Apple Itunes scam

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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:00 am

I was checking the transactions in my checking account and I saw two for APL*ITUNES, one with a phone number 866-712-7753. I don't even know what Itunes are for, let alone having bought any. I googled the number and found that it is used by credit card scammers to test whether a card is valid. Once they find it is valid, they charge huge amounts to the card.

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 3:43 pm

Ouch! They have somehow gotten your credit card number, then. Any idea, how?

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:49 pm

DirtyGeezer wrote:

Ouch! They have somehow gotten your credit card number, then. Any idea, how?

Were these charges in your checking account statement or your credit card statement? Do you use a debit card? A restaurant or store employee may have used a skimmer to get your credit/debit card details when the card was of your sight. If you call the number you will get an answering machine -- not a voice mail system -- with a message to leave a voice mail.

Call your bank and tell them. They will remove the charges from your credit card and issue you a new card. If it was against your checking/debit account you may have to eat it.

You don't have an iPod, do you?

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:37 am

iTunes is used as a laundry for the stolen money. A stolen card is used to buy iTunes credits for an iTunes card. The iTunes Gift card does not have a name attached. The gift card is sold online for clean money. A bank reversing unauthorized charges can't get it back from the lad. I'm not sure how much Apple eats and how much the bank eats. Unless the hole gets plugged, the rechargable iTunes gift cards will go down in flames.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 5

From what I've researched.

The APL*ITUNES CA 866-712-7753 is a legitimate apple transaction. I have multiple transactions like that on my bank account statement however each one of those entries on my statement reflects a verified and accurate purchase that I made. (I just verified all of them against my purchase history on iTunes)

It seems that your checking account info has been compromised and an iTunes account was created using your info. Most likely to purchase gift cards and sell them as the poster above me mentioned.

Having APL*ITUNES CA 866-712-7753 in your statement does not indicate foul play unless it's a case like yours, where you don't even use the service to begin with; or if there are obvious discrepancies in the purchase amount (ie. you bought a song for $1 and the transaction is for $201)

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:47 am

Are these single song purchases or larger purchases?

Just as an FYI -- it is very common for thieves to make purchases of a song or two to determine whether stolen credit card or bank account info is valid--so common, in fact, that my own credit card company has called me several times over the years to verify ringtone purchases of under $2 while completely ignoring transactions for hundreds of dollars that are out of my geographic area! Usually those small transactions will be followed with larger assorted transactions within a few days. This is actually more common than the gift card scenario, though that does occur too.

I am assuming you have already reported your account potentially compromised--if not you do need to do so.