Gurugram Fake Apple Call Centre Targeted US Seniors: How They Were Scammed Of Up To $20,000

A message warning that an iPhone has a security or technical problem can make users act with panic, especially when it appears to come from a familiar brand, such as Apple. In a recent case, these concerns were allegedly used to convince elderly US citizens that their devices had serious problems and that they needed to pay to resolve them.

In Gurugram’s Palam Vihar, a fake Apple support centre allegedly used this approach to target elderly US citizens. The centre reportedly screened potential victims in the US based on their age and bank balances before sending them messages about privacy, virus or technical issues with their iPhones.

The messages directed potential victims to a toll-free number connected to the call centre. Police have traced transactions worth $200,000 or around Rs 2 crore from 15 US citizens who were allegedly targeted over eight to 10 days.

How The Fake Apple Support Scam Worked

The alleged scam followed a two-stage calling process. The first caller posed as an Apple customer-care executive and told the victim that their iPhone had a problem. After the victim was convinced, the call was transferred to another person posing as a banker.

The second caller then showed the victim a fake Federal Trade Commission notice and convinced them into making a payment. The scammers demanded around $10,000-20,000 to resolve the supposed issue.

According to a report in The Times of India, the victims were asked to transfer money to a foreign bank account. In some cases, the callers allegedly collected gift card or voucher numbers instead. The people making the calls reportedly received commissions of 11-16 per cent for successful scams.

The profiling of victims was also a key part of the operation. Police said the gang checked whether potential targets were senior citizens and had substantial bank balances. Investigators are still trying to establish the source of the database used by the accused. Police also found that the operation used X-Lite Dialler and Apple FaceTime to communicate with the victims.

How To Stay Safe From Fake Apple Support Scams

Unexpected messages claiming that an iPhone has a serious security or technical problem should not be treated as genuine simply because they mention Apple. Users should avoid calling the numbers provided in such messages, and instead verify any issue from Apple’s official support channels.

Also, people should not share passwords, banking details, OTPs or payment information with callers claiming to be from Apple, banks or government agencies. If you have already shared financial information or lost money, report the cybercrime at 1930.