Let’s talk about what happened Recently popped up in your inbox — Those sneaky “Your Apple ID has been disabled” emails.

Like many people who contact us, you may have received a fairly legitimate-looking message that reads: “Your Apple ID has been temporarily disabled. Please verify your Apple ID Apple ID information“.

Spoiler alert: This is most likely a scam, and we’ll break down why.

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Apple ID scam emails. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutson)

Anatomy of a Scam

Well, this is how these scammers operate. You receive a perfectly legitimate-looking email, with the Apple logo and a sense of urgency, claiming that you’re in trouble with your Apple ID. They’ll say, “If you don’t verify your account within 48 hours, it will be locked permanently.” Oops, right? That’s exactly what they want you to think. Therefore, you will “Click the button below to verify as soon as possible”. Where they want you to click “Go to Apple ID”.

Once you do that, you’ll be directed to a fake Apple website with a design that looks almost identical to the real one. The fraudulent website prompts you to enter your username, password, and other sensitive information, which the scammer can then use to gain access to your Apple account and potentially Steal your personal data or make unauthorized purchases.

Apple ID scam emails. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutson)

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Let’s play detective and look at some of the red flags in these scam emails

Emergency language: They try to scare you into taking action without thinking. Classic con man move.

Vague claim: “Missing or invalid information”? Deliberately unclear to make you doubt yourself.

Threat of work stoppage: Nothing gets your heart racing faster than a threat, right?

Terms of Service: They make it sound official, but it’s just smoke and mirrors.

Syntax error: Real Apple email is polished. fraud? Not so much.

Suspicious sender address:Always check if it’s actually from @apple.com (spoiler: it’s probably not). Any legitimate email from Apple will come from a domain ending in “@email.apple.com”. As you can see from the scam email below, it comes from the fake email: [email protected], not Apple.

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Apple ID scam emails. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutson)

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Why would scammers target your Apple ID?

You might be thinking, “Why are these scammers so obsessed with Apple IDs?” Well, there are a few reasons:

• iCloud Gold Mine: Your photos, contacts and documents are valuable to identity theft or blackmail.
• Shopping spree potential: Stored payment information means they can go on a spending spree with your money.
• Financial Account Access: Many people link their bank accounts to their Apple IDs. Jackpot for hackers.
• Dark web data trading: There’s a lot of money to be made from your personal information in shady online markets.

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How to keep these scammers away

To stop scammers and protect your Apple ID, follow these comprehensive steps:

1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): This important security feature adds an extra layer of protection to your Apple ID. Set it up via: set up > (your name) > Login and security on your iPhone or iPad, or apple menu> System settings > (your name) > Login and security on your Mac.

2. Use strong passwords: Choose an alphanumeric password instead of a simple PIN. In public, use biometrics (Face ID or Touch ID) and be careful when entering your password.

3. Enable stolen device protection: If you are using iOS 17.3 or higher, please turn on This function for extra security against theft.

4. Keep your software updated: often Update your operating system and apps to ensure you have the latest security patches.

5. Do not click on suspicious links and use powerful anti-virus software: If an email asks you to click a link, don’t click it immediately. Hover over the link to see the actual URL. If it doesn’t look like the official Apple website (or any website you trust), don’t click on it.

The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the 2025 winners of the best antivirus protection for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

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6. Use a password manager: Use the following methods to generate and store strong, unique passwords for all your accounts Password manager.

7. Enable Find My: Open Find my iPhone Help locate your device if it is lost or stolen.

8. Use of personal data deletion services: Consider using a service that locates and deletes your personal information from data broker sites. These services can help reduce your digital footprint, making it harder for scammers to obtain your data to target you. Look for a service that can automatically delete data from hundreds of data aggregators and provide detailed deletion verification.

While no service promises to delete all of your data from the internet, having a deletion service is great if you want to continuously monitor and automate the process of continuously deleting information from hundreds of sites over an extended period of time. Check out my preferred data removal services here.

9. Don’t click on suspicious links: If an email asks you to click a link, don’t click it immediately. Hover over the link to see the actual URL. If it doesn’t look like the official Apple website (or any website you trust), don’t click on it.

The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the 2025 winners of the best antivirus protection for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

Apple ID scam emails. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutson)

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How Apple actually reached out to help

Apple will never ask you for your password or threaten to lock your account via email. If there is indeed a problem, you will usually receive a notification on your trusted device or be asked to log in directly to your Apple ID account page. Remember, Apple will never ask for your password via email, phone call, or text message. Please always access your account through the official Apple website or app.

Kurt’s key takeaways

These scammers are getting more sophisticated, but with a little know-how and caution, you can keep your Apple ID (and all the goodies associated with it) safe and sound. Remember, if something feels fishy, ​​trust your instincts. If you have any questions, please visit Apple’s official website directly or call their support team. Keep your digital life safe and don’t let scammers steal from your Apple.

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