Apple Approval Notice text message scam

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, this and many other scams are ongoing.

One option for reducing these unsolicited SMS messages is a text-blocking app such as Bouncer.

Scam text.

Hello~ Posting the scammers information here only promotes their scam…still a scam.

~Katana-San~

12/24 just got this txt. Had to look it up. America is +1 before area code, this number had +63. I don’t open up any text unless I know who it is and is on my contact list. If not on my contact list, I don’t open them.

bcrawfo299 wrote:

12/24 just got this txt. Had to look it up. America is +1 before area code, this number had +63. I don’t open up any text unless I know who it is and is on my contact list. If not on my contact list, I don’t open them.

Simply opening a text isn't going to hurt anything. Just don't click on links.

Emmalee00 wrote:

Today is December 19th and I just got this text!!! They are still at it! I’m so glad that I googled this before responding! It seemed pretty shady!

And they will still be "at it" for as long as people have text messaging. And then they'll move on to whatever comes next. Delete and move on.

1/7/25

I have received two suspicious Apple texts today. Of course they make it sound authentic and by supplying Apple links and threatening to process excessive charges they’re looking for our reaction.- well I did, but I continue to play stupid as I screenshot every screen that he was asking me to move to, every app that he was trying to revise or remove, the dollar amount for humongous… then he was asking me on another page where there was an email intending to send a gift card to change my name from sender replaced with Apple as sender… I desperately tried to find a voice memo recording app so that I could record his desperate, plea with me, nearly 1 hour on the phone- I could not find an app to record for the life of me… but he could see everything that I was doing… I told him to F* off and I’ve never received a notice from Apple, but he could rest assured that I would be going directly to Apple because I’m sure he’s trying to hack my account. He proceeded to scream and scream and scream into my phone while he was on mute for a clear total of 93 minutes and I have not powered off my phone. He would still be there…. Help

northside62 wrote:

Just got the same text 1/8/2025

Not at all surprising.

Lots of folks are getting this scam, and we’re all getting many other scams.

Scamming is a business, is computerized and automated, and the scammers are using and sharing massive contact lists to blast mail and messages and SMS and phones to ~everybody.

Scammers are looking at the response rates of their spamming campaigns, and adjusting those campaigns to get past spam and scam filters, and also working to continuously improve their profits; the number of folks they can and do scam.

Recently got the same message 3 days in a row by text. Never hit the link or called the telephone #. The source’s name keeps changing so me marking the texts as spam is not blocking the future texts. I appreciate the help on this forum.

IdrisSeabright wrote:

MrHoffman wrote:

Using the region formatting examples is a new one to me. Weird and kind of clever.

Yes, that $12,000 charge would induce panic in anybody. But the future date should be the second clue this is a scam, the term "example" being the first.

But yes, I can see my elderly F-I-L seeing that dollar figure and falling for a scam. (He is the proud owner of one automobile {auto is leased} and two home warranties). Luckly, he's and Android user.

I believe this is a scam. I did not call but others say it is.

Received text message:

“Apple Approval Notice

We have noticed that your Apple iCloud id was recently used at "APPLE STORE - CA" for $143.95, paid by Apple Pay Pre Authorization. Also some suspicious sign in request and apple pay activation request detected. That looks like suspicious to us. In order to maintain the security and privacy of your account we have placed those request on hold.  If NOT you? talk to an Apple Representative. Failing may lead to auto debit and charge will not be reversed. Call +1 805366**** immediately to cancel this charge.

Billing Department :  Subscriptions and Billing - Official Apple Support

Have a great day!”

[Edited by Moderator]

this scam is still happening I got this text message on 01/23/2025 “Apple Approval Notice

We have noticed that your Apple iCloud id was recently used at "APPLE STORE - CA" for $143.95, paid by Apple Pay Pre Authorization. Also some suspicious sign in request and apple pay activation request detected. That looks like suspicious to us. In order to maintain the security and privacy of your account we have placed those request on hold.  If NOT you? talk to an Apple Representative. Failing may lead to auto debit and charge will not be reversed. Call +1 808642**** immediately to cancel this charge.

Billing Department :  Subscriptions and Billing - Official Apple Support

Have a great day!”

[Edited by Moderator]

I just received this today. This is a scam. I’m pretty sure.

Regular Message

Action Required: A 863.95 Apple ID transaction has been flagged. For further information and resolution, contact 8********01 at your earliest convenience.

[Edited by Moderator]

DC3715 wrote:

They are still sending this message in 2025.

Which means enough folks are still exposing their Apple Account credentials.

This is a business.

This scam has clearly been working well enough.

Why bother adding a randomly-generated number? (That’s not at all difficult, but, well, why even bother?)

When the payoff from this particular text drops, the text will get edited, or the text will get replaced with new text.

ColoradoBeginner wrote:

I HAVE NOT ORDERED ANY ITEM FROM THE APPLE STORE!

No need to shout. You've appended your question in a thread related to a common scam message (rather than starting your own question), so you're going to see replies related to that common scam message.

If you want to start your own thread for your own question, use the Ask the Community link in the top center right.

the activity is a scam!🤨

Yes. Most definitely. I wish that detail were more widely appreciated, too.

I would like to obtain a 19th generation iPad MANUAL! Any suggestions?

No iPad 19th generation exists.

Here are the iPad 9th generation manuals:

iPad (9th generation) Manuals and Downloads - Apple Support

Here is the user guide for iPadOS 18, for the current version of iPadOS:

iPad User Guide - Apple Support

If you have some other iPad generation, please post that.