Apple now has new issues with store pickup for online orders — all the details about scam that cost over $400,000

In recent disclosures at the Black Hat Asia conference, security researchers revealed a sophisticated cybercriminal scheme that exploited Apple Store Online’s “Someone else will pick it up” feature. The vulnerability reportedly netted criminals more than $400,000 in just two years.

“Airport pick-up” scam revealed

Cybercriminals use a two-pronged strategy to carry out their scams. Initially, their second-hand online platform in South Korea (similar to Craigslist or eBay) sold Apple products at discounted prices. Once the buyer agrees to the purchase, the criminals use the stolen credit card details to purchase the actual product from the Apple Store. Instead of shipping the purchased items, they chose the “someone else will pick it up” option.This reportedly allowed buyers to unknowingly participate in the scam, using government ID and QR codes/order numbers to pick up items from Apple retail stores 9to5mac.

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poison apple plan

Researchers Gyuyeon Kim and Hyunho Cho named the scam “PoisonedApple,” and it’s proven to be highly profitable. By purchasing an iPhone 15 at a discounted price of $700 and then selling it for the actual price of $800, criminals make a profit of $700, with all costs borne by the original credit card owner.

Apple’s stance and investigative challenges

In some extreme cases, Apple’s unwillingness to cooperate has hindered investigations. Despite the victims’ efforts to report the incidents to their credit card companies and police, Apple’s internal policies caused significant delays in the investigation.

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Global scope and culprits

While the current scheme targets South Korea and Japan, researchers suspect the culprit is located in China, as the phishing pages were registered through Chinese internet service providers. Evidence also points to mentions in Simplified Chinese on darknet forums, suggesting the scheme could potentially expand to other regions, including the United States.

In light of these findings, it’s important to be vigilant when shopping online and be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Always make sure to verify the authenticity of sellers and platforms and report any suspicious activity immediately.

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