Beware of the Apple Pay text scam

Fraudsters are targeting iPhone owners using a spoofing scam to gain access to personal details, known as phishing.

This scam text will inform the recipient that their Apple Pay account has been suspended and in order to re-activate it they need to follow the link sent.

Scammers will often use texts and emails like this to make you think you have to act fast just to get you to click on the link and submit your details.

Action Fraud advise that you never click on any links sent to you via text messages and always search the website and log in independently.

Signs of a scam text phishing attempt:

• You can see that the message does not come from a named sender, just a generic number. A legitimate company would not generally send you a message from an unknown number but it is worth remembering that a brands number and email address can be cloned – this is known as spoofing – so it is wise to be suspicious of any texts you receive with links or that ask you to take urgent action.
• You are called to action an urgent message. Following the link that has been sent can take you directly to a cloned website of the company they purport to be from. It is advised that you log into your Apple Pay account directly using the search browser to find the website.
• You are asked to hand over financial or personal details. Always be very cautious and check directly with the company in question before handing over any details. Again, log in online and see what action, if any, is needed.

If you receive any suspicious texts you can forward them on to a free text reporting service using the number 7726.