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If you receive an unexpected account change email from Apple, be wary. The security tool is being abused by hackers who are sending phishing emails that appear legitimate but are actually designed to steal your information.
As spotted by BleepingComputer, at least one person has reported receiving an email from appleid@id.apple.com, falsely indicating the purchase of a new iPhone. The subject line says: "Your Apple Account information has been updated.” However, the body of the email looks more suspicious, and that's where the phishing element kicks into gear.
It tells the user they spent $899 on a new iPhone through PayPal and to cancel any unexpected payments by calling a phone number. The support line provided is a fake number where attackers are waiting to gain private information, such as your PayPal or Apple passwords or other banking details.
The hacker pulls this off by creating an Apple ID and dropping the phishing details into the account's personal information fields, BleepingComputer notes. They put the first name in the field as "User 899 USD iPhone Purchase Via" and the last name as "Pay-Pal To Cancel 18023530761."
After triggering an account profile change notification through Apple's own tools, the message arrives in the user's inbox with the first line reading, "Dear User 899 USD iPhone Purchase Via Pay-Pal To Cancel 18023530761," in an attempt to fool them into calling the support line.
The rest of the email includes official Apple website links, recommendations on when to change your password, and the company's logos, making it seem more legitimate and helping it pass through spam filters.
Apple has yet to publicly comment on the issue and provide a timeline for a fix. For now, look out for these emails and act with caution on any unexpected account information messages.
If you believe a purchase may have been made through one of your accounts without your knowledge, seek out Apple customer service numbers on its website; don't click links from an email or call numbers in potentially sketchy messages.