Apple Pay Fraud

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Level 1

4 points

Apple Pay Fraud

On December 28th my wife tried to use her bank card and found it had been blocked.

We went into HSBC bank to find out why, and were told by HSBC fraud team her card was blocked because of suspected fraudulent activity Involving TikTok.

A new bank card was sent to her, but we were on holiday from 2nd of January to 12th January so she couldn’t activate the new card.

On return from holiday she received a bank statement from HSBC dated January 8th, and found a massive payment of £535 had been made to TikTok Dublin on December 18th.

She had no idea why, as she doesnt know what TikTok is, so we went to HSBC bank to ask about it.

A bank worker produced a letter from HSBC to her dated 5th of December thanking her for registering with Apple Pay.

That letter was never received.

My wife has no idea what Apple Pay is.

The bank worker said my wife had purchased something from TikTok to the value of £535 using Apple Pay.

When she said she knew nothing about ‘Apple Pay’ the bank worker produced that letter supposedly thanking her for registering.

We now have to wait for HSBC Fraud Team to investigate.

Meanwhile, can Apple please explain how my wife could register for Apple Pay through HSBC bank and not even know she has done it?

Why wasn’t the letter from HSBC received?

is there a scam within HSBC?

My wife, who is 70 in a couple of weeks time is not computer savvy. She doesnt do internet banking. She isn’t very pushy and just accepts criminal behaviour as being normal.

I don’t. I will get to the bottom of this if I have to spend the rest of my days doing it.

iPad mini, iOS 9

Posted on Jan 17, 2024 12:45 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jeff Donald

Community+ 2026

Level 8

48,950 points

Jan 17, 2024 4:41 AM in response to reverse96

Apple would have no idea why you didn’t receive a letter from HSBC. That would be between you and the bank.

Here is an Apple Support article that explains Apple Pay.

Apple Pay - Apple

Apple Pay can be activated by the bank at customer’s request, or via the bank’s mobile app or by adding the payment card to Apply Wallet on a mobile device. I’ve linked an article on Apple Wallet.

Wallet - Apple

The most likely scenario in my mind is the card data was skimmed or shimmed at a merchant’s transaction terminal when your wife used the physical card for payment. Once the data was obtained they tricked your wife or you into allowing them access to your Apple ID Account and added the card to your Apple Pay. Please review your devices on your Apple ID. Remove any devices that aren’t yours and change your password.

View and remove your devices that are associated with Apple ID purchases - Apple Support

Change your Apple ID password - Apple Support

If you haven’t already done so file a police report.

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Answer 2

Jan 17, 2024 8:35 AM in response to reverse96

There is no application for Apple Pay. It’s not a credit instrument. Apple Pay is an end to end encrypted process of sending and receiving the credit or debit card transaction. It acts as a conduit between the merchant and the bank.

The letter is an indication of nothing.

The bank had to verify the card before it could be added to an Apple Wallet and used with Apple Pay. Apple cannot verify a credit or debit card, they do not have the customer information. Only your bank has customer information.

You’re likely to continue to have issues until you secure your Apple ID following the links I gave you above.

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Answer 3

reverse96 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 17, 2024 8:25 AM in response to Jeff Donald

The HSBC Bank would not be able to tell me why I didn't receive the letter they allegedly sent . Surely my wife (or someone scamming her) must have applied before they produced the letter. Where is the evidence of that application? Isn't it mysterious that an important letter acknowleding my wife signing up for Apple Pay produced by the bank with her address on it never reached her, and then she got scammed by someone using Apple Pay?

It looks like fraudulent activity in the bank. HSBC, Allhallows Branch, Bedford. Maybe you at Apple Pay need to go and investigate them.

My wife visited a shop in MIlton Keynes before Christmas and made a purchase using her card on December 11th

She also used it in an ALDI store, in Bedford, on December 12th,

and a B&M store in Bedford on December 14th

The scammer purchased something to the value of £535 from TikTok Dublin, using the Apple Pay thing she didn't know she had, on December 16th (HSBC Fraud Team told us this)

The payment came out of her bank account on December 18th

She'd had Apple Pay on her phone since December 5th without even knowing it.

So, whoever put Apple Pay on her phone on December 5th waited until December 16th before buying 'stuff' from TikTok Dublin.

The fact she never received that letter from HSBC Bedford looks like the smoking gun. Whoever put Apple Pay on her phone also failed to send the letter to her then waited until December 16th to use it.

Apple must know the date and time she supposedly put Apple Pay on her phone.

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Apple Pay Fraud

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