Andrey Biychuk, product director at MTS «Zashchitnik,» revealed a new tactic by fraudsters who, posing as employers, gain access to iPhone users` iCloud accounts.
A sophisticated new scam is targeting iPhone owners: cybercriminals are impersonating potential employers and inviting victims to online job interviews. Following a seemingly successful «interview,» the scammers instruct the applicant to log into a «corporate» iCloud account, ostensibly to test applications or gain access to internal tools, providing fake login credentials.
Andrey Biychuk, from MTS «Zashchitnik,» explained that if a user enters these details, the fraudsters immediately change the password and lock the user out of their own account. They then proceed to blackmail the victim, threatening to completely block or disable the device unless a ransom is paid. Biychuk strongly emphasizes that paying money is pointless, as it only encourages further extortion and potentially escalating demands.
Expert Recommendations for Protection
To regain control of the device and protect personal data, the cybersecurity expert recommends the following crucial steps:
- Immediately restore iCloud access through the official Apple website or by contacting Apple customer support directly.
- Temporarily block all bank cards linked to the device and your Apple ID to prevent unauthorized transactions.
- Report the incident to the police as soon as possible, providing all available details of the scam.
- After successfully restoring access, perform a full factory reset of the device and restore data from a reliable, recent backup to ensure all malicious software or settings are removed.
- Crucially, change all passwords used on the device and in associated services (Apple ID, email, banking apps, etc.).
This warning comes amidst other reports of evolving scam tactics, including fraudsters impersonating government officials to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
