[Scam Alert] Apple sms-icloud.info text messages

I have just received what looks like a text message asking me to go to an Apple website and update my details.  When visiting the site, it really does look like it is Apple – BUT IT ISN’T!

First, what I got does not appear to be a text – there is no way to see who sent it except the name of the sender, “InfoApp”.  This leads me to believe that this could be something called a push notification.  This is a feature that is becoming more popular and generally is a great thing, but, like all methods of modern communication, can be abused.  I don’t often accept push notifications, unless it is from a trusted source and am searching to see if and how it was sent (I will keep you updated).

If you get this text/message

• do not click the link
• forward it to your service providers spam team
• delete it

A text only version of this scam has been around a while (see this article).

Tracking the owner of the domain was not difficult:

Registrant Name: Stewart Johnston
Registrant Organization:
Registrant Street: xx Carnreagh
Registrant City:xxxxxx
Registrant State/Province: Hillsborough
Registrant Postal Code: xxxxxx
Registrant Country: GB
Registrant Phone: +44.xxxxxx250828
Registrant Email: stewartjohnston2@aol.co.uk

Now, they could be an innocent party (or fake details), whose website has been maliciously taken over, but I wonder what they are doing about it?  Interestingly, this domain was registered at 4.55 this morning and I got the message at 6.48 – quick work!

BTW, being a good citizen, I have reported this to the polices Action Fraud website.  Whilst it asked me about the issue, it did not ask about specifics – is this just a statistics gathering exercise or a useful proactive tool?  I have also reported it to the domain registrars.

Don’t get caught out by this and similar ones.

UPDATE: 6th February 2017

I reported the domain to the registrars and am happy to report they they have suspended the domain and blocked the account owner.