Hackers are attempting to steal personal data using fake emails purporting to be from the Republic of Ireland Apple Store.
The emails are part of a phishing attack whereby hackers attempt to trick people into revealing sensitive information such as banking details.
Users are receiving what appeals to be a legitimate warning from Apple that a suspicious purchase has been made using their Apple ID.
This is actually a ruse to get the recipient of the email to click on a bogus link in the body of the email that brings the user to a webpage controlled by the cyber criminals.
In cases where the person has clicked on the link, they are brought to a webpage which the hackers have control of and can take the personal information supplied by the Apple customer.
The sensitive data is then ether sold or used to make fraudulent purchases online. By clicking on the link, hackers are also able to install malware onto the computer unbeknownst to the owner.
Fraud
“The fake email is designed to provoke an immediate reaction and preys on the persons fear that their bank or credit card details have been stolen and are been used to make fraudulent purchases,” explained Ronan Murphy, chief executive of Smarttech.ie.
“People’s first reaction to an email warning them that their Apple ID may have been compromised ,is to click on the link so as to avoid having to pay for goods they did not buy. Fortunately, the person who received this email was aware of these types of scam emails but if someone did not know about phishing emails, the most natural thing to do would be to click on the link and give the hacker your details.
“In this particular case, the email is very convincing as it does not contain any basic spelling mistakes which are a tell-tale sign of a scam email as English is usually not the first language of the hackers. This shows that the hackers are evolving and becoming more sophisticated in their approach,” Murphy added.
Hacker image via Shutterstock
