Scammers keep coming up with new and honestly pretty clever ways to trick people. They social engineer their phishing emails and messages so cleverly that even the most tech-savvy users have to think twice. One example is the “Deactivate Apple ID” phishing scam.
It’s been popular for the past few years, so you may have seen it before.
Here’s how it works: You receive an email from a company that appears to be Apple stating that your Apple ID has been suspended.
Although the sender’s name says “Apple,” the email is actually from a scammer trying to trick you into clicking on a malicious link.
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woman looking at iphone (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
What you need to know
Apple ID phishing emails have come a long way in recent years. It used to be plain text, no Apple branding, and didn’t even greet or address the user. But now they look almost identical to Apple’s genuine email. These scam emails claim that your Apple ID has been suspended in order to get you to give up your login credentials and other sensitive information. They have the Apple logo, “Apple ID” as the sender name, and a large blue button that says “Go to Apple ID.”
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The email pretends to be from Apple Support and claims your access has been suspended due to “unusual activity” or missing or invalid information. It says you can’t access your account or Apple services until you verify your identity. There is usually a link that directs you to a fake Apple site where you are asked to enter your username, password, and other personal information to reactivate your account. To add urgency, they may also warn you that if you don’t authenticate your Apple ID within 24 hours, you’ll be permanently blocked.
person checking email (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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Beware of Red Flags
It’s easy to get tricked into clicking on these fraudulent links if you’re not careful. But if you’re careful, there are plenty of red flags. I have added a sample phishing email below. The problem is obvious. First, it’s not actually from Apple. The email domain is @uaepass.ae and is not affiliated with Apple in any way. All legitimate Apple emails end in “@email.apple.com”, so anything else is an instant red flag.
Then there’s the terrible grammar and punctuation. A company worth $3.37 trillion can certainly afford to hire decent content writers. Apple employees probably aren’t going to confuse past and present tense like they did when writing their first email.
Take a look at this gem: “So you need to double-verify your account data. If you don’t verify your account within 48 hours, your account will be permanently locked. Visit your Apple ID and confirm as soon as possible. Please check it soon.” It reads like someone just put a bunch of words together and called it a day. I’m not trying to give you a grammar lesson here, but I hope you get the gist.
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“Apple ID suspension” phishing email (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
How to safely lock your iPhone or iPad from prying eyes
6 ways to protect yourself from Apple ID phishing scams
1. Confirm your email address: Be sure to check the sender’s email address. All legitimate emails from Apple come from domains ending in “@email.apple.com.” If it’s anything else, like @uaepass.ae, it’s a scam.
2. Look for spelling and grammar mistakes: Phishing emails often have poor grammar and punctuation. If the message sounds strange or looks like it was written by someone who doesn’t know how to write, be suspicious.
3. Don’t click on suspicious links: If you’re asked to click a link in an email, don’t click right away. Hover over the link to see the actual URL. If it doesn’t look like an official Apple website (or a site you trust), don’t click.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that can install malware and access your personal information is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection also warns you about phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection products of 2024 for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): This adds an extra layer of protection to your Apple ID. Even if a scammer gets your password, they won’t be able to log in without a second authentication step.
5. Check directly with Apple: If you have any questions about emails or messages, please visit Apple’s official website directly or contact Apple’s support team. Do not use contact information provided in suspicious emails.
6. Invest in a data deletion service: Scammers often use personal information that is easily available online to create more convincing phishing attacks. By investing in a data deletion service, you can reduce the amount of personal data exposed on the web, making it harder for scammers to effectively target you.
No service promises to remove all data from the Internet, but if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing information from hundreds of sites over an extended period of time, a removal service is a good option. is the best. Check out the data deletion services I recommend here.
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Cart important points
Scammers are getting pretty sophisticated, but you don’t have to fall for their tricks. By staying vigilant and paying attention to the red flags, you can easily spot these phishing attempts before they catch you by surprise. Always double-check the sender’s email address, watch for grammar errors, and avoid clicking on suspicious links. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t hesitate to visit Apple’s official website directly or contact Apple’s support team.
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