Security after responding to spoof/phishing email

Oh my, its certainly a vulnerable reason that your mistake would give the perpetrator more advances to your paypal account and thus something has to be done and insure your device is secure. To start by clearing your browser history: Clear your Safari browser history and set up content blockers on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support and hence a password & security question change basically as means to harden your device against hackers: Change your Apple ID password - Apple Support. All done and you should be alert of any changes based on expected behavior, security alerts designed by Apple to make sure your activities are well accounted.

Restore your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to factory settings - Apple Support

You can also factory reset directly on the phone. Tap Settings - General - Reset - Erase all contents and settings. Do NOT do this yet. Read the next paragraph first.

We don't know how you're phished. I'm 99% sure that your phone is fine. You don't need to factory reset the phone. I'm guessing it is a social engineering trick to get you to follow a link and sign in to spoofed or fake Paypal website. Hacking a device requires serious tech skills. Creating an phishing email is so much easier and doesn't require tech skills. Scammers choose easy way to trick users and as you've experienced it yourself... it works.

camille0822 wrote:

I gave out my bank account details. Paypal advised me to go to Apple and have my phone checked for any virus. The bank, for some reason, recommended that I back up my data and restore factory settings. I do not want to go to all the trouble if it's not necessary. Thanks very much for responding.

Paypal doesn't know much about iPhones. Unless your iPhone was jailbroken it doesn't have a virus. And there's no point in backing up them restoring; it would just put back whatever was on the phone. Your phone data is safe. If you gave out your Apple ID and password, or a password that is the same as your Apple password, change it immediately. See: If you think your Apple ID has been compromised - Apple Support

But if you didn't reveal your Apple ID you are safe.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to have 2 factor authentication on any important account, including Paypal and your Apple ID. See: Frequently asked questions about two-step verification for Apple ID - Apple Support and Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support. These are similar services, but each has advantages.

As I said earlier, your phone is fine. Your phone can't get infected that easy by just following a link. If you only gave them your bank account name, (ATM or Credit) card number, there is no way they can infect your phone with those information. Change your Apple ID password if you're worried.

How did you give it out to the scammers? By following a link to their website, by calling a phone number or something else? Tell us exactly what happens.

Just as I suspected on my first reply. If your phone is not jailbroken, I'm absolutely sure there is no need to factory reset it. Your phone is fine.