iTunes store account hacked

Yes, lloyd, if I were you I would change your password (and Apple will likely advise you to do this as well). If you haven't already, you should probably delete any paypal or credit card info associated with your account, and consider changing your security question on you master Apple account (at www.appleid.apple.com).

Another victim here:

£65 credited yesterday in gift vouchers gone by this morning courtesy of Kingdom Conquest.

I've emailed Apple after being told they offer no telephone support for iTunes.

My credit card was also removed from file.

Apologies if its already been covered in this thread but has anyone had any further problems ie Credit Card fraud?

Cheers

I know how frustrating it is, I've been hacked too, a week or so ago. But I found out about it BECAUSE of the receipt for something I hadn't purchased...

They do have problems, but the receipt, and notification of account changes do help.

Apologies if its already been covered in this thread but has anyone had any further problems ie Credit Card fraud?

Cheers

Hi Scotty;

I havent seen any issues on my iTunes ripoff outside of iTunes... which makes me think they are limited only to accessing your account and limited to purchases inside iTunes only, and without having to know your CC specifics. If they have access that bypasses my extreme password and user questions, then it doesnt matter if they can see or not see the CC info Apple weakly lets them have access to, does it? All the charges will be made to the account holder and they can turn around and resell the credits or game app to whoever....

This is such a deeply inside job Apple is powerless to do anything about it and I see no admission of a problem from them, nor do I see any changes over the years for this ongoing problem, Im convinced. Until Apple makes the EULA more balanced (IE: where Apple commits to my personal security, data safety and takes on some form of accountability) then I will not be trusting Apple, its 'cloud', or accounting mechanism to any degree ever again.

As it stands they give you 'one credit only' for any rip off that Apple is responsible for letting happen, then you are on your own for any future ripoffs, and will not get any reimbursement. iTunes has proven to be so easily abused in this thread that I will not trust Apple as a company with my personal security. The only 'good' thing about the payment options in my personal account is the 'None' selection, which keeps no payment information in my account.

It doesnt seem to matter if its CC info, gift cards, paypal linked or any particular kind of payment method, they have control of the mechanism that bills you, not particularly the specific info to bilk you outside of iTunes....

I seriously believe the iTunes mechanism that allows purchases is weak and faulty to allow this or everyone around the world would be seeing fraudulent purchases for goods to be sold out of the backs of trucks and what not.

If they did use the CC info outside of iTunes though, they would expose themselves down to the very city the crime is originating from and make it very easy for arrest or investigation. Clearly they know this and are happy with the nickel and dime approach, when Apple isnt doing a thing to stop the crime from happening.

They have thought this out quite well; a very organized crime approach. Regardless, there are other companies out there who have a non-faulty billing and accounting mechanism that I trust more than Apple's weak wristed version, and I plan to use them for my music. App wise, I only pop in my CC info the moment I need something and remove it the moment the purchase has been confirmed... I see no other way.

I havent had the interest to use my CC info in that manner, yet, however....

I had my iTunes account locked within the last 24hrs. I had no credit balance anymore but have put a credit card back on. I felt safe doing that since it seemed that there's been no charges to anyone's credit card (unless they were through Paypal).

There were no purchases on my account, it was just locked. Nothing had been changed, my address, phone number, and credit card were all there. Not really sure if it was just a failed attempt to access my account that locked it down or a party got access to my account then locked it.

Add another one to the list. My account was accessed without my knowledge today and someone bought a bunch of in-app purchases in Chinese apps, and, of course, the infamous Kingdom Conquest was purchased as well. Thankfully, I had no credit card information stored on my account, but I had around $30 in balance from gift cards. This is all gone now, I have only less than a dollar left to use. I've contacted Apple and I'm still waiting for a response. However, seeing here that more people have been having issues like mine (and with Kingdom Quest) I find it very obvious that there is something wrong. I've also noticed that there are 0 computers authorized with my account, and I was pretty sure that before all this there were about 4 computers authorized to play iTunes protected content. Weird.

Wish Apple can solve this, because we are more and more dependant on iTunes everyday, and with iCloud coming soon we'll have more and more personal info with them.

Add me to the list. Someone deleted my CC info from the account. (and yes this was shortly after a $50 gift card had been added) Then spent the remaining cash on my gift card on 2 free and 2 in app purchases to some GAMELIVE chinese app for $27. I have emailed apple and changed my info.

My question to people here is this.

Has anyone seen any unauthorized charges to a credit card? Because if so I will be calling Mastercard tomorrow and ordering a new card.

@mamabear slc. Are you saying that someone used YOUR credit card when they hacked into your account? or that someone hacked your account and used their own?

If they used YOUR credit card then it would seem that someone hacked into your itunes account and used your existing account information to make purchases.

The majority of us here seem to be having a problem when using gift cards though. I had a credit card attached to my account but I was given a Gift Card for Fathers Day. So after I used the gift card is when someone hijacked the account... DELETED my existing CC info (which thus far has no unauthorized charges) and then proceeded to use up my gift card.

@TBF99 -- They must have hacked into the itunes account and used my existing account information. I realized it after I got a receipt in my e-mail for apps that I had not purchased. I called my credit card company and cancelled my credit card. I am extremely irritated that this could happen.

Add me to the list also. I got hit for around $110 for Imobsters and World War Apps through PayPal. Filed Complaint with PayPal and sent a Email to Apple. I changed my Passwords and deleted my Payment info from Itunes to stop them.

Looks like a glut of hacks. Two days ago I got word that my iTunes account credit card information had been changed. Imagine my surprise. When I logged in, my balance went immediately from $35+ to almost nothing and my credit card information was gone. They yesterday, I got a receipt for $34 worth in in-app purchases from Kingdom Conquest.

Hey, Apple! How about some public acknowledgement about the problem and reimbursement? Who do I call/email?

It's alarming that so many of us have been caught like this and yet still Apple are doing little to stop it happening, it's all very well refunding but really we just want the rogue apps stopped. I've just posted on the BBC Click Facebook page about this, maybe some more high profile publicity will provoke better action by Apple (and even perhaps an improvement in their Ts & Cs). This is the link to their page if anybody else would like to add comment: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4287320286 but you will probably need to "join" the page to see the thread.

I have also posted a similar thing on the iTunes UK Facebook page. Lo and behold it was deleted almost immediately.

It's time for us to agitate!

Some very fine points there Brad and I agree entirely with what you have said.

From now on, or until I am confident Apple has addressed the issue, I will be keeping my credit card well away from iTunes.

Apple's lack of acknowledgement of any problem will save them embarrassment from the wider public who will remain unaware but will only infuriate further those who have been victims of this breach of security. It is a dangerous game to play as they may end up alienating many loyal customers the further this escalates, by the time they acknowledge a problem it may be too late.

One further thing that is currently frustrating me is that despite 'reporting a problem' over 32 hours ago I have yet to hear from anyone from Apple. A serious breach of my personal financial information held on their servers and they haven't yet responded to ensure me it will be resolved and not to worry. I would of course have preferred to report this to a person on the phone but I was told that Apple do not offer telephone support for iTunes.

I finally received a reply from Apple.

They will refund the lost funds within 5 days.

My account has been disabled and I have to email them more personal information (full address and last legitimate iTunes purchase) and they will look into the possibility of reopening it.

No admission of a problem

No reassurances that iTunes is a safe platform.

They effectively placed responsibility with me and urged me to improve my password and account security.

I have other unrelated issues with Apple at the moment (mainly related to MobileMe and iCloud) but this is the culmination in a change of attitude for me toward what I once thought was a thoroughly innovative and responsible company.

My account got hacked on the 25th. Someone downloaded Kingdom Conquest and used $49.71 leaving me with $0.69.

I contacted Apple and a representative told me that they would credit my account, as well as make my account inactive until I supplied some personal information. Once this info was supplied they would email me informing me that my account was now active. They also suggested that I change my password.

I did all of the above.

I am still awaiting an email saying my account has been reactivated, however, I have gotten an email informing me that my account has been used to download Kingdom Conquest AGAIN twice on the 26th!!! Once for $8.99 and again for$2.99.

So it certainly appears that APPLE HAS A PROBLEM!!!

I hope they get this sorted out quickly, I'm also glad they do not have any credit card info, as I only use gift cards.