An iOS scam designed to cheat people out of money is being reported by users in both the United States and the U.K.
A number of iPhone and iPad users have received pop-up notifications on their devices informing them that iOS has crashed, that their personal data is being stolen by a third party, and that the only way to solve the problem is (surprise!) to pay between $19 and $80 for a fix.
Sounds legit. Where do we send our money?
The pop-up notification appears while people are using Safari. It reads: “Warning!! iOS Crash Report!!. Due to a third party application in your device, iOS is crashed. Contact Support for Immediate Fix.” That’s followed by a phone number, which is supposedly run by a group called “iOS Support,” claiming to be a “security provider” for Apple.
The scam was first reported in the United States late last year, although it seems to be making a comeback now. It is reminiscent of a similar scam in which Russian hackers locked people’s Apple devices and charged money to get them reactivated.
Fortunately, in the case of the “iOS Crash Report” scam, there is a simple solution users can follow to resolve the problem:
- Set your device to Airplane Mode.
- Delete your Safari data by going to Settings, then Safari, then Clear History and Website Data.
- Open Safari and exit Airplane Mode.
Via: The Telegraph
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
24 responses to “How to avoid fake iOS crash scam that wants to steal your cash”
There’s also a newish scam where a VPN warning will come up telling the user their iphone is being compromised and needs to have a VPN client installed immediately by installing an unnamed and unsigned certificate or else.
Sadly, there are some who will fall for this crap. Apple needs to address this nonsense asap.
This is a lie. iPhones don’t have bugs or malware
This scam is “social engineering”. The user is “tricked” into doing something that they shouldn’t. Apple can try to protect users from themselves but it’s impossible to cover everything.
Nice try, Apple has never claimed that there are NO bugs or malware, it’s just extremely rare due to their walled garden approach. The number of viruses and malware running wild on other platforms is absolutely massive by comparison.
Sarcasm bro. Sarcasm. And iOS users claim no bugs or malware
the difference between iOS and android bugs, is that iOS bugs get fixed. apple loves updating phones like the 4 and the 4s that are more then 4 years old. android bugs just sit there and wait for you to buy a new device, or for your cellular carrier to eventually allow your phone manufacturer to come out with a patch.
I wasn’t aware that the text messaging bug was fixed. I wasn’t even aware that they stated they were working on a fix. What about the bug that allows people to steal your info in iOS and OSX? I didn’t know that was fixed also. The actual difference between iOS and Android is that if Android needed a patch, we get updates every 6 weeks (the 90+ % of all Android users) while iOS users are forced to wait for an update, whenever Apple decides to address the matter.
Title couldn’t be more misleading. Not one mention of how to avoid the scam.
Didn’t read the bottom, did you?
“Fortunately, in the case of the “iOS Crash Report” scam, there is a simple solution users can follow to resolve the problem:
Set your device to Airplane Mode.
Delete your Safari data by going to Settings, then Safari, then Clear History and Website Data.
Open Safari and exit Airplane Mode.”
It’s just a popup that you have to monkey with Safari and your internet connection to make it go away.
A little shy on intelligence aren’t you?
There’s is quite a difference between avoiding, and following steps “to resolve the problem.” If you avoid something, you don’t need to do anything to resolve a problem, because it was, um, avoided.
How to avoid would include things like:
Keep your phone inside a lead box.
Keep your phone turned off.
But I was curious to see what the author was recommending to avoid it because I can’t find my lead box.
THis sort of crap cannot BE avoided. I am the most casual user of internet things, and i have had more than my share of malicious things happen. Hackers steal websites, they create this stuff, and seriously- unless everyone wants to find the home addresses of these people and break their arms off, it’s going to continue.
So, you are starting to understand my first point… good for you. The title promises a way to avoid it, but then doesn’t provide a way to avoid it.
Are you really that stupid? He provides a way to avoid paying the scammers and continue what you are doing. Try using your brain, moron.
You fail. The way to avoid being scammed is to not call the number. Period. End of story.
What the author provides is a way to close the popup.
Practice more logical thinking, and less trollish name calling.
“close the popup”
Thus, avoiding the scam. Thank you for disproving your own moronic point.
It’s only disproved in your rattled unthinking brain.
In clear simple terms, the important part of the article should have been:
1) To avoid being scammed: Do not call the number.
2) And by the way, to close the popup, set your device to Airplane Mode, delete your Safari data by going to Settings, then Safari, then Clear History and Website Data. Open Safari and exit Airplane Mode.
Nope, you’re still the idiotic troll. Thanks proving everything I’ve said.
So, how do we avoid this scam, and what web address leads to it?
You should actually read the article before making stupid comments:
“-Set your device to Airplane Mode.
-Delete your Safari data by going to Settings, then Safari, then Clear History and Website Data.
-Open Safari and exit Airplane Mode.”
I said “avoid”, not “clean up”.
Yep, and doing this avoids the scam.
Wow you people are dumb. Try using your brain.
You say this, whereas you seem to be the only one for whom I need to be more specific. OK, here goes then:
How to prevent getting that fake warning?
Unless you have some magic link to the hive mind of all hackers who do these things, an article isn’t going to tell you which website is hacked today. Wow you’re an idiot. Only you and one other person here are dumb enough to ask that question. Go back to cultofandroid, dum dum.
Another way around this is to hit your home button and go to settings. Turn off Javascript, go back into Safari and close the tab that has that pop up open.
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