Apple Pay: Removing fraudulent merchants?

Question

Level 1

11 points

Apple Pay: Removing fraudulent merchants?

Does Apple have a process for removing fraudulent merchants that accept ApplePay on their websites?

Recently I foolishly made a transaction with a site called IQBRAIN.APP. It was for a $1.98 IQ Quiz (I know better than to fall for these things, but it must have been late when I did this). The later that day I noticed a second charge for around $13, which I challenged and they said that they would refund it. I got about 1/2 back and decided to leave it there. Then a week later there was another transaction for around $22. All of these were on my credit card via ApplePay.

I have killed the card, and reported it to the bank fraud department.

I did some research and found that there are quite a few people reporting fraud experiences with this company, mainly based on unauthorized subscriptions.

My question is whether Apple has any process to weed out these operators accepting ApplePay to commit their fraudulent activities. Is there somewhere that I can send a report to Apple?

I am assuming that using ApplePay on web sites requires some API and licensing from Apple.

As I said earlier I let my guard down momentarily and fell for this scam, so my bad, but it would help if Apple would cooperate with authorities to eliminate these types of criminals.

Posted on Jan 17, 2026 1:39 AM

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Answer 1

Jeff Donald

Level 8

45,060 points

Jan 17, 2026 4:16 AM in response to sabresoft

You’re welcome to contact Apple and report the issue. The Apple Pay service is for the Payment Network Operators (Visa, MasterCard, American Express etc.) and they do investigate fraud and can easily terminate the merchant’s agreement.

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

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Answer 2

Jeff Donald

Level 8

45,060 points

Jan 17, 2026 10:45 AM in response to sabresoft

Writing to Mastercard and Visa will have more of a direct effect, in my experience.

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Answer 3

sabresoft Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 17, 2026 10:25 AM in response to Jeff Donald

I went to the link that you provided but couldn't really find anything applicable to this situation. Most of the fraud type links related to fraudulent Apple products or services, but nothing related to ApplePay type issues. I guess i'll just start a general support enquiry and see where that goes.

Thanks for the reply.

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Answer 4

sabresoft Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 17, 2026 11:11 AM in response to Jeff Donald

I ended up talking to Apple on the phone. I killed my credit card last night, and the bank was already able to extract refunds for 1 1/2 illegal transactions, both the one from last night, and the other half from the one a week ago.

I just wanted to make Apple aware that a scam organization was using ApplePay to support their activities.

To quote a Copilot search result:

"Yes, iqbrain.app appears to be a scam based on multiple user reviews and low trust scores from various sources.

Trust Scores and Warnings

Low Trust Score: iqbrain.app has received a low trust score of 16.4 from Scam Detector,

indicating high-risk activity and potential scams associated with the site.

The site is flagged for suspicious practices, including phishing and spamming.

User Experiences

Negative Reviews: Many users have reported negative experiences with iqbrain.app,

including unauthorized charges and misleading subscription practices.

For instance, users have mentioned being charged for an IQ test and then

automatically enrolled in a costly subscription without their consent.

Common Complaints: Users have expressed frustration over hidden fees

and a lack of customer service response when attempting to resolve issues.

Some have described the site as deceptive, luring users in with a low initial

fee for an IQ test, only to impose recurring charges later.

Conclusion

Given the low trust score and numerous complaints from users regarding

unauthorized charges and misleading practices, it is advisable to exercise

caution and consider avoiding iqbrain.app. If you have already engaged

with the site and are facing issues, it may be beneficial to monitor your

financial statements closely and consider contacting your bank or

payment provider for assistance."

I usually avoid such sites, but must have been really tired and let my guard down at the time.

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