Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart is warning of a sophisticated phone scam targeting Cook County residents.
In this scam, an unsolicited caller claiming to be from Apple Inc. states that there has been a security compromise to their device and/or iCloud account. The caller then directs the customer to provide their Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or additional personal information such as usernames, passwords and financial information. Phone numbers associated with this scam include: (800) 275-2273 and (703) 336-8450, additionally, the calls may come up on caller I.D. as Apple Customer Service or Apple Inc.
This is a known scam in which Apple is aware. The company has stated that Apple customer service representatives will never ask customers to provide information such as passwords or security keys via phone.
Sheriff Dart offers the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of this and/or other phone scams:
• If you receive a call similar to the above scam, hang up and call Apple Customer Service: (800) 692-7753.
• Never give personal information, such as social security or bank account numbers, over the phone.
• Be wary of any unsolicited call that asks you to take an action right away over the phone.
• The Federal Trade Commission offers additional tips for consumers, here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts
