Apple Support call scam: is the call real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. Apple doesn't call you out of the blue to say your account was hacked.

Exhibit · Phone call

Incoming call

(800) 555-0142

maybe: Apple Support

Voicemail transcript

“This is an automated alert from Apple Support. We've detected unauthorized access to your iCloud account from another country. To secure your account and prevent permanent suspension, press 1 to speak with an Apple advisor now.”

Illustrative phone call · not an original screenshot

Other versions you might get: The same call comes as a “suspicious purchase on your Apple ID,” a fake App Store charge to dispute, or a text and email that push you to a look-alike sign-in page like apple-id-verify.info.

Reported versions of this message

Each source below documented a call. Web addresses are defanged, and identifying values may be redacted; the remaining wording follows the source. Similar wording is a reason to check independently, not proof that two messages came from the same sender.

“Authorize the payment of $999 for the recent order of Apple iPhone 16 Pro on your account. If you do not authorize this payment, please press one to speak to our customer support representative.…”
Documented by Apple Support Community · August 2025

What to do right now

Hang up. Don't press 1, don't call back, don't confirm any detail about your account.
Never share a verification code or password. Apple will never ask you to read a code or password over the phone.
Check your account yourself. Open Settings on your device or go to appleid.apple.com directly — not any link or number the caller gave you.
Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and forward scam details to reportphishing@apple.com.
If you already shared a code, password, or payment, change your Apple ID password now, turn on two-factor authentication, and call your bank if any card was shared.

Reduce the risk of another scam

Hang up and verify the claim through a number you find independently. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.

● Public service · free steps first

Reduce unwanted calls

Start with call blocking and your phone or carrier's filtering options. The Do Not Call Registry covers sales calls from companies that follow the rules; it does not block scammers.

Add your number to the Do Not Call RegistryFree registration tells telemarketers not to call, with exceptions. It does not stop illegal scam calls or prevent the sale of your number.
Report the call to the FTCHelps regulators go after the operations behind the robocalls.

Decide what protection you need

Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.

Compare free and paid protection →

No purchase needed. How we use evidence.

Frequently asked

A pop-up said Apple detected a security problem and gave me a number to call. Is that real?

No. Apple lists “misleading pop-ups and ads that say your device has a security problem” as a scam signal, and its guidance is unambiguous: if a pop-up “warns you about security problems or viruses on your device, don't believe it. These types of pop-ups are usually fraudulent advertisements, designed to trick you into downloading damaging software or giving the scammer personal information or money.” The number in the alert is the whole point — it's how a web page turns into a phone call with a scammer. Apple's instruction: “Don't call the number or follow the links… Ignore the message and simply navigate away from the page or close the entire window or tab.”

What will Apple never ask me for on a support call?

Your password, your device passcode, and your two-factor code — ever. Apple is explicit: “Apple will never ask you to log in to any website, or to tap Accept in the two-factor authentication dialog, or to provide your password, device passcode, or two-factor authentication code or to enter it into any website.” Watch for the inverted version too, because it catches people who think they're being careful: scammers ask you to switch two-factor authentication or Stolen Device Protection off, claiming it's needed to stop the attack. Apple's line on that: “Apple will never ask you to disable any security feature on your device or on your account.” Anyone asking is running the attack, not stopping it.

I called back, or gave them a code or remote access. What now?

Assume they have your account and take it back. Change your Apple Account password immediately from Settings on your own device, confirm two-factor authentication is on, and review your signed-in devices and recent purchases for anything you don't recognize. If you reused that password anywhere else, change it there too — the FTC's rule is “if you use the same password for other accounts or sites, change it there, too.” If you paid, the payment method decides the move: gift card, wire, crypto, and payment apps are what the FTC says scammers insist on “because it's like using cash,” so contact the issuer, wire company, or app now and ask them to reverse it. Then report it — forward the details to reportphishing@apple.com and file at reportfraud.ftc.gov. And for next time, Apple's rule for the call itself: “If you get an unsolicited or suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from Apple or Apple Support, just hang up.”

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Sources

01Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams— Apple
02How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams— Federal Trade Commission
03How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams— consumer.ftc.gov

Pass it on

Help protect someone else

If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.