Watch out, iPhone users. A text-message phishing scam, disguised as a note sent by Apple Support, aims to lure unsuspecting iPhone owners to share their usernames and passwords.
The scam, which appears as a shady text message, is reportedly informing users that their Apple ID has expired and they’ll need to visit a fake website to receive a new one.
SEE ALSO:12 awesome Instagram features you're probably not usingThe tactic, first spotted by publication The Independentand as seen in screenshots on Twitter, is a way for hackers to gain access to personal login information as well as other details, including passport numbers.
“[Name] your Apple ID is due to expire today. To prevent termination confirm your details at appleidlogin.co.uk -- Apple Support.,” the message reads.
Tweet may have been deleted
The website appears to be targeting only those in the UK.
Although Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment, it states on its official support page that the company does not typically approach users via this method.
Tweet may have been deleted
“As a general rule, never send credit card information, account passwords, or extensive personal information in an email unless you verify that the recipient is who they claim to be,” Apple states. “Many companies have policies that state they will never solicit such information from customers by email.”
Tweet may have been deleted
Apple also notes that a common phishing technique is to “include links in an email that look like they go to a legitimate website,” so users should take extra steps to verify whether or not the link is legit.
This isn't the first time hackers have cooked up phishing scams targeting iPhone users, but it's less common that these occur by text message.
TopicsCybersecurityiPhonePrivacy