Someone used my phone number for an apple ID or App Strore purchases.

Someone used my phone number for an apple ID or App Strore purchases.

Excuse me for possible errors, english isnt my first language. I never had an Apple account(before this one that I created to communicate). Never had any IPhone or other Apple devices or any other services. I just don't own one, never did. No particular reason, I just never had any. So by all the logic I couldnt engage with any payments connected to such services/devices. Recently, I started receiving messages to my phone number, claiming I dont have enough money on my phone balance to make an App Store purchase/subscription(no detailed information, just an App Store and amount of money required). I have autopayment for my phone balance monthly and its exactly how much it costs, so I rarely have any extra balance left. My phone is an Oppo A54. My phone card was always only used by me, never used by other people, never put in any Iphone. So it wasnt me, I never made any App Store purchases, as I just never had any devices or even an account before. I made an account here just moments ago. So honestly I don't know what I should do or can do. Messages keep coming several times a day, so I assume its some sort of auto subscription. How can I remove it from my phone number? How to protect my number in the future? Please help.

Posted on Dec 13, 2025 7:17 AM

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3 replies

Dec 13, 2025 11:29 AM in response to GoodyNoShoes

Probably spam.


Criminals are getting very good at imitating Apple messages and sometimes the only indication in an email is very subtle. Have a look at this thread. Someone registered an Apple ID with my em… - Apple Community It can be very hard to tell from an email alone if it is authentic. The best way to check is to use an independent way through Apple's own resources to confirm what the communication claims. Scams (e-mail, text messages, and phone calls) are getting very good at closely imitating true Apple communications. Always be cautious. These support articles have some guidelines:


About identifying legitimate emails from the App Store and iTunes Store --> Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support


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


Avoid scams when you use Apple Cash --> Avoid scams when you use Apple Cash - Apple Support


About Gift Card Scams --> About Gift Card Scams - Official Apple Support


If you are uncertain about a message and a resource provided in that message, do not click on any links in the message. Try to use an Apple resource you know is valid to independently verify what the message is claiming. Go to a support article page on apple.com and use the instructions in the article to verify though Apple itself, or use an Apple device feature such as Settings or an Apple app. To ask Apple start at this web page: Official Apple Support If you wish to investigate links, this post by contributor MrHoffman describes how you can do that —> "Keep your Apple Account safe and secure"… - Apple Community (the link takes you to the end of the post so scroll up a bit).


- Apple won’t warn you about disabling an account. You will find out when you try to sign in.

- Phishing emails may include account suspension or similar threats in order to panic you into clicking on a link without thinking. They may report a fake purchase in order to infuriate you into rashly clicking on a false link to report a problem.

- Apple e-mails address you by your real name, not something like "Dear Customer", "Dear Client", or an e-mail address* However, having your actual name is not proof this isn’t phishing. Compromised databases may have your name and address in them.

- Apple e-mails originate from @apple.com or @itunes.com but it is possible to spoof a sender address. "Apple email related to your Apple ID account always comes from appleid@id.apple.com ." (From an older version of: About your Apple Account email addresses - Apple Support )

- Set your email to display Show Headers or Show Original to view Received From. Apple emails originate from IP addresses starting with "17.".

- Mouse-over links to see if they direct to real Apple web sites. Do not click on them as this just tells the spammer they have a working e-mail address in their database. If you are unsure, contact Apple using a link from the Apple.com web site, not one in an email.

- Apple will not ask for personal information in an e-mail and never for a social security number.

- Scams frequently have bad grammar or spelling mistakes.

- Apple will not phone you unless it is in response to a request from you to have them call you.


* Exception: I got email saying my ID is expired! Does… - Apple Community


“If you receive a suspicious link to a FaceTime call in Messages or Mail, email a screenshot of the link to reportfacetimefraud@apple.com. The screenshot should include the phone number or email address that sent the link.”


Forward phishing attempts as an attachment (in MacOS Mail use the paperclip icon) to: reportphishing@apple.com then delete it.


If this is with regard to a supposed purchase, this Apple article --> If you see 'apple.com/bill' on your billing statement - Apple Support has relevant information and web links for checking if you really have made a purchase or paid for a subscription. Purchases made under Family Sharing might be charged to the organizer's card but will not appear under the organizer's purchase history or subscriptions. Ask family members about those or check your receipts. Apple will email a receipt to the Family Organizer if a purchase is made on a card held by the Family Organizer. This will have the Apple ID of the purchaser, which you should recognize, but won't have specifics about what was purchased.


Since this probably has absolutely nothing to do with Apple or Apple equipment I can't advise you how to proceed other than to check if your cellular service offers any kind of filtering.

Dec 13, 2025 12:06 PM in response to Limnos

Ty for detailed information, but unfortunately none of the above is close to my case. As good and generic the information above is, it covers possible scam or spam attempts, using emails etc, not someone using my phone number to make App Store purchases. I should have posted in the original post that messages I get come from my phone service operator (maybe provide is the right word here? ), trusted sources, its a system message, not some random number impersonating Apple stuff or any of the sort. I just get official message from my phone service provider that someone (or some sort of subscription) is trying to get money to pay in App Store(fortunately I dont have enough balance so it keeps sending errors instead of actual bill or check). The amount of money asked suggests it is ITunes subscription, I found several other cases on the net, but cant find a solution. I cant even send a claim to support as I dont have any Apple devices, Apple ID or anything as I stated above.

This newly created account I have my number linked with has no subscriptions(no surprise here), but how do I unlink the number from whoever used it in the first place? Never used Apple services before so its very unfamiliar for me.


Someone used my phone number for an apple ID or App Strore purchases.

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