CNET is warning about a phishing scam in which the bad guys are sending emails that are fake billing error notices from Apple.
CNET reports that unlike other Apple phishing scams, in this scam the bad guys have created a reasonably convincing fake. The grammar and spelling are correct and the message is formatted to look like a real Apple message. The email address that is displayed looks like it could be from Apple — “appleid@id.apple.com.” However, it isn’t real. Following the links will land at a fake Apple website that also looks pretty convincing. The fake Apple website requests your Apple ID and password. It then prompts you to update your personal data, including your credit card information. DON”T DO IT!
CNET provides useful advice on detecting the scam. CNET explains how to unwind URLs and then how to compare the fake URLs to real Apple URLs.
To this advice, we add that you should use the latest version of a reputable security product (such as the products of Trend Micro) and install all the security patches for your operating system and applications. You should be careful. But you need to do more. You need a product that will identify legitimate emails from many of the leading consumer brands. Distinguishing real email from fake email is hard. Being conversant with all the real URL’s is impossible. You need a tool to identify real email. You need eMail ID from Iconix.
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