BBB issues warning about Apple devices, iCloud phishing scam

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DAYTON – Scammers are targeting Miami Valley residents through robocalls claiming there have been iCloud breaches and attempting to gain access to victims’ personal information.

These scammers are relentless, calling repeatedly and spoofing the caller ID with different phone numbers and making it appear to be coming from a specific individual or business.

A Kettering man shared, “So far, I’ve received six calls tonight claiming my iCloud account has been breached and I need to get in touch with an Apple support advisor. The calls are coming to my landline and caller ID shows it coming from a different phone number each time. It’s the same exact message each time.”

A Centerville man also received these calls for hours over the Memorial Day weekend. He said, “It was so annoying. The calls actually made me want to pull my phone out of the wall. They were coming in every 15 minutes from different phone numbers, but it was always the same message. Some calls even showed up on our caller ID as businesses we know.”

These calls are part of a phishing scam, which is a fraudulent attempt to get personal information from victims. These scammers are trying to trick victims into sharing information or giving them money.

The message on these calls tells you to press one to connect with an Apple support adviser or to call an alleged toll-free number. As typical with these kinds of scams, you’re connected to someone who urges you to take immediate action by providing your login credentials so the issue can be resolved. In reality, these scammers will use your credentials to steal your identity, ruin your credit and/or sell your information on the dark web.

There are multiple reports online about the phone number mentioned in the robocall message saying it’s affiliated with Apple iCloud breach scam phone call. In fact, reportedcalls.com claims this phone number has been reported in 12,133 complaints registered to the Federal Trade Commission and 89 complaints reported this number to the Federal Communications Commission.

Better Business Bureau offers the following advice regarding these calls:

• Don’t answer these calls and inform your local carriers.

• Never give anyone you’re not familiar with access to your devices, including smart phones, laptops and PCs.

• Set up two-factor authentication on your iCloud and other accounts to add a layer of protection and security.

• Never provide personal information to someone you don’t know or any unsolicited requests.

• Remember, scammers can use fake caller ID information to make it appear the calls are coming from Apple or other familiar companies or people.

If you fall victim to this scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker at BBB.org/ScamTracker and the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

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