(SCAM ALERT!) IF YOU GET A CALL FROM “APPLE INC”

SCAM ALERT WARNING (2017)

This post is a “public service message”

If you received a phone call which says “Apple Inc” on the Caller ID, be aware that this is a SCAM phone call scheme.  Apple is not really calling you. These type of calls are done by crooks and scammers  looking for a gullible “sucker” and a pay day. They especially target the elderly and/or unsophisticated computer owners! So be alert, and cautious. Don’t let yourself get scammed by these bad guys! Don’t even talk to them, just hang up. If it says, “your iCloud account” was compromised…ditto. Its fake. Hang up.

Here’s one story: Two days ago a client of mine called to tell me he had received a phone call from “Apple”. He said the Caller ID on his phone said “Apple Inc” so he assumed it was Apple. The caller left multiple messages on his answering machine informing him that “there was a breach in his iCloud account and to contact them immediately”. Ultimately he called them, thinking it was really Apple calling him.

The people he spoke with got him to allow Screen Sharing and he gave them access to his computer remotely. They told him his computer “was infected” and long story short, they convinced him they would “fix it”. He was then instructed to pay them with iTunes Gift Cards in the total amount of $600 (!) Oh, did I forget to mention he told me the guys he spoke with, had very strong Indian accents? Feeling uneasy, the next day he contacted me with a feeling that something was off. After he described everything to me, I immediately told him this sounded like a total scam, he didn’t really speak to Apple, he spoke with scammers in an Indian call center posing as “Apple”. I told him to contact his credit card company (American Express) ASAP and report this suspected fraud to them. He called Amex and they immediately put a hold on the transaction, cancelled the card, and sent him a new one. Unfortunately my client had even given the “fake Apple” guy his passwords to all kinds of accounts! Naturally I helped him change them all.

What is interesting is the very next day, I got the same phony call with the caller ID on my phone saying “Apple Inc” with a local 212 (NYC) number. I didn’t answer the call. I immediately called back the number on my phone’s caller ID (which did say “Apple Inc”!) to see what would happen. It actually was the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in NYC. Meaning these scammers were able, as is not uncommon nowadays – to actually change their Caller ID number to display someone else’s Caller ID to make it look like a legitimate number that you might recognize, and therefore let your guard down. This is called SPOOFING. Meaning this is a fairly sophisticated phone Scam. Seeing “Apple Inc.” on your phone would obviously lead most people to think it was really an important phone call from (real) Apple.

In reality Apple never calls you, unless you call them!

The scam artists called my phone again and again. They left a message which had a female “robot” type voice saying that “Your Apple iCloud account has been compromised. We strongly recommend you talk to a Support Advisor. Call us at (844) 759-5143, or press 1 to to talk to a Support Advisor now ”

To get any info I could on the scam, I called the number they left (844) 759-514. I acted like an old geezer barely able to use a computer, and really strung it out as long as I could. I spoke with some guy with a very strong Indian accent, who told me his name was “Harry” and that he was an Apple Support tech. I asked where he was located and he actually said, “Cupertino”. See, he was prepared for this question. In the background I could hear lots of voices talking at the same time, meaning this call was from a typical “call center” operation with a few dozen people on the phone, many operating from India, though they may be in other countries. But what freaked me out a bit is this guy actually had my full name and address on file which he read to me ! Again this is a sophisticated operation, and clearly they have a database of actual Apple owners they are working from.

“Harry” told me I should open my computer and go to a web address: www.support12345.com

The address is a login for remote access.

If you go to the address you would see this:

Establish Support Connection

DON’T BE SCAMMED. DON’T TALK TO THEM. DON’T CALL THEM BACK (unless like me you want to piss them off).

MOST OF ALL DO NOT ALLOW REMOTE ACCESS OR DIVULGE YOUR COMPUTER PASSWORD, APPLE ID INFO / PASSWORD or anything else for that matter unless you really know who you are talking with (like my clients who know me and work remotely with me in 100% safety)

I called Apple (the real one!) to report this as a serious issue, which they are aware of and trying to do something about. Just in case they suggested to me that I change my Apple ID password, which I did.

I am documenting this incident and posting this here for others who are looking for info on this phone number and website and scam operation. If you get this type of call, DO NOT allow remote access to your computer! Block the Caller ID of the number. Inform the FCC, FBI, Apple, or anyone you can think of, that might stop this internet crime.

HOW DO YOU CALL APPLE (real Apple)? In the U.S – technical support: (800) APL–CARE (800–275–2273)

INFO FROM APPLE (click link ->): https://support.apple.com/en-us/ht204759

(REAL) APPLE PHONE NUMBER is 800-MY-APPLE (800-692-7753).

(please don’t call my number to reach Apple as I am NOT Apple, I’m a private computer consultant in NYC)

FBI – REPORT SCAMS (<-click the link)

UPDATE #1: NOVEMBER 2017

They are at it again: I’ve been getting calls all day from (fake) “APPLE INC” – this time the Caller ID number is 212-226-3126

They left voice messages on my machine and called back about 8-10 times. They will keep looking for a sucker till they find someone gullible enough to fall for the scam and pay them, so don’t be a victim.  If your phone allows “Call Blocking”, you can just block the number.

 UPDATE #2: APRIL 2018

Another call from (fake) APPLE INC; this time the number is 212-284-1800. I looked up the phone number and it is the real number for the Apple Store at Grand Central station in NYC. This time the recording was not even from a human, it was a computerized robot call…with a “message about “your iCloud account” again”. So they have realized the Indian accents are a tip-off!

This post is a only a “public service message”: KINDLY DO NOT CALL ME ABOUT THIS UNLESS YOU”RE A CLIENT OF MINE – IF YOU WANT TO REPORT THIS YOU MIGHT CALL THE FBI

Tags: (844)-759-5143, account, alert, Apple, fake, fake apple scam, icloud, Indian, Mac, phone, phony, robocall, scam, scammers, Scams, scary, support12345.com