iTunes Voucher Codes Hacked
9:45 am, March 11th, 2009, Nicole Martinelli
At China’s biggest online shopping site, Taobao, $200USD iTunes gift cards are on sale for a fraction of their value, some as low as $2.6 USD.
Outdustry broke the story, interviewing the owner of the site where hundreds of iTunes gift cards are on offer in varying amounts, from $25-200.
“The seller just sells the gift voucher code which they send you directly through Taobao’s IM software. You then redeem the card in your iTunes account.
Once successfully redeemed you then click ‘confirm’ and Alipay transfers your 18 RMB to the seller and you are free to start downloading.
The owner of the Taobao shop told Outdustry the gift card codes are created using key-generators. He also said that he paid money to use the hackers’ service.”
The hacked cards have been on sale for about six months, the price has been driven down due to competition but a growing market have kept the false iTune cards lucrative.
Prices do seem to vary widely, when we checked there were $200 cards were going for about $15USD.
Via slashdot
Posted by Nicole Martinelli in iTunes | Comment on this article
I don’t believe it. There are so many things wrong with this story.
First, if you’re generating codes, why generate anything other than the $200 codes? The taobao store has $50 and $100 “cards” as well.
Second, Apple just doesn’t seem stupid enough to sell what amounts to serial numbers as cash. I could easily go into my local grocery store and walk out with dozens of iTunes gift cards. I’m sure these things have to be activated. If not, my grocery store loves throwing away money, because there are at least 200 of these $25 giftcards hanging from pegs out in the open free for the taking.
Third, if Chinese “hackers” can figure this out, so can a lot of other people. The problem would be a lot more widespread than one online store in China.
My feeling is these aren’t forged codes at all, but cards purchased with stolen credit cards. If you have no qualms about buying forged codes you should at least be concerned that they may be codes bought with stolen credit cards. Apple and the credit card company are going to come after YOU when the fraud is reported.
nak, on March 11th, 2009 at 11:19 am
US$15 is still way cheaper than the $35-and-such ones I’ve seen on sites like iOffer. I did a related story recently before the reputed cracking but related to money laundering and such, “Inside the shady world of cheap iTunes gift cards” @ http://www.wisebread.com/inside-the-shady-world-of-cheap-itunes-gift-cards
Torley, on March 11th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I think you are wrong, Nak. if they are using stolen credit cards, after 6 months they will have a lot of cops on his asses. also they could have a better business buying something better that this and selling then. I don’t know how they do that, but most likely they are using a generator, like the post says. and when Apple change the algorithm, this business will be over until they find the new generator.
SoaringEagleCasinomtpleasantmi, on March 11th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Nak, if you check the link to Taobao you’ll see that the gift cards are offered in varying amounts, $25, $50, $100. The bigger news, in my mind at least, was the higher value ones being offered for such little money — but took your point to heart and updated the story to show that they are being sold in other amounts…
FWIW, Outdustry, the outlet that broke the story, says taobao told them the codes are made with key generators…
Nicole Martinelli, on March 12th, 2009 at 1:39 am