My mom received a call from someone claiming to be from Apple. They talked her through installing two apps On her iPad - Anydesk and Team Viewer. I suspect it was a scam. Would these apps give someone else access to her Apple devices? What do we need to do?
iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi
As a minimum, delete the two Apps. A better approach would be to completely reset the iPad - and setup again “as new”.
If you can, log-in to your AppleID from another device - and change your password.
If the iPad has not automatically updated its iCloud backup since installing the two Apps, immediately disconnect external power if connected (this effectively inhibits the auto-backup process) and disable iCloud backups - before the backup process can run. After the full device reset, if you have reasonable confidence in “safety” of the existing backup, this can be restored to the device.
You may also wish to change passwords to any sensitive accounts or services (these may be included with your Apple KeyChain) - from another device not associated with your AppleID. Do not attempt changing passwords from your potentially compromised iPad until after a full reset has been carried out.
As a minimum, delete the two Apps. A better approach would be to completely reset the iPad - and setup again “as new”.
If you can, log-in to your AppleID from another device - and change your password.
If the iPad has not automatically updated its iCloud backup since installing the two Apps, immediately disconnect external power if connected (this effectively inhibits the auto-backup process) and disable iCloud backups - before the backup process can run. After the full device reset, if you have reasonable confidence in “safety” of the existing backup, this can be restored to the device.
You may also wish to change passwords to any sensitive accounts or services (these may be included with your Apple KeyChain) - from another device not associated with your AppleID. Do not attempt changing passwords from your potentially compromised iPad until after a full reset has been carried out.
In the Anydesk app, she read him the number associated with her address, but he didn’t have her type his number in to make the connection. I’m hoping that didn’t give him access.
Not sure about AnyDesk, but I know that TeamViewer would allow remote access, and if configured, it would allow it without any additional input by your mother. I agree to delete the apps and at most, restore the device to your last backup. But yes, it was a scam. Apple will not call you unless you initiate a request for a service callback.
Thank you! The call was disconnected before she was able to put in the remote user’s code, so that’s good.
The apps were automatically installed on her iPhone through sync, but she didn’t use the apps on the phone.
neither phone nor iPad backed up after the apps were installed. I deleted the apps off both devices.
Do you think I should reset both devices, or just the iPad? I have to look up how to do that next.
Scam call
