(WVVA) – We here at WVVA are launching a weekly “Scam of the week” series to highlight common scams and give you practical tips to stay safe. This is the first installment.
In this week’s scam: you get a text message saying someone is trying to sign in to your Apple account, then a caller claiming to be an Apple support agent follows up.
The caller says your account is compromised and that Apple opened a support ticket to fix it. To make it feel even more real, you may even receive a legitimate-looking email from Apple that includes a case number.
But don’t be fooled. The email can be genuine, while the support ticket and the call were created by scammers. Their goal is to get you to share a verification code or other security information so they can take control of your Apple ID. With that access, they can view personal data, buy items or lock you out of your devices.
How the scam works
- You receive an unexpected text about a login attempt
- A person calls saying they’re from Apple Support and that they opened a ticket to help protect your account
- The scammers ask you to read a verification code or give account passwords so they can “close the ticket”
Why it’s convincing
Scammers combine real Apple emails with fake calls and texts to create a sense of urgency and legitimacy. A genuine-looking case number or message from Apple makes victims more likely to trust the caller and share codes that are meant to protect their accounts.
What to do if you get one of these messages
- Do not reply to unexpected texts or click links in them. Instead, go directly to apple.com or call Apple Support using the number on Apple’s official website
- Never share verification codes, passwords or passcodes with anyone who calls or messages you. Real support agents will not ask for those codes
- If you already shared a code or password, change your Apple ID password immediately, sign out other devices and enable two-factor authentication if it isn’t already on
- Check your account activity and payment methods for unauthorized charges or unknown devices
- Report phishing attempts to Apple at apple.com/support and follow their guidance to secure your account
How to double-check suspicious messages
- Use the Apple Support app or visit apple.com and sign in from there rather than following links in a message
- If a caller claims to be Apple, hang up and call Apple Support directly using the official number from apple.com
- Look for signs of phishing in emails, such as unusual sender addresses, misspellings or requests for passwords or verification codes.
Stay alert
Scammers are getting better at mimicking legitimate notifications. When in doubt, contact the company directly using contact information from its official website, not from a message or caller ID.
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