Chinese iPhone users targeted by hackers in game purchase scam
Accounts may have been compromised by fake easy pay codes but not everyone gets a refund
Some Chinese iPhone users are complaining their Apple accounts have been hijacked to make unauthorised purchases in the company’s App Store, causing the losses running to thousands of US dollars.
Most of the unauthorised purchases were made on game apps in China, according to a report by state broadcaster China National Radio (CNR).
People began reporting the scams last month, claiming their Apple IDs had been hacked to buy expensive game apps using their credit cards or e-wallets linked to Apple accounts. Many said they did not receive refunds or were only partially refunded.
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A man surnamed Zhang in the southeast China province of Anhui said his Apple ID was used to buy several games from the App Store without his permission last Monday, resulting in a bill of more than 3,000 yuan (US$432).
“I have never heard of these games,” he told CNR.
Zhang received a refund after calling Apple’s support line and complaining to customer service, but other victims were less lucky, when the company rejected their claims.
