Recognise and avoid online scams
Criminals are known to use scams via email, text messages, social media and phone calls to try to steal information and money. These types of online scams, known as social engineering, manipulate people with the aim of persuading them to hand over personal details, passwords, security codes, money and financial information.
Use these tips to avoid scams and find out what to do if you receive suspicious emails, phone calls or other messages.
Tips to reduce the risk of online scams
Stop.
Think before you interact. Pause and consider if you should trust someone unexpectedly calling, texting, or emailing you asking for your information or money. Don’t give personal information or money if unsure.
Check.
Ask yourself — could the message or call be fake? Check the email address matches the name of the company they claim to be from. Check the URL matches the company’s website. Let unknown callers go to voicemail. If you believe a message or call is authentic, call back using the official number listed on the business’ website — don't use numbers provided via voicemail or email.
Protect.
Secure your devices and information. Limit the amount of personal information you share online. Lock down your devices with Touch ID or Face ID. Use strong passwords, two-factor authentication and passkeys.
Learn more about protecting your Apple Account, devices and data (Link to “Protect your devices”, below)
Speak Up.
Act quickly. Limit the damage and protect yourself from further theft by reporting the scam to your bank or card provider immediately — ask them to stop any transactions.
Learn more about reporting online scams
Tips to protect your Apple Account, devices and data
Keep your Apple Account secure
Your Apple Account is the personal account you use to sign in to your devices and access Apple services. Don’t share your Apple Account with anyone — even family members, partners and close friends. Set a strong password. Use two-factor authentication. Pay attention to notifications about your Account. If you receive a notification that there was a sign-in attempt or that changes were made to your account that you didn’t authorise, this could mean someone has accessed or is trying to access your account.
Secure your Apple Account and protect your privacy
Reject unknown sign-in attempts
If you think your Apple Account has been compromised
Secure your device, app and website passwords
To prevent anyone except you from using your devices and accessing your information, set a unique passcode or password that only you know. On supported devices, use Touch ID or Face ID to securely and conveniently unlock your device. Manage your passwords in the Passwords app, where you can find all your passwords, passkeys and verification codes in one place.
Set a unique device passcode or password
Secure your iPhone or iPad with Face ID
Manage your device, app and website passwords
Block phone numbers, contacts and email addresses
You can block phone numbers, contacts and emails on your device. You can also filter iMessages from unknown senders and report iMessages that look like spam or junk.
Block phone numbers, contacts and email addresses on your iPhone or iPad
Manage unknown callers
On iPhone, Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller for their name and reason for calling. Once the caller has provided this information, your phone will ring and you can decide whether to pick up, decline or ask for more information.
Identify, screen, filter, and block unknown and spam calls on iPhone
Screen and filter text messages
You can reduce the number of unwanted text messages you receive when you screen and filter messages from unknown senders and turn off business alerts.
Screen and filter text messages on iPhone
Personal Safety User Guide
This guide contains a wealth of personal safety resources, including strategies, tools and dozens of how-to topics.
Protecting your privacy
Privacy is a fundamental human right. At Apple, it’s one of our core values. Which is why we design our products and services to protect it.
Learn more about protecting your privacy on Apple products
Reporting online scams
Report to Scamwatch
You can report any suspicious contact or activity to Scamwatch in Australia. Scamwatch can investigate different types of scams including phishing, smishing, account or identity theft, investment, relationship, physical threats or hijacking.
Report to Apple
You can also report any suspicious contact or activity to Apple for investigation. If the suspicious activity occurs on a third party app or other third party content service, or in unsolicited promotions, you can also report it directly to the third party provider. If they do not resolve your concern, you can escalate the issue to Apple or Scamwatch.