Got a text about an Apple Pay charge? Don't tap or call

A text saying there is an unauthorized Apple Pay charge on your account is not proof that a charge happened. It is also not proof that your account was hacked. Messages like this try to scare people into calling a number or tapping a link. The safest move is to ignore both and check your payment yourself.

What the scam looks like

The texts may say Apple Pay was used for a charge you did not make, that a card is suspended, or that your account needs urgent attention. They may ask you to call a number, tap a link, share account details, or read out a verification code. Apple describes fake Apple Pay charge claims, and offers to reverse them, as a social-engineering tactic. That means tricking a person rather than breaking into a system.

A familiar sender is not proof

Many people trust a text that appears in an existing thread with their bank. That trust can be abused. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security explains that spoofed sender information can make a fraudulent text show up in the same thread as real bank messages. A known name or an old conversation does not prove the new message is genuine.

Who can relax

If you got the text and did nothing with it, the message alone does not show your account is compromised. Checking the charge in an app you open yourself is enough to see what your bank or card issuer actually has on record. If the charge is not there, the text still cannot tell you what happened. Use your issuer's official support channel for any questions about the account.

What to do

The steps in the alert box above cover how to check the charge and where to report the text. In short, use Wallet or your card issuer's official app or website, not anything inside the message.

If you already responded

• If you entered your Apple Account password on a site from the text, change it promptly and make sure two-factor authentication is on.
• If you shared card or bank details, contact the issuer using its official number that you found yourself.
• If you sent money, report the fraud to the FTC and contact the relevant financial institution through its official channel.

Reporting options

In the United States, forwarding the text to 7726 (SPAM) and reporting it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov are the main routes. You can also file an unwanted-text complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, though the FCC says it does not resolve individual complaints. For texts that pretend to be from Apple, a screenshot can go to reportphishing@apple.com. In Messages, use Report Junk if that option appears.