachments in suspicious or unsolicited messages. Or follow any pop up ad that appears on your phone when browsing.
How to Report a suspicious email or content or scam?
First things first, when you suspect that a certain email you received is a fraudulent email, you should forward it to [email protected].
Or if it a message or text, you can take a screenshot and still send to the same address at [email protected]
If it is a call, just block it and send the number that called you to the same address and report that it's a suspect number that just called you. Or you can report the call at reportfraud.ftc.gov
No matter what you are facing as we explained above, you can either forward it to the email address above or sending it with a screenshot. After that, they will take the case and take charge and deal with this fraudster.
Some Frequently Asked Questions on Apple ID scams
Here are some answers to some questions you might be asking your self, or some questions you will see on the internet.
How Do I stop being Scammed by Phishing?
To stop being scammed by phishing, you just have to take the necessary steps we showed above on how to protect your accounts from phishing. We spoke of using a Two-way factor authentication and some other password steps and details. Just swipe back up and get a quick review on what we spoke about.
What can a Scammer do With my Apple ID details?
Well, you might be asking yourself this question because many people do not know what a scammer can do with these details. Well, these are some things that are at risk if a scammer know your apple ID details. They are;
- Able to steal your Apple ID password and personal informations.
- Able to take over your Apple ID email and request password resets to other accounts like apple pay account, and other apple accounts.
- Able to find sensitive files, photos, and videos in your iCloud backups.
- Capable of making purchases from the App Store, Apple Music, iTunes Store, or Apple Books.
These are just some few things. But the main thing to know is that that scammer will have access to all your apple accounts and details.
What will happen if I Open a Phishing email?
Opening a Phishing email is not the problem. Because to know if it is a phishing email, you must open it. The problem comes when you open it, read it, and follow all the details they tell you and do what they want you to do.
Well, to know if it a phishing email, you just have to open it, and if you find of the details we said above about phishing scams, then you have to report and forward it to the apple support team so they take measures.
Does Apple send informations via email and text Messages?
YES! Apple sends text or emails to inform you on updates or some details on your account. But Apple does not have some kind of requests like requesting your apple ID informations or some details.
And more to that, if you receive a notification via email that is legit, when you open your account, you will receive that same info there. So, stop clicking the links in emails whether legit or not. Just go to your account and login from there not from the email link.
Final Thoughts on How to know and Avoid Apple ID Scams
In summary, be aware or suspicious of any email or message requesting personal information or payment through an unfamiliar source, and always verify that your interactions with Apple and any other company are secured and legitimate.
But before that, our policy has always been prevention is better than cure. And it is better to take the necessary precautions and protect your account right now from these phishing scams.
Just swipe up and check again all the protection details and take note of them by applying them on your account.