Apple ID Phishing Scams to Watch Out for in 2025

Michelle Wilson - November 27, 2021

Apple ID phishing is a significant problem for individuals, with advanced cyber attacks trying to embody social engineering tactics to steal user data. As phishing attempts continue to increase, it’s vital to get a solid understanding of what it is and how it impacts those with Apple IDs. Here are the top phishing scams to watch for in 2025 and avoid them.

Why are Scammers Interested in Your Apple ID?

Your Apple ID is the ticket to using anything Apple-related, granting access to large stores of personal information. Any photos or files stored on the Cloud are susceptible to theft, encouraging blackmail and extortion through hacking.

Types of Apple ID Phishing Scams

Apple ID Receipt Order Emails

Anyone with an Apple ID can purchase through iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, and the iBooks Store. Most of these phishing attempts will start with a subject line including “Receipt ID,” “Receipt Order,” or “Payment Statement.” The hope is to convince a user that a payment was made using your credit card. Users seeing these emails are likely to act quickly, worrying over card or account compromise. When opening an attached file, a website loads requesting personal details. These might include account login, credit card numbers, or address verification.

Apple will have all address details on file and never ask users to confirm their account. They also don’t ask for Social Security Numbers or email verification.

Apple ID Phone Call Scams

Unfortunately, Apple scams have gone beyond phishing emails and into illegal scam phone calls. Scammers will use a spoofed phone number, showing us an actual Apple number (complete with Apple logo, customer support number, and address). These details make it difficult to distinguish false calls from authentic ones. Remember, genuine Apple representatives won’t ask for iCloud credentials, Apple ID passwords, or other personal data on the account. When in doubt, hang up the call and contact Apple directly.

Apple ID Fake Text Message

Another phone tactic is the infamous text message. Most scam artists will contact users with a generic statement about account compromise. Likewise, cybercriminals might send a message about your iCloud status, hoping you click the link to reactivate the account. They subsequently send a link asking users to restore access through the form or a phone number to contact. When a user reaches the phone number listed, an agent will ask for credentials, payment information, or remote access to help you further.

Temporarily Disabled Apple ID Email

The blocked account text message, these emails will include an account compromise in hopes a user clicks the link to verify their account. These websites lead to malicious websites, most often trying to steal your data. The website will look almost identical to the authentic version, except for a few key differences. These websites often won’t have the same button functionality as the actual website and may include spelling or grammatical errors.

App Store Pop-Up Requesting Password

While this attempt isn’t yet functional, Apple ID phishing scams can occur in the application. This method includes a false sign-in request within the app, seemingly identical to the authentic version. This pop-up is likely successful as most Apple users need to enter their password when using an Apple app. Always hit the home button to confirm the application closes to verify authenticity. If it does, this was a phishing attack. If it remains, it’s a system dialog that isn’t part of an app.

Fake Calendar Invitation

These hacking attempts involve an invitation in Mail or Calendar that you didn’t make. Never accept these requests—report it as junk and delete the email. Occasionally, users may have subscribed to a SPAM calendar request, but it’s a simple fix for users.

The iPhone Gets Locked

Chances are if your phone is showing a locked status, you’ve likely fallen victim to an Apple ID phishing attempt. In this situation, hackers already have your Apple ID and have accessed all accounts connected with the user ID. The hacker can now report the phone as lost and activate the “Find My iPhone” capability. Most criminals will keep the phone locked until the individual pays a ransom to recover the data.

Spotting an Apple ID Phishing Scam

As technology continues to advance, so too do phishing attempts. Although it’s becoming challenging to identify phishing attempts, it’s not impossible. Here are a few known warning signs to watch out for:

Spelling and Grammatical Errors

Apple will never send out emails with spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Although phishing emails might imitate legitimate emails, there are notable differences in the email content. Some examples include “Please verfy” instead of “Please verify” or misusing verb tense “We have detect” instead of “We have detected.” Finally, Apple will always use American English for their emails. When in doubt, always look through previous emails from the company to look for similarities and differences.

Unprofessional Website or Email Design

Apple never requires users to give their Apple ID through email or messaging. Apple will only send out emails through appleid@id.apple.com. You may wind up on a random website page if you’ve clicked on a link through the email. Most of these sites have an unprofessional design, with errors throughout. Sometimes these pages are glaringly obvious, while others aren’t as noticeable. If you hover over the email sender and see a different address, it’s likely a phishing attempt.

Random Links or Shortened URLs

Apple doesn’t use shortened URLs or abbreviated links in its communication. Report them right away and delete them from your account if you see these.

Bizarre Email Attachments

While Apple may send you attachments periodically, it will never contain EXE, CMD, MSI, or JAR extensions. These files are encrypted, most often requiring passwords to access. They’re also likely to hide malware or viruses within them.

Urgent Action Required

How an email is written can say a lot about the company. Apple will never send you emails suggesting impending doom if you don’t act urgently. Always delete time-sensitive emails and visit the website directly. If there’s nothing there about your account, it was likely a phishing attempt.

General Greeting

Apple will always address you by the account holder’s name, never as a generic title. If you’re receiving an email with “Dear Customer,” it’s a scam and should be deleted immediately.

Confirm Your Purchase History

If you receive an email about an account purchase, log in to your Apple account directly. If you don’t find the transaction listed under your recent purchases, it was a phishing attempt. Apple invoices never contain hyperlinks.

Conclusion

Always stay informed when it comes to online security and new phishing attempts. While Apple is known for safety, it doesn’t stop cybercriminals from trying to gain access to your account. By staying aware of new phishing methods, you’ll lessen the chance of having your personal information compromised.