Does Apple monitor the forum and respond to issues? iTunes hacked

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Level 1

2 points

Does Apple monitor the forum and respond to issues? iTunes hacked

There is a 60 page discussion thread under iTunes for Mac on the topic:

I don't happen to be on a Mac, but I have also been hacked, so I am adding this topic to the Windows discussion. Based on a combination of general experience, personal experience with being hacked and reading about the others who were hacked, I believe someone has a way to detect iTunes accounts with credit balances, access the account, 'spend' the credit balance fraudulently reaching a zero balance,and then move on to the next account.

It seems to me that this is a security flaw with Apple. Apple (baed on their replies to me so far) seems to view this as a user problem - loose with passwords, poor passwords, etc. I have NO idea how to contact Apple to get a response or to counter their suggestion that it is actually my problem. But, I would certainly like to discuss this with anyone at Apple. This is a user problem for the customers, but not caused by the customers (at least in most cases). The only common thread is a systematic plundering of credit balances in iTunes accounts.Woe to those who have Paypal or other credit facilities linked to their iTunes. They are liable to lose much more than their credit balance.

Suggestions? The only suggestions received so far have come from an Apple email and they are worthless to me:

If you did not make this purchase, we recommend that you go toiforgot.apple.com to change your password, then see Apple ID: Tips for protecting the security of your account for further assistance.

Posted on Dec 6, 2011 2:12 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Dec 6, 2011 2:44 PM in response to RMUNSON01

Except on very rare occasions, Apple employees will never reply to posts made in these forums. The Communities Hosts do try and scan the forums for problem trends, but they cannot reply to individual issues.

If you have an unauthorized purchase that was made to a credit card, contact the issuer of your card. It becomes their problem once they've issued the authorization for the charge to the merchant. Using a credit card is actually often safer than using a prepaid card (unless you keep only a small balance) or Paypal since the card companies are legally limited in how much they can hold you liable for.

If you had your account accessed by some unauthorized person and a credit balance was used, contact the iTunes Store here:

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/

If you have done that already and just received their "canned" initial response as is typical, keep responding (calmly, no matter how frustrating it may get) and eventually you should get a specific response.

Finally, if you can get no satisfaction from the iTunes Store, you can try calling Apple tech support, asking to speak with someone in Customer Relations, and discussing the matter with that person.

Good luck.

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Answer 2

RMUNSON01 Author

Level 1

2 points

Dec 6, 2011 2:59 PM in response to RMUNSON01

Thanks. Your reply helped hugely.

Only a small credit balance was stolen, there is no credit card. I did contact Apple and, Apple has already refunded the credit balance. But, I suspect I better spend it soon, or it will soon be gone with another unauthorized access.

I did received their canned response. I have pushed back twice with further Express Lane complaints. It isn't clear I will get somewhere, but thanks for the encouragement.

If anyone from Apple took the time to read the 60 page posting referenced above, I believe they would determine that there is a fixable problem and they would set about to fix it. We shall see.

I have filed a police report, but have little hope anything will happen there.

Anyway, thanks for the clarifying reply that they do not and will not reply to the forum postings.

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