Terrifying iPhone scams going viral – 9 sick cons designed to steal your money and logins
SMARTPHONE scams are on the rise and many iPhone users are finding themselves the targets.
Below are some of the most recent scams iPhone owners need to watch out for.
Fake account warnings
According to iDropNews, there's been a sharp rise in this type of scam.
It can come in the form of an email, call or text telling you your Apple Account has been compromised.
The cybercriminals may pretend to be from a security company or from Apple.
The scammers will ask for financial and personal information under the pretence that they can secure your account.
Apple would never call you to ask for this kind of information.
Contact tracing scams
"Contract tracing" is a method being used to try and combat the spread of Covid-19 by contacting everyone that a sick individual has come into contact with.
This information can help the relevant people to isolate and hopefully stop the spread of the virus.
Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of this new situation and cold calling people to ask for personal details under the pretence that it's for contact tracing purposes.
This scam can take the form of a text, email or unexpected call that has been made to look official.
You should be wary of any message you receive asking for your personal details and always verify who the sender is first.
Fake IT support
With more of us working from home, you may get a phone call or email pretending to be from IT support at your workplace.
This is a way scammers can try and pry work information from you.
Always verify with your company or manager if there has been an IT problem and make sure you're talking to the official IT support.
Covid-19 testing scams
This is another scam that plays on the fear of coronavirus.
It targets your smartphone with texts and calls about offers of a Covid-19 test kit.
What the cybercriminals really want is to steal your financial information.
Free face masks
Other coronavirus-related scammers will message you to offer a free face mask or even a "cure".
There is no current cure and there's a much more efficient way to get a face mask than by clicking on a malicious link and having your personal details stolen.
Fake pandemic emergencies
With many of us already on edge, scammers are taking advantage by sending out fake emergency messages.
The message might include a malicious link you're encouraged to click to gain more information.
Or you might be asked for personal details.
As with the scams above, never give personal details away unless you're 100% sure of who you're sending them too.
Check whether the message is coming from an official email or phone number.
Tax and refund scams
Scammers may ring you to ask for personal details regarding a fake refund you're owed or a tax issue.
This is a way for them to try and extract financial information, while you think they're helping you.
Fake charity calls
Another way scammers can take advantage of a global pandemic is by pretending to be from a fake charity.
Lots of people want to help in anyway they can but make sure you donate via an official website.
It's best to do your research first so you know what the money you donate will be paying for.
Small business scams
Some cybercriminals are taking advantage of the fact small businesses are struggling.
Owners of these businesses should be wary of texts, emails and calls trying to offer them free aid or loans.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best…
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
In other news, a stunning fan-made video reveals how the next iPhone could shape up when it hits shelves later this year.
Apple recently released a new "cheap" version of its iPhone SE.
And, the iPhone 12 could be the thinnest ever thanks to new screen technology.
Have you noticed any Apple related scams recently? Let us know in the comments…
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