Fraudulent emails coming from Apple

ek111 wrote:

Appreciate the quick response, as I just received this same email 4 times this morning. But I suggest giving users the actual email address for reporting scams: reportphishing@apple.com, because the page you provided (Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support) is quite long and is full of information that many people already know.

• You can certainly report if you wish, but with the sending addresses being spoofed and constantly changing, then reporting and blocking will be ineffective. The key is identifying the scams so you are not a victim.
• The sending address you identified is a spoofed address, which is the exact reason why you cannot count on that to determine if it is real. That is the very first bullet point in the attached article that says they will look like they are from legitimate companies, including Apple.
• I could add even more tips to identify scam emails, but you already claimed it was too long to read.

The one thing I would add that will prevent compromise from every phishing message you receive is to NEVER call a number or click a link in an email/message and provide personal information. Treat all these as information only and you always have an option to use known contact information to verify any claims that require action.

• For Apple, they have specific contact numbers and support links. Contact Apple Support - Apple Support
• For a Bank, you should have your contact numbers, without needing to use one provided to you in the email.
• UPS/FedEx scam about an undelivered package, you contact the company yourself.
• Department of Transportation scam claiming you have unpaid tolls. you contact the DOT.
• Email claiming your password was changed and you should click a link if it was not you. Don't do it! Sign into the website for whatever company is making that claim and secure your account.
• IRS claiming you have money coming to you and need to click a link and enter SS#.

You get the idea, there are simply too many scams to list and they are constantly changing where making a list of known scams is likely to result in more accounts compromised if the user does not find a specific scam in that list.

That is not from Apple and is just a typical scam message. All you need to do is delete or report if you wish:

Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Remember, sending addresses can be spoofed and you should NEVER call a number or click a link and provide personal information from an email/message.

Appreciate the quick response, as I just received this same email 4 times this morning. But I suggest giving users the actual email address for reporting scams: reportphishing@apple.com, because the page you provided (Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support) is quite long and is full of information that many people already know.

Really that page should be much, much better. Apple Support should continually update it with recent examples of fraudulent emails, like this one, and specific pointers about how to know that it is fake. It should not just be a bunch of generic, static content. It should be a dynamic web page. Apple executives need to spend a bit more of the huge profits on helping the community.

In my case, the fake emails were alarming for a few seconds because the formatting at the top is a great copy of the real thing, including the sender address of appleid@id.apple.com. Also my wallet was just stolen 3 days ago with my ID cards/documents. Given the likelihood of identity theft, the scammer's timing could not have been better. Fortunately(?), this wasn't the first batch of fake emails I've ever received from someone pretending to be Apple...

Re: “… Really that page should be much, much better. Apple Support should continually update it … “

Those are certainly valid comments.

Unfortunately, most of us here at ASC are fellow users, not unlike yourself.

However, Apple solicits this sort of constructive website feedback via this mechanism:

Feedback - Apple.com Website - Apple

Oh right - this is a Community page. :-) Thanks for the reply! I will use that link to submit feedback.