Q: iTunes store account hacked

I've never shared my password, written it on paper, etc. And I got hacked with that BS Kingdom Conquest this morning for $70+, taken out of my PayPal account. I've since removed any form of payment from my iTunes account, but I am EXTREMELY disappointed that the first response I got from Apple (aside from the "we received your complaint" message) said, unequivocally, that they will NOT give me a refund. I replied to confirm this, just in case there was something I didn't understand, and within minutes, I got the iTunes receipts for the fraudulent purchases in my inbox.

Apple had better do something soon. For them to keep the targeted games on the AppStore after more than 8 months of account hacking is inexcusable. I'm not letting SEGA off the hook either. If I were a betting man, I would say that 99% of their profit from Kingdom Conquest is illegitimate. For them to not seek a withdrawl of their app is horrifically irresponsible and immoral.

I'm truly furious with both companies right now, and I'm seeking counsel from every consumer watchdog agency I can get in contact with.

This just happened to me today (2/9/2012).

Awoke to 2 emails from last night stating 2 in-App purchases for the game Kingdom Conquest.

reduced my account balance to $ .03.

While Apple did reply quickly, and did refund the $70, I wish they could figure out how this is happening.

Reading through the long list of comments, it seems to be the same handful of Apps...with Kingdom Conquest leading the pack.

I too am a security professional and this has been my gripe for years. So many companies are driven by only profit, and I am a capitalist so i have no problem with that, but the lack of concern for customer data, privacy, security is really a downer. I have higher expectations for US companies and again, i'm let down. It will take a consumer revolution to wake these people up but as consumers, how do we feel about making some sacrafices and demanding better authentication - there is some inconvenience with it. And voting with our dollars - also inconvenient when it gets in the way of 'when we want something now'.

I too just got hit with charges for Kingdom Conquest. i got an email of a receipt. then I tried to report a problem, however since it was an in app purchase, i couldn't select report a problem. well that's according to the support how to page. i don't have an ipod touch or iphone. so.. not sure how the heck this happened. this is the first time this has happened to me. i've updated my security question and password. then i looked at my purchase history, then there were 3 more charges that weren't taken since i'd disputed the first 2 charges on my card. i'm not really sure how to dispute it through apple/itunes.

My account was also hacked and  someone send him or herself 2 itunescards for €50 thats €100 euros after a a ton of emails they didn,t wanna give me the mailadres where it was send to.  i needed a supina that doesnt work like that in holland.

But a refund would be very welkom. They didnt give the mail adres because it was for my own privacy. Bulsh..

I even thougt that on off apples /Itunes employe was gettin some on the side.

So apple you know my account update my account  with €100,- and ill be a happy customer again.

I,ll keep positive but the big apple has some rotten spots that wont shine, but Apple proof me wrong.

My account is also hacked!

A few days ago I recieved an email by Apple that said I bought an album by Sean Paul.

It was bought on a different device.... If it wasn't me that made this Purchase I should change my password.

So I did right away.

Only a few minutes later I recieved another mail that there was made an other purchase.

Must have been done right after the Sean Paul album and just before I changed my password.

Logging in on my Apple ID account again I saw the damage was done.

My credits of € 16 was gone and there was only € 0,54 left.

Apple: I want my money back!

And find this person that steel my money!

My account was drained by Kingdom Conquest this morning as well.  I got the same email from Apple and when I checked my account the credit card had been removed.  Once I finally found a good phone number (not an easy task) the Apple rep was very polite and supposedly a refund is on the way.

Has anyone found any other problems associated with this hack?  I'm afraid to go into my 401K and PayPal accounts on this computer now.  Losing $80 from an iTunes credit is one, potentially losing my life savings and retirement is another.

BTW, one of the reasons I paid extra big bucks for a MacBook is because it was supposed to be more secure.  I was a PC for a couple of decades and was never hacked.  I've been a Mac for less than a year.

Considering the unsuccessful block of this fraud by Apple for nearly a year now I worry about the potential hit to the value of my Apple stock once this is more widely known.  Maybe it's time to take some profits.

jpreed, while I can't comment on your exact situation, I don't believe this has anything to do with something on a computer. I'm a security-trained web developer, and use extremely safe web practices. I don't click on emails, I avoid all phishing attempts, I don't enter my Apple ID password on anything but apple programs and devices.

I'm firmly in the belief this is a brute force attack, or a direct hacking on Apple servers.

I have had no evidence since it happened that anything else has been compromised.  I don't think this is client-side. Whatever's going on... it's something to do with iTunes servers.     

Now I won't say that in every single one of these cases it's someone who didn't do anything foolish, but the majority of the complaints have indicated there's no possibility they could have compromised their own accounts.    The problem isn't your Macbook... it's the iTunes server.

I got hacked for $21.19 today. This is the first time in my life I had some sort of unauthorized transaction.

I've just contacted apple and I hope this can be resolved soon. I've changed all my passwords to paypal, itunes, email just to be safe.

I had my account hacked today as well.  2 emails received about 'Kingdom hearts'.

First transaction was for $13.03, second was for 28 and change.  I sent an email to apple and they have already responded refunding the money.  Also, had the transactions flagged via paypal and disconnected the paypal account from the itunes store.

Add me to the list.  ~$400 worth of 'gift app' purchases for the same app.  Way out of pattern for me and Apple responds that they can't provide me with any information on these purchases. 

I am not sure if this is the right place to give some thought about what happened to me... but I just came back from the grocery store, and they did not give me my ice cream. I am so mad! What kind of business are they running? I called them, and they gave me the usual run around, Oh we appologise... we were not aware that there was a problem... What an inconvience they have caused me. The grocery store knows about this problem, and obviously they are at fault because it was not in my cart (wagon) when the bagger put the groceries in my trunk. I wonder how many other people they did this to!

mine was hacked for $29.65. Left me with 4 cents. it was for KingdomConquest-, KC 3800CP

Well Carlo, it would be the right place if someone ELSE had bought icecream claiming to be you, and the grocery store knew it wasn't your cart the ice cream was added to, but went ahead and gave it to the guy anyway, and took $400 out of your paypal account, sent you an email telling you some icecream had been put into an unrecognised cart, and if wasn't authorized by you, you better change the password to your cart loader. And then you had to wait 10 days to get your $400 back.

"Apple responds that they can't provide me with any information on these purchases. "

I don't understand why they can't give you any info .. it WAS on your account! and it was your money.

I wish they would release that info to us, and we may be able to get something done.

Sorry you had to join our growing list .....