The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning that says scammers are calling people and using the names of two companies everyone knows, Apple and Amazon, to rip people off.
I can attest to this as I’ve received two calls saying that my iCloud account has been compromised. The caller ID said it was from “Apple,” but the number was a local number and the tech giant has no office in Nashville, TN (retail stores, yes, but no office).
The FTC says here’s what you need to know about these calls:
° In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says it’s Amazon. The message says there’s something wrong with your account. It could be a suspicious purchase, a lost package, or an order they can’t fulfill.
° In another twist on the scam, you get a recorded message that says there’s been suspicious activity in your Apple iCloud account. In fact, they say your account may have been breached.
In both scenarios, the scammers say you can conveniently press 1 to speak with someone (how nice of them!). Or they give you a phone number to call. Don’t do either. It’s a scam. They’re trying to steal your personal information, like your account password or your credit card number.
If you get an unexpected call or message about a problem with any of your accounts, hang up.
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Do not press 1 to speak with customer support
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Do not call a phone number they gave you
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Do not give out your personal information
The FTC says that if you think there may actually be a problem with one of your accounts, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real.
