Scammers Use Fake Apple and Amazon Alerts to Trick Users

Scammers are impersonating Apple and Amazon support to trick users into revealing sensitive information. The fake alerts claim that an unauthorized charge has been made on the user's account, and that they need to verify their credentials to prevent further fraudulent activity.

The scam starts with a browser pop-up that appears on top of Apple's or Amazon's website. The alert states that the user's account was recently used to make a $149.99 purchase, and provides a support number for the user to call immediately.

If you receive one of these fake alerts, do not panic and do not act impulsively. Log into your account directly by going to the website or app, and check your message history or activity log to confirm whether the alert is real.

Naturally, this is just a ruse designed to gain access to your device or accounts, which will do far more damage than the fake alert itself. Calling a number from a browser pop-up is not the way to dispute fraudulent charges - you're far more likely to deal with your bank or credit card issuer directly.