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Release Date: April 6, 2018
Media Contact:
Jerad Albracht, Senior Communications Specialist, 608-224-5007 or
Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020
MADISON – A number of Wisconsin residents are reporting telephone calls that falsely claim to be from Apple Inc. The robocalls claim there is a problem with the recipients’ iCloud or Apple ID accounts.
These are tech support scam calls. If you receive a similar telephone call, hang up immediately and do not press any keys to “speak to a representative” or to “end the call.”
In many instances, consumers have reported that the caller ID information has been spoofed to make it appear as if the call is coming from the Apple Store at the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa. In at least one other instance, the number provided was that of an Apple Store in Los Angeles.
Reports made to DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline provide two call scenarios:
One consumer pressed a button during a robocall in order to speak with a representative. A “support rep” came on the line and asked about the number and types of computers she owns. She granted this scammer remote access to her computer. Over the course of more than two hours, the “support rep” asked her about her online shopping habits and requested $100 iTunes gift cards from Walgreens or Target in order to “fix” each of her three Apple devices (one gift card per device).
In another incident, a consumer received a live call from a scammer claiming to be with Apple support. The caller claimed that the consumer’s Apple ID was being used overseas and warned that the consumer would not be able to shop online or use his passport until the issue was resolved. The caller asked the consumer to run a Google search in order to reach an online support website (that would likely have allowed the caller to gain remote access to the consumer’s computer).
To read more about imposter scams, review DATCP’s
imposter scams fact sheet.
For additional information on consumer protection issues, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at
http://datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to
datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.
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www.facebook.com/wiconsumer or Twitter:
@wiconsumer.
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