Nuisance Calls From Apple Inc

[REDCART]

For the last three days we’ve received at least six calls a day from “Apple Inc” stating that our iCloud account has been breached. According to an Internet search it’s a known spam call. First of all, Apple doesn’t have our phone number—to the best of my knowledge. Secondly I would expect Apple to send an email, which they do have. Has anyone else received similar phone calls?

[photo1902]

For the last three days we’ve received at least six calls a day from Apple Inc stating that our iCloud account has been breached. According to an Internet search it’s a known spam call. First of all, Apple doesn’t have our phone number—to the best of my knowledge. Secondly I would expect Apple to send an email, which they do have. Has anyone else received similar phone calls?

The title of your post is misleading. These are not legitimate calls, and they are not coming from Apple, Inc.

[dillywho]

For the last three days we’ve received at least six calls a day from Apple Inc stating that our iCloud account has been breached. According to an Internet search it’s a known spam call. First of all, Apple doesn’t have our phone number—to the best of my knowledge. Secondly I would expect Apple to send an email, which they do have. Has anyone else received similar phone calls?

Yes, all day yesterday, and they have already started today! Totally annoying and they ALWAYS leave a voicemail. I, for one, would like to know what it is going to take to stop all this? The methods in place apparently have no effect.:mad:

[REDCART]

The title of your post is misleading. These are not legitimate calls, and they are not coming from Apple, Inc.

No intention to demean Apple. However, that’s what my caller ID shows and the various phone number they use all belong to Apple. Yes I know they can spoof any number they want with caller ID. So please forgive my subject line but I believe it’s as accurate as it needs to be for this discussion.

[Taltarzac725]

Three yesterday along with one from the IRS telling us there are arrest warrants out and to call some 814 number.

It does not even sound like a real voice. More like a computer mimicking a human voice.

[Nucky]

Is it not anything good. Apple probably wouldn't call and not on Saturday. If your phoney phone calls are coming on a cell phone then in the Play Store on your phone download Mr. Number. It blocks a very high percentage of phone calls you don't want. If it is on a house phone I can't help you. Good Luck.

[Sparty6971]

Whoever is really doing the calling from the "Apple Inc" (no it's not really Apple) is getting to be a problem for MANY people in our area. I would recommend that anyone receiving any call from an Apple Inc to just ignore it and delete the call from your "recent" calls. Don't bother listening to the voice mail either -- just delete the voicemail. Same for any call you receive that you don't know for certain is from a friend of yours or from a company which you expect to be receiving due to something you did or asked them to do. The DO NOT CALL lists that you can sign up for -- both Federal and State -- are both useless for these calls as they are spoofed and are using valid phone numbers and names. I would love for technology to know the difference between a spoofed call and a real call but for now, the software just can't tell the difference. If someone knows of software that does know the difference and that we can install on our phones, let us all know.

[REDCART]

Is it not anything good. Apple probably wouldn't call and not on Saturday. If your phoney phone calls are coming on a cell phone then in the Play Store on your phone download Mr. Number. It blocks a very high percentage of phone calls you don't want. If it is on a house phone I can't help you. Good Luck.

Comcast has an option to block numbers but these numbers are all different. So it wouldn’t accomplish anything. I wonder how many people take the bait out of sheer frustration from the incessant calls.

[retiredguy123]

Yes, all day yesterday, and they have already started today! Totally annoying and they ALWAYS leave a voicemail. I, for one, would like to know what it is going to take to stop all this? The methods in place apparently have no effect.:mad:
It would be very easy to fix this, but the Government doesn't want to fix it. The Government agency that regulates phone servive providers should require them to include caller ID for all customers and to not allow their system to display a bogus number on the caller ID screen. This is a very simple fix. But, apparently, there are lobbyists for the phone providers who are preventing the Government from doing the right thing. So, phone providers are making a lot of money on telemarketers and you will continue to be inconvenienced. The same situation exists with all the junk mail in your mailbox which you are paying to have delivered.

[REDCART]

I just called my sister in TV to alert her to these bogus phone calls. I was too late. She had just hung up from an Apple Inc call. She said the caller had an Indian accent and also knew her last name. Pretty sophisticated operation.

[jojo]

I've had 3 of the Apple calls. And they left a messsge. Disgusting. I'm on Do not call and Nomorobo, Wondering how they are circumventing all of that.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

No intention to demean Apple. However, that’s what my caller ID shows and the various phone number they use all belong to Apple. Yes I know they can spoof any number they want with caller ID. So please forgive my subject line but I believe it’s as accurate as it needs to be for this discussion.

Maybe put Apple Inc in quotes.

Your (or any) phone system does not know who the number belongs to. It just displays the number and the name that is supplied vey the caller. It is very easy to spoof numbers and names for incoming calls. There are legitimate reasons for that.

Anyway, after the first call, can't your phone block future calls or are they using a direct call from number each time.

We just let them go to VM, then put them on a block list. Understand your frustration but there is not anything in place today to effectively prevent spam calls.

Don

[John_W]

I've had 3 of the Apple calls. And they left a messsge. Disgusting. I'm on Do not call and Nomorobo, Wondering how they are circumventing all of that.

They circumvent that because they are crooks. They are lying about who they are, what they are, where are, do you think they care about laws? There intent is to get your credit card number and run up a bunch of charges before you find out that you've been scammed. The federal phone laws are the least of their worries.

I have Century Link for a home phone and my service has call block. Unfortunately it will only hold 12 numbers, so whenever I enter a new number I've got to drop an older one out. That got old fast, so I went to Walmart and bought a Panasonic Cordless phone with 2 slave units, it has answering machine, caller ID, but best of all it can block up to 250 numbers. So when one of these numbers call back, it doesn't even ring.

[dotti105]

Just block the numbers that originate the calls.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Numerous times the last several days; caller ID shows "suspected spam" because of an app (ATT Call Protect) I installed on my iPhone.

It's from numerous numbers because every time I've gotten a call, I immediately block the number.

[REDCART]

The purpose of my original post earlier was to simply alert everyone of a new phone scam/spam. Hope that this was accomplished.

There are many seniors who might become unnecessarily alarmed by the message. The scammers must be aware of call blocking because they change their phone number. I suspect the crooks are constantly trying new messages because they’ve already invested in the robocall equipment and eventually they’ll recover their investment once they find the right bait.

[xkeowner]

I had six or eight calls yesterday and at least three today from "Apple Store" before they stopped, I hope. Reported each one to the Do Not Call Registry. I was a passenger coming back from dinner in Orlando last night when an call came through so I played along for a while. Agree with the Asian/British influence accent. Caller said my card was being used in Germany. I told the person I was in Thailand and the driver nearly had a wreck from laughing. They then asked if I had access to a computer. I said "no, the only reason I am even talking to you now is to keep you from talking to someone else. He immediately hung up and we laughed about the incident for the 15 minutes we had remaining on our trip.

[Carla B]

Yes, two "Apple" voice mails yesterday from Caller I.D. "Eunice Jibuike," at a 401 area code. It is disgusting, maybe we need a Million-Person walk on Washington D.C. to protest this abuse.

[starflyte1]

I get three calls each day from area code239, same as my cell #. If I block one number, they just use another #. I don't know how they get all the numbers. Gave up trying to block.

[salpal]

I kept getting these calls too. In Settings (on iphone) you can block all calls except those on your contact list. -- Go to Setttings then Do Not Disturb

[Marathon Man]

For about two months I was getting a daily call and message instructing me to call Kohl's customer service and a number to call. Of course I blocked the numbers as they happened, even though they we all different. Eventually, the calls stopped. Maybe because the blocking worked. Maybe because I got flagged as a non-target by the scammer. Don't know.

[Uberschaf]

More than likely Apple has been hacked.

[billethkid]

I just called my sister in TV to alert her to these bogus phone calls. I was too late. She had just hung up from an Apple Inc call. She said the caller had an Indian accent and also knew her last name. Pretty sophisticated operation.

Most name, address, phone number and a lot more info is publicly readily available.

[Quietman]

As you all know by now this is a scam. The scam involves getting your phone system from your present carrier and transferring you to their system as carrier - then they have access to your personal info. T-Mobile told us to not answer or hang-up and to call them so they can block the calls and also issue you an additional access code which denies a carrier switch to any other carrier. I would assume all the carriers would do the same for you.

[DReifinger]

Yes, it happened to me in the past, probably about six months ago. I called Apple several times just to verify my account was intact and it is, in fact, a scam.

[Petehoyt]

I called Apple Support directly. They stated, like the IRS, they would NEVER call!

[Rwirish]

Never have gotten a call.

[schultzcj13@comcast.net]

It’s probably a scam. A couple years ago, ‘Apple’ contacted me to help get something on my computer. I did pay $70 but I was lucky and got it bank. My bank didn’t recognize the charge and wouldn’t release the money.

[mrf6969]

Bottom line friends is to let your caller ID on your phone do it's job. If you do not recognize the caller then do not answer. If it is a friend or contact they will leave a message.
Why are we all so worked up about this issue??

[Annzani]

We have received 10 of these calls. We contacted Apple and they assured us it was a scam.

[deestatham]

I get these all the time via email! It's a scam so I just ignore it.

[GWWeber]

After years of receiving nuisance calls, I downloaded and installed an application named "BLACK LIST" for my Android cell phone. Reporting calls to police/sheriffs were to no avail. "BLACK LIST" won't stop the calls, but to log the telephone number in the application, your phone won't ring. At least it may give some peace of mind. All incoming calls will be logged, so be careful of which one's you BLOCK.

[Albrita]

This along with other spoof methods are skirting the law by emulating someone you, have in theory, done business with. Apple is a big one because many people have Apple something! If in fact you have a business relationship, I think those people can call you. I have been hit with regular call attempts where by the spoofer indicates the call is coming from the same area or area codes as your cell phone. I assume it entices some to respond. I have instructed friends and family to leave a message because I will not answer if not in my contacts list. If in your contacts, it will display, at least with T-Mobile. The ones that I have trouble with are Medicare insurance and places I do want communication but they call from numbers I do not recognize or not in contacts. However, now if they don't leave a message, they do not get called back. I am now to the point of limited answering and only call back on a valid voice mail. One common outfit is indicating an association with Marriot and I assume they are trying to get a credit card number. I spent nearly 3 minutes repeating "take me off your list" while the caller just kept dragging the call out. Finally said she would remove me from futer calls but I'll bet it is short term future! I does get old!

[willyjo]

Yes on Sat I was received a number of calls approx. 35 mins apart so I and each time they called the caller ID was different.

[Jersey Joe]

[QUOTE=REDCART;1524312]For the last three days we’ve received at least six calls a day from “Apple Inc” stating that our iCloud account has been breached. According to an Internet search it’s a known spam call. First of all, Apple doesn’t have our phone number—to the best of my knowledge. Secondly I would expect Apple to send an email, which they do have. Has anyone else received similar phone calls?

Yes, they called my home phone at least 3 times a day started last Wednesday. I just hank up this is a what I think as another Scam call.

[mitchbr47]

If you have an iPhone consider an app called True Caller to block SPAM calls. Just search for it in the App Store.

[su2009]

I, too, found that these calls falsely claiming to be from "Apple" used too many different numbers to block and yet did not stop coming, and they would sometimes leave ten or more annoying voicemails a day.
I've successfully stopped those calls and similar ones forever with this technique: Answer and wait until the voice starts with the threats, false claims, or whatever, or if you answer and it's a recording with an instruction to press "1," go ahead and press "1" and wait for a person to speak.
Say nothing in response to their voice, ever. Instead, hold the receiver, portable phone, or cell phone next to whatever you are near that makes the loudest, most obnoxious noise you can produce. I usually repeatedly bang two metal pans together for a few minutes next to the mouthpiece until the caller hangs up, but I've also held the phone next to the garbage disposal while running food scraps through, and put the phone on a granite counter top while banging a pan on the adjacent granite over and over.
That's all it takes. After the first call when you say nothing but instead produce a horrible noise next to the mouthpiece, they will take your number off their calling list.
I suppose you could also blow a whistle into the mouthpiece, but I want to stop their calls, not damage their hearing - the caller might later turn over a new leaf and start doing good things instead.