While digital payments have undoubtedly made people’s lives easier, online fraud methods have also become more sophisticated and dangerous than ever before. Recently, a new fraud scheme has come to light, in which people are being targeted using the name of Apple’s payment service, Apple Pay. This scam is done so cleverly that a person’s hard-earned money can disappear within a few minutes.
This scam usually starts with a simple SMS message that looks exactly like a genuine alert. The message claims that a suspicious transaction has occurred on your Apple Pay account, or that your account is at risk. To scare the user, the message may also warn that the account may be blocked, or that an investigation is currently underway. Additionally, a phone number is also provided, and the recipient of the message is asked to contact it immediately.
As soon as a person calls that number, the fraudster on the other end introduces himself as an Apple Support representative, a bank official, or a member of an investigating agency. Their way of talking is so convincing that people easily fall into their trap.
During the conversation, they create an atmosphere that makes it seem as if the situation is very serious and requires immediate action. Users are led to believe that their money is at risk, and the only way to save it is to transfer it to a “safe” account.
In many cases, victims are also pressured to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards, or share their banking details. As soon as the money is transferred, the fraudsters break all contact and disappear without leaving a trace.
Recently, a woman narrowly escaped becoming a victim of one such scam. The message she received was so scary that she went to her bank in panic and tried to withdraw lakhs of rupees. However, due to the alertness of a bank employee, he was warned in time, and his huge amount was saved safely.
In such cases, several things are often the same: an unexpected alert message, pressure to call an unknown number, threatening language, and a demand to transfer money immediately. If someone asks you for OTP, password, or any banking related information, it is a clear sign that it is a fraudulent case. Apple has made it clear that it never asks its users to make calls or share personal information through messages. The company always recommends that any security-related information be confirmed only through official apps or device settings.