Hacked or real security warning on my MacBook Air?

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Level 1

5 points

Hacked or real security warning on my MacBook Air?

While on my Mac, I received a large security warning that I had been compromised. I called the number that was provided and a man told me his name and

Apple ID. Then he had me load a couple of apps and said I had to keep my laptop on overnight so it could be fixed. That took two nights. He is still calling me every few hours to see if I have noticed anything suspicious on my Mac or iPhone. Could this be real Apple security procedure or a scam?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.2

Posted on Feb 12, 2024 3:45 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 12, 2024 3:52 PM in response to Perjury12

Scam.

You have not installed software that could potentially allow remote access or harvest personal information. Without knowing exactly what they had you do or the software that was installed, your best course of action is to do a Factory Reset. This will wipe all data from the device and if you restore from a Time Machine backup, it will only load that software back to your computer. You will need to manually install software that you had previously on your computer.

Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings - Apple Support

You should also change your Apple ID Password:

Update your Apple ID password - Apple Support

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Answer 2

stedman1

Level 10

266,050 points

Feb 12, 2024 3:47 PM in response to Perjury12

All such messages are scams presented by criminals. Do not interact with the message or the sender. Do not download anything based on such bogus messages. Close the offending page and avoid sites that are involved in such bogus advertising tactics.

Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popup… - Apple Community

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Hacked or real security warning on my MacBook Air?

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