Abstract:
Since the iPhone 18 Pro went on sale, the Hong Kong police have received 1,503 reports involving suspicious credit card transactions, involving more than HK$30 million, or approximately US$3.82 million. Police said all related transactions had been cancelled. Investigations revealed that fraudsters were suspected of using illegally obtained credit card information to purchase new phones in large quantities.
Hong Kong Police Commissioner Zhou Ming said at a meeting of the Kowloon City District Council that these transactions did not trigger the online security and identity verification mechanisms of the Apple online store. He attributed the problem to a possible loophole in Apple's online store, but did not further elaborate on the specific cause of the loophole. Because the relevant verification is not activated, buyers do not need to enter a one-time password or confirm through the mobile app, so criminals can use illegally obtained credit card information to place large orders.
It is alleged that identity and payment verification requirements in Apple's online shopping process were bypassed in these transactions. Scammers use VPNs and fill in false or incomplete shipping addresses. Apple then asked for address verification via email, and the scammers instead provided a public location as the delivery location.
Yi Ming said that the police have asked Apple to review the transaction process and take measures to prevent similar fraud. He also mentioned that the foldable screen phone iPhone Duo is expected to be launched in October, suggesting that the police expect that related fraud attempts may increase again by then. Apple has yet to respond publicly.
Hong Kong criminal gangs have been involved in cross-border theft cases before, and Apple also encountered bribery and fraud problems in the early stages of its business development in China.
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