Is someone from Apple Support selling customer information to scammers?

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Level 1

0 points

Is someone from Apple Support selling customer information to scammers?

I contacted Apple for help, and just one day later have a fake email from "Security" asking me to update my details. I have never had an email of this type before. It seems too coincidental.

This is the email: Apple Support <apple-store@client.com> 12 Jul (1 day ago) Reply to me
Dear Apple Customer

Validate your account information. This is an automatic message sent by our security system to let you know that you have 48 hours to confirm your account information. To validate your account information associated with your Apple ID, Click here and update your account and sign in with your Apple ID and password. This will help protect your account in the future. This process does not take more than 3 minutes.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Your sincerely, Apple Security Department

Posted on Jul 12, 2014 10:20 PM

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Answer 1

John Guo

Level 5

5,353 points

Jul 12, 2014 10:23 PM in response to Michmoo

It looks to be a phishing email to me. I wouldn't provide any information.

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Answer 2

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jul 12, 2014 10:28 PM in response to Michmoo

Identifying legitimate emails from the iTunes Store

Identifying fraudulent "phishing" email

report phishing.mailtoloc

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Answer 3

babowa

Level 9

78,103 points

Jul 12, 2014 10:32 PM in response to Michmoo

A Google search reveals that this type of thing has been around for some time:

https://www.google.com/search?q=apple-store%40client.com&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t& rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb

Hackers will buy or hack into/steal email addresses - it's a big business. If your email address is anywhere, it will likely be sold/stolen at some point and will be used to try to separate you from your money one way or another.

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Answer 4

Michmoo Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 12, 2014 11:31 PM in response to Michmoo

I know it is a phishing/fake/scam mail, but my point was I found it too coincidental that just one day after contacting Apple Support I received that mail. I have never had an email of this type previously. I am very security aware and because of that, it made me consider the fact that MAYBE?? details are being sold by an unscrupulous employee. It has been known for this to happen in other companies!

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Answer 5

deggie

Level 10

167,177 points

Jul 13, 2014 7:54 PM in response to Michmoo

But it isn't this time, it is merely a coincidence. As babowa already pointed out, and you can do a search here, this one has been going around for awhile and they got your email address from someone you know. People who don't even have Mac's get these.

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Answer 6

Skydiver119

Level 9

53,399 points

Jul 14, 2014 5:40 AM in response to Michmoo

My personal suspicion would fall more on app developers either being hacked or selling info. They have to know the Apple ID of those that buy apps from them, even if they only know the first part, well you randomize with 'appleid@' and toss in yahoo, hotmail, gmail, aol, etc and you can cobble together a list of potential valid addresses.

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