Apple has issued a new warning to all iPhone users, alerting them to a fast-growing scam that is draining victims’ bank accounts.
The tech giant says cybercriminals are exploiting FaceTime calls and invitation links to impersonate bank employees, tech support agents, government officials and even romantic partners, using live video to gain victims’ trust before stealing their money or personal information.
Unlike a standard phone call, FaceTime allows scammers to interact with victims face-to-face, creating a level of familiarity that consumer advocates say makes the fraud far more convincing.
Many schemes begin with a text message warning of suspicious activity on a bank account or credit card.
Victims are then told they must switch to a FaceTime call so an alleged fraud specialist can complete additional ‘verification.’
During the video call, scammers often persuade people to share their screens while logging into online banking, transferring money or entering one-time security codes. That gives criminals a live view of passwords, account details and verification codes they can immediately exploit.
Apple is urging customers to report suspicious FaceTime calls and invitation links, acknowledging that fraudsters are increasingly using the service as part of phishing and impersonation attacks.
The company also stresses that legitimate Apple employees will never make unsolicited FaceTime calls asking for passwords, verification codes or other sensitive information, and says users should end the conversation immediately if anyone does.
Apple says cybercriminals are exploiting FaceTime calls and invitation links to impersonate bank employees, tech support agents, government officials and even romantic partners, using live video to gain victims’ trust before stealing their money or personal information
Criminals are now posing as Apple or Microsoft technical support representatives after sending fraudulent security alerts claiming a device has been hacked or infected with malware.
Victims are told a technician needs to inspect their iPhone or computer over FaceTime to resolve the problem, Consumer Affairs reported.
They are then walked through installing remote-access software, changing security settings or revealing login credentials that hand control of their devices and accounts to the scammer.
FaceTime has also become a tool for government impersonation scams.
Fraudsters pretending to represent local police departments, federal agencies or foreign law enforcement escalate from phone calls to video chats to make their stories appear more credible.
Some display fake badges, uniforms or official-looking credentials while falsely accusing victims of crimes, identity theft or outstanding warrants.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), legitimate law enforcement agencies do not demand immediate payment to avoid arrest and will never instruct people to pay with cryptocurrency, gift cards, payment apps or wire transfers.
Romance scams have also evolved with the use of FaceTime. Instead of relying solely on text messages, scammers conduct short video conversations to convince victims they are genuine before requesting money, investment funds or gift cards.
Security experts warn that some criminals use lookalikes, prerecorded videos, heavy filters or even AI-generated imagery to make the deception more believable.
Experts say the greatest risk is psychological, noting that seeing and hearing someone in real time can lower a person’s guard, making them more likely to believe the caller is legitimate even though FaceTime itself does not verify a person’s identity.
Consumer protection agencies recommend never sharing your screen during an unsolicited FaceTime call, never providing passwords, verification codes or banking credentials, and refusing any request to move money into a so-called ‘safe’ account.
If you receive a suspicious FaceTime call, hang up immediately and contact your bank, Apple or the government agency directly using a phone number listed on its official website rather than one provided by the caller.
Another money-grabbing scam was uncovered in May, with cybercriminals sending iPhone users text messages that say ‘high alert’ and claiming their Apple ID is locked, or warning that unauthorized charges were made through Apple Pay.
Apple has warned users about this type of scheme, known as social engineering, which is a targeted attack that relies on impersonation, deception, and manipulation to gain access to your personal data.
In this attack, scammers will pretend to be representatives of a trusted company or entity over the phone or through other communication methods.
They will often use sophisticated tactics to persuade you to hand over personal details such as sign-in credentials, security codes and financial information.
