Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has warned of the spread of organized fraudulent campaigns targeting consumers looking to purchase the new iPhone Duo from Apple. These campaigns rely on creating fake websites that mimic the official visual design of Apple with high precision, with the aim of luring victims and stealing their personal data.
Fraud mechanism: Exploiting "false urgency"
Security reports explained that scammers use sophisticated psychological tactics to complete their operations; these fake sites promote fake discounts of up to 25% and use countdown timers (such as a 30-minute timer) to create a false sense of urgency, prompting users to make hasty purchasing decisions without verifying the credibility of the site.
Among the methods used in these attacks is not asking the user for credit card details in the first stage, but rather only requesting contact information and shipping address, claiming that a company employee will contact the customer later to confirm payment details. This method aims to build false trust with the victim before starting the process of withdrawing money or stealing sensitive data.
Geographic and linguistic expansion
These attacks are not limited to English speakers only; Kaspersky has detected models of multilingual websites that allow users to choose their preferred language and specify the currency they prefer to pay in. These sites also claim that they will redirect the user to the official Apple website upon completing the process, a false claim used to mislead victims.
Why does this type of fraud succeed?
According to Olga Altukhova, a web content analysis expert at Kaspersky, scammers exploit the "hype" surrounding the launch of flagship devices. She pointed out that users of luxury devices represent a valuable target due to their willingness to spend large sums, making them more susceptible to sharing their personal data under the pressure of attractive offers.
Kaspersky emphasizes the need to exercise extreme caution when dealing with any unofficial discounts or pre-order offers that do not go through Apple's official authorized channels.