ATTENTION!! RECEIVED FRAUDULENT EMAIL PRETENDING TO BE APPLE!! I received an email informing of a purchase made on my account and telling me to change my password if did not purchase the item, which I had not. I have received valid emails from Apple

Question

ATTENTION!! RECEIVED FRAUDULENT EMAIL PRETENDING TO BE APPLE!! I received an email informing of a purchase made on my account and telling me to change my password if did not purchase the item, which I had not. I have received valid emails from Apple in the past asking letting me know a purchase had been made and asking if I had made the purchase, but the item listed has alway been a purchase that I had made. Since I had received similar emails in the past, I didn't think anything of it. Because I had not purchased the item listed, I immediately clicked on the link in order to change my password, which has been suggested in authentic emails i had received from Apple in the past. The site I was redirected to was exactly the same as the Apple site where you go to change your password. I entered my userID and password and it stated a verification email would be sent, if it was not sent click "resend email." When I did not receive an email, after about 10 seconds I went to the Apple site and followed the SAME EXACT step on pages that were IDENTICAL to the FRAUDULENT website I apparently had just been at. When I clicked "Send verification email," I DID receive an email within seconds, which had a special link that brought me to a page where I could change my password, which I did. I later compared a legitimate email to the FRAUDULENT email and I DID FIND A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT WAS ALMOST UNNOTICEABLE unless you were really, really looking.  I doubt it would be noticed by anyone if not comparing it closely to a real email. THE DIFFERENCE WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUTHENTIC EMAIL, THERE WERE THREE LINKS THAT COULD BE SELECTED - My Apple ID/Support/Privacy Policy. ON THE FRAUDULENT EMAIL THESE LINKS WERE NOT PRESENT!!! Just today I received an email from Apple stating my password had been changed today. I did not change my password today. When I changed after getting the fake email, I did not think about my SECURITY QUESTIONS!!! If you forget your Apple password, you are able to answer the security questions in place of your ID and you get a confirmation email. Even though I changed my password within a one minute when I did not get a confirmation email with a link to change my password right away and I went dierctly to Apple's site, apparently it was enough time to take all the information on my account - INCLUDING MY DEBIT CARD NUMBER, WHICH HAD BEEN REQUIRED WHEN I INITIALLY SET UP THE ACCOUNT!!! Today I received a call from VISA FRAUD PROTECTION asking about strange activity on my account and stating they were concerned and wanted to ensure I had used the account. I HAD NOT, AND ALL THE MONEY IN MY BANK ACCOUNT HAD BEEN STOLEN!!!!! I am writing this in hopes that many people will see it and NOT FALL VICTIM TO THIS SCAM. Please pay close attention to any emails you supposedly receive from Apple - If the links "MY APPLE ID/SUPPORT/PRIVACY POLICY," PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME IT IS AN AUTHENTIC EMAIL FROM APPLE. I suggest you immediately forward the email to apple, which I didn't do because this happened days ago. Nothing was taken from my money that was already on the Apple account, and nothing had been taken from my checking account. I guess I assumed there had been something wrong with the link in the email directing me to where I could change my password, plus I had gone to the valid Apple website and changed my password for real, and I guess I was thinking that changing my password would prevent someone from being able to acces my account info. PLEASE DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO THIS SCAM AS I DID!!!!

Answer 1

No need for alarm. There are several folks a day posting like threads. Most folks know these phishing attempts for what they are and merely delete with prejudice.
To the bottom line... if you wish - and I am sure Apple will take notice - you should FORWARD the email to [email protected] and delete.
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