Fraud Alert For iPhone Users: I4C Issues Advisory About Sophisticated ‘Hybrid Cybercrime’ (IANS)
New Delhi: The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Home Ministry on Saturday issued a nationwide advisory warning iPhone users about a sophisticated “hybrid cybercrime” campaign targeting people whose devices have been lost or stolen.
The advisory, released by the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU) under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), warned that cybercriminals are using phishing messages and fake Apple support pages to gain unauthorised access to users’ iCloud accounts.
According to the advisory, fraudsters are specifically targeting individuals who have recently lost their iPhones and are attempting to exploit the panic and urgency associated with recovering the device.
Fraud Alert For iPhone Users: I4C Issues Advisory About Sophisticated ‘Hybrid Cybercrime’ (MHA)
Officials said the perpetrators send fraudulent SMS messages impersonating Apple Support or the “Find My iPhone” service.
“These messages often claim that the lost device has been located or temporarily switched off and urge users to click on phishing links for immediate action,” the advisory stated.
The I4C said the phishing links redirect users to fake websites designed to closely resemble legitimate Apple or iCloud login pages.
“Victims are then prompted to enter their Apple ID credentials, followed by One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or two-factor authentication codes sent by Apple,” it said.
Once the credentials and OTP are obtained, perpetrators gain unauthorised access to the victim’s iCloud account, remove the Apple ID linked to the stolen device, disable ‘Find My iPhone’ and bypass security protections, the advisory stated.
Authorities warned that the stolen devices can subsequently be resold or reused without restrictions, while victims risk losing personal data, financial information and control over their Apple accounts.
The advisory described the fraud as a “hybrid cybercrime: because it combines physical theft of devices with advanced digital phishing techniques.
The I4C has urged iPhone users to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on suspicious SMS links, especially messages received from international or unknown numeric headers.
Users were advised to carefully verify website URLs before entering credentials.
It has also recommended that users activate two-factor authentication, use strong passwords and ensure that “Find My iPhone” remains enabled at all times.
Victims of lost or stolen phones were also asked not to remove devices from their Apple ID without proper verification.
Officials further advised users to block lost or stolen mobile devices through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal and immediately report phishing attempts to the national cybercrime portal or helpline 1930.
The advisory comes amid a growing rise in phishing attacks and online financial fraud cases across the country, prompting authorities to intensify cyber awareness campaigns and digital safety measures.
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