The global buzz around Apple’s new iPhone 17 has created fertile ground for cybercriminals. Security firm Kaspersky says it has detected a surge of scams that mimic Apple promotions to harvest users’ money and personal data.
One of the most common tactics: polished fake websites that look like Apple’s online store. They tout “exclusive preorders” or “limited stock” deals but funnel customers into checkout pages that grab their bank card details instead of sending a phone.
Other ruses include bogus lotteries promising free iPhones in exchange for surveys, “service fees” and personal details. Fraudsters even prop up these pages with fake testimonials to make the wins look real.
Tech fans are also being targeted through sham “tester recruitment” campaigns, where applicants hand over contact information, addresses and delivery fees — only to end up bombarded with spam and phishing attempts, with no device ever arriving.
“Cybercriminals thrive on the excitement of major product launches, turning consumer enthusiasm into a gateway for data breaches,” said Tatyana Shcherbakova, Web Content Analyst at Kaspersky. “We’ve seen these tactics evolve from crude phishing to highly polished sites that can look authentic.”
Kaspersky advises consumers to buy only from official channels, double-check website URLs, steer clear of unsolicited offers, avoid giving away sensitive information for “freebies” and enable multi-factor authentication to protect accounts.
