Against iMessage protection: New phishing scam to trick Apple users
Apple's Messages app deactivates links to make phishing more difficult. Fraudsters are therefore using a new tactic – in Germany too.
(Image: oasisamuel / Shutterstock.com)
Fraudsters are using a targeted method to try to circumvent the phishing protection in Apple's Messages app. Such phishing messages delivered via SMS or iMessage prompt the recipient to reply, such as "Please reply with Y" or "Reply with Stop to stop receiving further messages". If users respond, the phishing link in the original message can be tapped or clicked on, leading to the trap.
Links in messages from unknown senders deactivated
If unknown senders send an SMS or iMessage message with a link, the Apple app initially displays the URL purely as text. This means that it cannot simply be opened in the browser by tapping on it. Only when you reply or add the sender to your address book can you simply tap on the link.
This makes the work of fraudsters more difficult because they first have to get users to copy the message, extract the URL from it and then paste it into the browser and open it. This requires a lot of patience and workarounds on an iPhone, which many users are unlikely to master – and could also become suspicious.
Videos by heise
Scam is also being used in Germany
According to BleepingComputer, the scam has been increasingly common in the USA for several months. There, users are lured to phishing sites with supposed parcel deliveries or fines that supposedly have to be paid, where they are tricked into entering their address and bank details. There, requests to reply to text messages with abbreviations such as "Y" for "Yes" or "N" for "No" are still very common.
However, the technology is also being used in Germany, as the Mac & i editorial team was able to observe: An alleged problem with a parcel delivery serves as bait here. "The DHL parcel has arrived at the warehouse and cannot be delivered due to incomplete address details. Please confirm your address in the link within 12 hours," it says. Recipients of such a message should not respond, but can report it as "report spam" – with Apple and, in the case of a text message, also with some mobile phone providers.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(lbe)
