Phishing iMessage trick allows hackers to steal Apple user’s personal data: All the details

iMessage

iMessage is one of the most secure SMS services used globally by iPhone users. It has more than 8 billion users across the world and offers strong built-in phishing protection to disable links in messages received from unknown senders. However, according to a new report, cybercriminals are sending fake text messages to iMessage users, like shipping issues or unpaid tolls, to disable phishing protection and make them vulnerable to phishing attacks.

Apple users being tricked via fake messages: Key details

According to a new report via BleepingComputer, iMessage users have seen a surge in scams or phishing attacks that attempt to trick users into replying to a text so that malware-based links that steal user data are enabled. These messages have fake senders that impersonate real users to automatically disable the security check before accessing these links.

Moreover, the report adds that if a user replies to such a message or adds the sender to their contact list, the links will be marked as safe and will make the associated iPhones vulnerable to phishing attacks. The report also quotes that one of such messages mentions “Please reply Y, then exit the message, reopen it to activate the link, or copy and paste the link into your Safari browser to open it."

The report reveals that even if a user doesn’t click on such spam links, replying to the message lets the attackers know they have someone who can be baited to make these users a bigger target. Therefore, iMessage users who engage with these messages often end up sharing their personal or financial details, leading to huge financial losses.

So, to protect yourself from scams like this, avoid replying to unknown numbers, especially if the sender has sent some unknown link that redirects to a third-party website.