Apple News
Fraudsters are using iCloud phishing to steal iOS devices
A mobile security company has found that many ne’er-do-wells are essentially trapping users into unlocking stolen iPhones. Here’s what to look out for.
Mobile security company TrendMicro’s research team published a blog post last week detailing findings they’ve uncovered regarding the theft of iOS devices. In their investigation, they found an alarming intersection of physical crimes and online scams: fraudsters are using phishing techniques to unlock the iPhones they’ve stolen.
According to TrendMicro, this is a worldwide phenomenon, with individuals from Ireland and the U.K. to India, Argentina, and the U.S. being targeted. The global market for stolen iPhones is vast and, as the company notes, profitable:
Last year, stolen iPhones were sold in Eastern European countries for as much as $2,100. In the U.S. 23,000 iPhones from the Miami International Airport, valued at $6.7 million, were stolen last year.
Essentially, once an iPhone is stolen, the thieves will spoof an email …