Apple Scam Costs Mission Viejo Residents Thousands

MISSION VIEJO, CA —A call on your iPhone from Apple Inc. is the first sign that something is amiss, Orange County Sheriff's Department reported in a public service message. For our elderly population, it can cost dearly. Recently, multiple citizens have reported receiving calls from 1800MYAPPLE, where a voice on the other end of the line says your account is compromised.

The "spoof" phone numbers make the caller ID appear legitimate, that adds a layer of complexity to the scam.

"An 87-year-old Mission Viejo Man believed the caller, and followed the instructions," OCSD Lt. Quyen Vuong reported. He followed the instructions, allowing the caller to "fix the issue."

The caller instructed the victim to log onto their computer, and go to a website known as "fastsupport.com" and create an account, allowing the "support" person to fix the alleged error remotely. Payment, as with many scams, was requested in the way of high-dollar gift cards.

The victim, in this case, purchased $12,000 worth of gift cards, then gave the caller the passcodes for each one.

Though the scammers promised they would refund his money within hours, that never happened, according to Vuong. At last, the victim called Apple to question the events and learned he had been scammed.

Another victim, this time, a 62-year-old woman, was assisted by a bank teller at Schools First Credit Union.

"The teller believed her customer, who was attempting to withdraw $10,000, was being scammed by someone from "Apple Care," he said. "She had been told to purchase GameStop gift cards to retrieve missing data from her iTunes account."

Unfortunately, by the time she hung up, she had already paid the caller over $5,000.

"We appreciate the bank teller for caring about their customer," Vuong said. "Please take the time to speak to your elderly friends and family about these scams" and ensure it doesn't happen to them.

Similar scams have occurred with Microsoft, according to nearby residents.

Never share personal information, such as social security numbers, driver's license numbers, or purchase gift cards for someone claiming to help you, the sheriff's department has advised. And, most importantly, when in doubt if you're being scammed? Hang up, and call the company directly.