Free iPhone 12 scam spreading through SMS

Yash Aryan

September 23, 2020

iPhone 12 is releasing in October, and it has provided scammers an opportunity to fill up their pockets. According to Sophos, the SMS reads: "Dear Christopher, we have your packet in queue. Address: Londonderry, Ballynagard crescent" along with a link. The SMS is meant to look like it has been accidentally sent to the wrong number so that curious people click on the link. Clicking the link triggers a chain of interaction with a supposed "Apple chatbot." The first messages you see are about you being chosen to participate in an iPhone 12 trial and invites you to join the program. The messages culminate with a link that reads www.apple.co.uk/2020/promo, which takes you to the browser. At first, you are asked basic questions about yourself to "verify" if you are a part of the official Apple pre-release trial group, for which anyone can qualify, no matter what combination of details you enter. After you enter all the details, you are asked on another legitimate-looking URL that takes you to a survey page. The page asks questions like "do you own any Apple products?" and similar questions. After six survey questions, the scam site tells you, "Congratulations! You qualify for a test group!" and asks you to confirm your info email address, following which, you are asked to enter payment details for "courier delivery charge," typically between £1 and £2. The payment portal looks legit with an HTTPS security padlock and a believable name. You end up paying a modest delivery charge, but you also give up your credit card and personal details to the scammers. Researchers pointed out that the scam is convincing enough to fool less security-minded users.

Abridged fromThreatpost