Fake iPhone Duo sales: Buyers warned of online scams

Cybersecurity company Kaspersky has warned consumers against fraudulent websites offering fake discounts and preorder deals for Apple’s new iPhone Duo, cautioning that scammers are attempting to steal personal and financial information from potential buyers.

In a statement issued today (23), Kaspersky said its researchers had detected several scam campaigns targeting consumers in different parts of the world, coinciding with the official launch of Apple’s first foldable smartphone.

According to Kaspersky, one fraudulent English-language website advertised a 25% discount on the device, using a design similar to Apple’s official website to mislead customers.

The website also displayed a countdown timer claiming that the offer would expire within 30 minutes, creating a false sense of urgency to encourage purchases.

At checkout, customers were asked to provide their contact details and delivery addresses, while being informed that a representative would contact them later to confirm payment and delivery arrangements.

Kaspersky warned that such methods could be used to obtain further personal and financial information, potentially resulting in financial losses.

The cybersecurity company also identified fraudulent multilingual websites offering fake preorders, allowing customers to select their preferred language and payment currency.

Some websites falsely suggested that customers would be redirected to Apple’s official website to complete their purchases.

Meanwhile, another scam targeting Portuguese-speaking consumers attempted to obtain WhatsApp-linked phone numbers and email addresses under the pretext of checking product availability.

Kaspersky warned that this information could subsequently be used for further fraudulent activities and social engineering attacks.

Commenting on the findings, Kaspersky Senior Web Content Analyst Olga Altukhova said scammers often exploit the excitement surrounding major product launches to pressure consumers into making quick decisions without verifying the authenticity of offers.

She cautioned that unofficial discounts, preorder opportunities and product availability checks should be treated as potential warning signs of fraud.

Kaspersky has advised consumers to purchase devices only through official or reputable retailers and carefully verify website addresses before providing personal information.

The company also recommended using reliable security software, secure payment methods, password managers and multi-factor authentication to protect financial and personal information.

Consumers were further advised to regularly monitor their bank accounts and financial statements for unauthorised transactions. (Newswire)

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