Vulnerable older people are being targeted by a scam that tricks them into purchasing iTunes gift cards in order to pay fabricated bills or fix nonexistent problems with accounts. The gift card serial codes are then given to the fraudster over the phone and used to buy expensive products or sold on to others. “An elderly lady presented herself at the customer service desk seeking to purchase a large amount of iTunes gift cards,” the Garda circular explained. The formula of the con, it said, involved a victim receiving a call “instilling panic and urgency to make a payment” by purchasing the gift cards from the nearest retailer that sells them. Apple has urged those with gift cards not to share their codes with strangers.

Source: The Irish Times February 01, 2018 21:22 UTC