Recognize and avoid “Apple Support” scams

This post has been modified to reflect new information since its original publication.

Recently, we’ve become aware of a group of scammers who claim to be from Apple Support and try to trick people into buying gift cards or sending them money, supposedly in order to pay for our services.

ReputationDefender does NOT have any affiliation with Apple. If someone calls or emails you, claiming to be from Apple and telling you that you need ReputationDefender services, DO NOT give them your financial information.

Instead, please report the incident to us by emailing support@reputationdefender.com.

How the scam works

Typically, the scammer will call you and claim that you have been the victim of a hack. They will then claim that you need ReputationDefender services in order to solve the hack, showing you one of our landing pages in the process.

The scammers will then either ask you to purchase gift cards, send them money, or give them remote access to your computer so that they can “fix” the situation. If they are allowed remote access, they will then try to log into your financial accounts and withdraw money from your bank account.

How to avoid this scam and others

There are a few simple pointers you can use to avoid falling victim to this type of scam:

• Never give out your username and password. If you are asked for this information, it is almost always a scam.
• Never provide financial information, such as credit card numbers, unless you are absolutely sure that the individual you are taking to is legitimate.
• If possible, use two-factor authentication on your online accounts, including your Apple account and those of your financial institutions.
• Check the sender email address to make sure it is from the right domain. Sometimes scammers will use email addresses like applesupport@gmail.com. If the email comes from Apple, it should end in “@apple.com.”
• Do not click on clicks or attachments in suspicious emails.
• If you are unsure of the veracity of an email or phone call claiming to be from ReputationDefender, go to our website and call the number on the contact page. We can then confirm for you.

If you have any other questions or concerns about potential scams that claim to be from ReputationDefender, please feel free to contact us at support@reputationdefender.com.