Apple Pay

Paul C. received an alarming text claiming Apple Pay had charged him $8,250 and warning of a duplicate charge in 35 minutes. The scam message used dramatic wording and fake authority to pressure Paul into calling a specific toll-free number with a case ID. Authorities noted that the international sender (starting with +44) directing a U.S. recipient to an unrelated support line is highly suspicious.

Texts originating from an Indian number are circulating claiming an 'Apple Pay hold,' which the content identifies as a scam. The messages reference large payments, specifically $4,700 at outlets in Carson City and Elko in Nevada. Recipients are advised to contact listed numbers while being aware of departments named like "Restriction Dept" or "Apple Customer Support."

A GoPuff user reports receiving suspicious texts and app notifications about FAM Membership payment issues, despite confirming their Apple Pay method is valid. The user suspects a scam due to the messages' urgency and similarity to legitimate notifications, but has not found widespread reports of the issue.

A user nearly fell victim to a scam involving a fake Saltair deodorant website (saltaiir.com) that mimicked the legitimate brand but had an extra 'i' in the domain. The scam site offered a 40% discount, appeared sophisticated, and prompted the user to enter an Apple Pay verification code, which they suspiciously noticed due to Apple Pay's warning. The user canceled their credit card and emphasized verifying website authenticity before purchasing.

A user received a suspicious text from 'Apple Support' with a Moroccan phone number, identified as a scam after verifying Apple's official website did not list the number. The user called the number, prompting the scammer to hang up, and warned others about similar scams. The text falsely claimed Apple Pay blocked a transaction, requiring user approval.

The user fell victim to a bank impersonation scam involving N26, resulting in an €8,000 loss. Scammers, posing as N26 Security, obtained personal and financial details, added the user's card to Apple Pay, and made unauthorized purchases. N26 refused to reimburse most of the loss, citing authentication via the user's app during the scam.

A scam text purporting to be from Apple Pay claims a $152.45 payment was paused due to unusual account activity and provides a non-official phone number. The recipient confirmed no unauthorized activity in their bank account or Apple Pay and verified the number was not genuine Apple support.

A user reported an unauthorized $159.05 payment from their credit card via the website 'Lucid Trading (lucidtrading.com)'. They confirmed no physical card exposure, using Apple Pay for in-store purchases, and suspect a data breach or fraudulent activity. The bank is investigating, with a potential resolution timeline of 45 days.

A UK user fell for a scam call from an unknown number claiming to be from '118118 money' fraud team, leading to unauthorized access to their credit card account and bank details. After reporting the incident, the card was blocked and an investigation initiated, but further unauthorized Uber transactions occurred, including the addition of a new card to Apple Pay.

The author's iPhone was stolen in Chicago and tracked moving to Florida, Hong Kong, and Morocco, revealing a potential international criminal network. They received phishing attempts and false claims about Apple Pay to lure them out of 'lost mode', highlighting security concerns.

Stripe and Advent have made a $53 billion bid to acquire PayPal, which has seen its valuation drop from $360 billion in 2021 to $36 billion due to competition from Apple Pay and other rivals. Stripe's subsidiary Bridge recently received conditional approval for a national trust bank charter, a move opposed by traditional banks, and acquiring PayPal would provide access to 400 million customers and their online wallets to support Stripe's stablecoin plans. PayPal has not acknowledged the offer.

A woman from Mt. Juliet claims she lost $3,500 through an Apple Pay scheme. She is warning others about the scam.

A man in his early 20s asked to use a person's phone at a coffee shop to make a call. He dialed a number twice, both times resulting in a dial tone, and did not use the phone for anything else. The person is concerned about potential scam activity and has disconnected payment methods like Venmo and Apple Pay.

A user in Singapore paid a US$0.99 trial fee for TheBestPDF via Apple Pay with a DBS debit card, inadvertently signing up for a recurring subscription. After a declined US$39.95 charge and subscription cancellation, the user is concerned about owing the fee, potential debt collection, and whether replacing their DBS card would prevent future charges.

EU lawmakers are advancing negotiations for a digital euro, aiming to reduce reliance on US-based payment systems such as Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

A user received a text message warning that their Apple ID was used to sign in to iCloud on a MacBook Pro 16" and incurred a $630 USD Apple Pay pre-authorization charge. The message advised checking account security if the activity was unrecognized.

A user received an automated call from Bank of America claiming an unauthorized Apple transaction, but suspects it is a scam due to no active BofA account. The user questions if scammers are targeting Apple Pay linked to old accounts or using general phishing tactics.

The EU’s central bank is developing a digital euro to reduce reliance on payment services like Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay. The project's success depends on creating a user-friendly payment system while preventing a mass withdrawal of funds from bank savings.

A woman received unexpected help paying her entire house's rent from a man who later demanded money back via Apple Pay to a different phone number, raising scam concerns. She discovered the man may be targeting others similarly, as another woman reported a similar incident. The woman is worried about potential chargebacks and how to explain the situation to her roommates.

A user reported nearly $8,000 in unauthorized Xbox purchases and a $7 charge from an unknown business, HCM*TONI PARKHURST INC, despite not owning an Xbox or having their card stolen. They discovered the charges after a voicemail about fraudulent activity and noted a failed payment attempt on Beyoncé’s haircare brand, Cécred.

A user received a voicemail from a claimed 'WF detection department' about fraudulent charges on their account, which included their real name and last four digits of their checking account. They discovered unauthorized charges totaling nearly $8,000 for 'Microsoft XB' and a $7 charge from 'HCM*TONI PARKHURST INC.' The user primarily uses Apple Pay and has not manually entered card details recently.

A user ordered a hat from Zara, which arrived quickly with overnight shipping they didn't pay for. They later received unrequested shoes from Zara, confirmed by customer support as being placed through their account, but no payment records exist for the shoes. Numbers are marked on the shoe package, raising concerns about account security.

A user ordered a SIM card from Ghostsims.com via Apple Pay but did not receive the product despite multiple attempts to contact the company through email, WhatsApp, and Telegram. The user ultimately filed a chargeback and warns others that the website is a scam, though acknowledges the existence of PGP/Russian/ghostsims as real products.

A user reported receiving fraud alerts after using their credit card at a New Jersey gas station, suspecting card skimming. The same gas station and attendant were involved in two separate incidents, with the user switching to Apple Pay temporarily without issues. A new card also triggered a fraud alert at the same location.

Jack Ben Gonzales is accused of scamming victims through a Facebook used car dealership by listing low-priced cars, avoiding VIN and contact information, and demanding untraceable payments. Scammers allegedly use Cargo Velocity Express to demand additional fees and may direct victims to send money to a 'secretary' named Ariella Wilkins.

A user reports recurring 39 euro payments every 28 days via Apple Pay that cannot be canceled. The payments began with a 0.99 euro charge, but Apple Pay was later disabled, and no confirmation emails were received. The payment description includes 'SA' and references Cyprus, with the user suspecting a scam.

The EU aims to reduce reliance on U.S. payment systems like Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay by advancing a digital euro. The European Parliament's economy committee approved the initiative, with full approval pending. The ECB plans a 2029 launch if legal frameworks are approved, emphasizing privacy and offline functionality.

A user reported being scammed by vapefactoryusa.com after their bank alerted them about an unauthorized Apple Pay addition. The website's transaction failed despite claiming to accept Visa, and other victims reported subsequent card misuse.

A 14-year-old boy is accused of robbing a children’s lemonade stand at gunpoint in Boston. The suspects asked about Apple Pay, took a money box, and one displayed a firearm before fleeing. The boy was arrested and charged with armed robbery and unlawful firearm possession.

A 14-year-old is accused of robbing a children’s lemonade stand in Boston using a gun. The suspect approached the stand, asked about Apple Pay, and then stole a money box before fleeing with a firearm. The boy was arrested and charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.

A 14-year-old is accused of robbing a children’s lemonade stand at gunpoint in Boston. The suspect asked about Apple Pay, took a money box, and fled with a gun. He was arrested and charged with armed robbery and firearm possession.

Boston police are investigating an armed robbery of a children's lemonade stand in South Boston. Two suspects, aged 14 and 11, approached the stand, one displaying a black firearm, and stole $50 in cash before fleeing. The community is rallying to support the affected family.

Solflare partnered with CoinbaseDev to introduce a new feature allowing users to fund their Solflare wallets instantly via Apple Pay in the US. The update simplifies crypto purchases with minimal verification, instant transactions, and waived fees on a $50,000 monthly USDC pool.