Unexpected App Subscription Without Installation

philippe_cox wrote:

Hi everyone,

Is it possible that an application was installed using my Apple ID and a subscription was purchased, even though neither I nor anyone else installed anything on my phone or other devices?

No. However, if other people have your Apple ID and passcode, they could have done this and are not admitting to it (or are unaware they did it).

The subscription is visible in my list of subscriptions, but I have never installed the app, let alone paid for a subscription. Are this kind of hacking attacks actually possible? How can they be prevented in the future?

Someone installed the app and subscribed. You prevent it by not giving your Apple ID and password to anyone and enabling two-factor authentication.

See also:

If you think your Apple Account has been compromised - Apple Support

If you are using Two-Factor authentication, its highly, highly improbable anyone would have been able to install an App and start a subscription with it without having access to a trusted device or trusted phone number to satisfy the two-factor authentication process by being able to receive the required 6 digit code to log into a device. Even if they did, you would been notified about the new log in via email by Apple at some point.

It's more likely you at some point installed the app that had a free trial and then removed the app and forgot about it, but never canceled the free trial. Free Trials will automatically renew into paid subscriptions if not cancelled.

Forgetting you ever installed an app is more common than you think.

You can try to find the relevant app in your purchase history to confirm this.

click here ➜ Redownload apps from Apple - Apple Support

Also, if you share your Apple ID with anyone for any reason like mistakenly thinking its required for Family sharing (it is not), they can install apps on their devices with it. Using it only for Apple's media stores including the App Store, would usually prevent the device from appearing in your device list, as that depends on being logged in to the account for iCloud and not the media stores.

Yeah, this can happen without your phone being hacked. Most of the time it’s from a forgotten free trial, a web based sign up tied to your Apple ID, or someone getting your Apple ID login and subscribing remotely without touching your device. If there were no unknown devices, it points more to account access than malware.

You did the right things already. Strong password and 2FA usually stop it. iPhones are pretty locked down, so this is almost always account related. If you want peace of mind, running something like Certo Antispy can help rule out device level issues, but this doesn’t sound like malware.

I can only see it happening if your account is compromised. That in turn would mean somebody would have to have access to your telephone or another item of equipment you owned, in order to satisfy the two factor authentication requirements (unless you did not upgrade to 2FA the way Apple has been telling people to do for the past 4 or 5 years).

Read this document if you think your Apple Account has been compromised. --> If you think your Apple Account has been compromised - Apple Support

For iOS 15 or earlier, if you want to see if anyone else has access to your device or accounts, click here --> Checklist 1: Limit device and account access - Apple Support

For iOS 16 or later see how Safety Check on iPhone works to keep you safe. Safety Check for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later - Apple Support

Use the information in this document to check your Apple ID device list to find where you're signed in --> Check your Apple Account device list to find where you’re signed in - Apple Support

Related materials:

Personal Safety User Guide

Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support

> open the Table of Contents and review the articles

A document with general information about security and your Apple ID --> Security and your Apple Account - Apple Support

Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security. This page provides country-specific Apple Support contact information ➞ Contact Apple Support - Apple Support