Almost 75,000 Australians were targeted in the ploy last year alone.
Apple customers are being warned to be on alert for a sneaky scam targeting Apple Pay users.
The tech giant’s Apple Pay service — which allows users to easily make payments on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac devices — is being spoofed by cybercriminals in a phishing scam.
Consumers have reported receiving text messages from an unknown number that include a message like “Apple Pay: Your contactless payment is currently suspended. To restore full access, please visit applecare-check.com”.
However, the messages often include spelling and grammatical errors.
When consumers click the link provided, it takes them to a fake homepage that mirrors what Apple might display and includes a prompt for them to “re-activate your Apple Pay”.
“Apple Pay was suspended on your device … you can continue to make secure contactless purchases once you have re-activated your wallet,” one fake site reads.
The link to “re-activate” Apple Pay again takes the user through to another page where they are asked to enter their details, which can then be used by the scammers to access their account.
Scamwatch Australia is aware of the phishing texts and has previously issued public warnings about the scam, a spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au
Phishing scams were the most common scam reported to Scamwatch last year, with more than 74,500 reports made.
Consumers reported losing $24.6 million to the malicious tricks in 2022 — an increase of more than 469 per cent in total reported losses to phishing scams compared with 2021.
Scamwatch’s advice for consumers is:
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- Never click on any links in unexpected messages. Even if you expect a message, it’s best to access the information directly from a website or a source you have found independently.
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- Pay attention to typos or grammatical mistakes in text messages. Delete the message and do not respond.
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- Do not reply — delete and block the number.
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- If you think you have been scammed and lost money, contact your bank immediately.
- If you are concerned about any personal information lost, contact IDCARE for support.
