A Reddit user posted a warning recently about an iMessage scam that is making the rounds. For most of us, it's easy to tell it's a scam, but do your family a favor and let them know not to tap on links from unknown senders under any circumstance without asking you to look at it first.
The message comes from a sender with the identification of iMessage, which can throw off some people that aren't able to easily identify scams. It reads:
Your iPhoneID is due to expire today. Tap [link] to update and prevent loss of services and apps.
At just a glance, most of us would know it's fake. There's no such thing as an iPhoneID. It's an Apple ID. Plus, your Apple ID doesn't ever expire. Lastly, Apple wouldn't contact you via text message about an issue with your account.
That doesn't mean there won't be a few people out there that will mistake this for legitimate and follow the link. The best thing you can do is to share this with your friends and family so they expect it and know not to tap on the link.
It's not uncommon for some people to fall for scams, even if they're easy for the rest of us to spot, as noted by another Reddit user on the same thread,
As an AppleCare advisor, you'd be surprised what kind of stuff people fall for. I mean it's usually older people so you just feel bad, but I've definitely had a fair share of younger people too. Between scam emails, scam texts/iMessages, scam calls, malicious advertisements on websites, adware/ransomeware, there are so many ways and opportunities to "fall for it." I've even had several cases of malicious tinder matches (foreign bots usually posing as attractive males/females and asking for iTunes gift cards)! And much more :/
As a reminder, it's very important that you don't click on links from unknown sources. If you think an iMessage, text message, or email is legitimate, visit the website directly, instead of clicking on a link, and find the support contact. You can then call a company directly to find out if the message was real.
○ How to use two-factor authentication
○ How to protect your data from being hacked
○ How to quickly temporarily disable Face ID
○ Best practices for staying safe on social media
○ Best VPN services
○ How to lock down your data on iPhone and iPad
○ Best ways to increase iPhone and iPad security
○ How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and Mac
○ Differential privacy — Everything you need to know!
