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iPhone Phishing Scam Involving Control Center Settings?

My mother-in-law was called by one of the scammers who spoofs the Apple tech support number. She wasn't aware of the scam and believed the call was official when caller ID showed Apple's contact information, so she took the call. The caller followed the usual script: there's been a security breach, we think your account has been affected, do you know anyone in Ohio who has accessed your accounts, etc... He then asked if she had a computer or iPad available (I believe this is the part when they generally ask for accounts/passwords), and when she said that she did not, he gave her step-by-step instructions for activating "Access Within Apps" on the Control Center on her phone (Settings>Control Center>Access Within Apps).


The caller had not yet asked about accounts, usernames, passwords, or even her name, so unless there is some weird Control Center vulnerability of which I am unaware, this sounds like a last-minute bailout to me. Has anyone heard of something similar? I don't think she's at risk, but I would rather be safe than sorry. She knows not to answer the phone when this inevitably happens again...


Thanks.

iPhone 8

Posted on Aug 7, 2019 2:35 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 7, 2019 3:31 PM

That setting can be enabled or disabled at will - it offers the calling nothing at all so there is no risk from that. All that setting does is make control center available with a swipe while using an app, or not.


If she did not give out her AppleID, no passwords, SSN or any other personal information, she is fine.


Just an inept scammer and a justly cautious mother-in-law! Just make sure she knows Apple will never call her out of the blue. They would only call her if she had contacted Apple support and they were following up on her initial contact.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 7, 2019 3:31 PM in response to PMPauley

That setting can be enabled or disabled at will - it offers the calling nothing at all so there is no risk from that. All that setting does is make control center available with a swipe while using an app, or not.


If she did not give out her AppleID, no passwords, SSN or any other personal information, she is fine.


Just an inept scammer and a justly cautious mother-in-law! Just make sure she knows Apple will never call her out of the blue. They would only call her if she had contacted Apple support and they were following up on her initial contact.

iPhone Phishing Scam Involving Control Center Settings?

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