Apple device users are being targeted by scam messages, including alarming pop-ups on iPhones, according to Which?. These messages, which may claim issues such as a 72% compromised iOS system and imminent data loss, are designed to appear genuine.
Faye Lipson, a senior researcher at Which?, states that these are often not real pop-ups but adverts appearing when using certain apps or websites. Variations of these scams, which also target Mac users, have been circulating for years, with a recent increase in reports to the Which? Scam Sharer tool.
Clicking on these scam messages typically prompts users to enter their Apple ID login details. Providing this information could allow cybercriminals to take over Apple devices, lock users out, and access payment information.
Which? advises that if users suspect they have been hacked or receive a warning claiming to be from Apple, they should not trust any links or contact details within the message. Instead, users should go directly to support.apple.com via their browser's address bar to secure their account. Users might also consider uninstalling apps that display such scam adverts.