legitimate phone number for Apple Support?

No, it's a scam. Apple will never initiate contact with a customer. Also since there are no known viruses for Mac OS, it's not a very good scam.

Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Apple will not call you.

There is no one in the world who would know what is on your computer unless you give them access.

These email, phone call, or popup messages are all scams. Do not give out any info and do not click on anything. Just delete.

You'll know it's not legitimate because 1)Apple won't call you unless you request them to and 2) there are no viruses that affect Mac OS (other malware, yes, but not viruses) and 3)even if there were, no one could know that remotely unless you'd already given them access to your computer.

online triage "may" offer telephone contact methods > this is iPhone + Purchases & Subscriptions (picked sorta at random)

If I recall the last time that I tested (before now), there was also a Big Button for "Schedule a Call Back" in addition to "... Now"

Zhivago17 wrote:

So, how do I know what is legitimate or not when I am contacting "Apple Support" through the Apple web site (this site).

If you contact Apple through the Contact Support link at the top right of every page of these forums, you will be contact the real, legitimate Apple.

This phone number will put you through to the legitimate Apple Support:

(800)MYAPPLE

Never download Adobe Flash Player from anywhere except Official Adobe Website. Others are a scam and will install malware on your Mac. I suspect that is the problem you ran into. Also, Flash Player is no longer necessary as it has been replaced by HTML 5. There are very few sites that require it anymore.

I suggest you download and run Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes was developed by one of our own colleagues here in ASC and is about the most proven anti-malware software for Mac.

I had never used 800-MY-APPLE (thinking that it was a "sales" line - until I just tried it just now just for grins

It seems to be voice recognition system that "understands complete sentences" - nowadays anyway

When I said merely "Support" - "he" asked me to describe my problem "so that I may route you to the right technician"

so

apparently a voice version of the Contact Support web TRIAGE ;-)

Good to know...

I have only talked with Apple Support 6 times since 1989 when I started using Macs. The last time (started from Contact Support link) was about an issue when I began participating here in ASC and could not get my old Apple ID/ASCmember ID to work right and needed to get in contact with the Hosts. It took SIX transfers (higher "tier" each time) until I finally was speaking with a "Senior Engineer" - he could not find an email address OR internal phone number for Hosts anywhere on the internal network - a co-worker had the number on a Sticky Note in his desk drawer = he transferred me to the Hosts = SEVEN call transfers

The phone triage is to route you to mac or iOS or whatever. If I know that I want to take it to the genius bar, I use the on

line triage, but if I want to discuss something about what the best way to fix it would be, I prefer a personal conversation.

That is not the same thing. I refuse to sit here, give them my phone number, and then sit and wait. If I need to speak with them, I will determine when and how and doing that by phone works very well. Online does not for me - only chat or making a Genius bar appointment.

I get that...

However, even the AI phone voice will put you "on hold" until a real person is available, won't they?

I kinda like "Schedule a call" feature, as I am not on hold and do not have to stress over it until the phone rings ;-)

You are right to be suspicious

read this thoroughly

Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

It's not valid. You were not talking to Apple Support.