Apple, Inc. is a widely known, trusted company that has some of the strongest security features for its line of devices. But like most companies, it gets impersonated by scammers looking to steal information and money from unsuspecting consumers. Recently, the “Apple Receipt” scam has been circulating across iOS users’ mobile devices, hacking into their accounts and stealing money from them.

How It Works

You receive an email apparently coming from Apple with the title subject: “[Order Received: MH6FBTX82G]: Your Receipt from Apple.” The message informs that you purchased a new app through the App Store. These fake receipts, however, show you purchasing a different app at a much higher cost.

Here’s an example of one:

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Scammers rely on the fact that the email recipients, knowing they probably didn’t make a purchase, will reply by saying it was a mistake. The email provides a link to a fake transaction page where recipients can cancel the fraudulent charge.  

The link will take you to a fake Apple website, which then asks you to enter your Apple ID username and password. This is how scammers gain access to your account and any information tied to it.

How to Avoid the Scam:

·        Watch for spelling/grammatical errors. Real receipts from Apple and other large companies will not contain any errors like these.

·        Check the domain name in the browser. Real receipts will come from an apple.com domain.

·        Don’t click on ANY links provided. You can hover over the link to reveal its true URL. If it isn’t legit, don’t click it.

If you come across this scam, report it by taking a screenshot and emailing it to reportphishing@apple.com or at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

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