Cybercriminals Exploit Stolen iPhones With Fake Apple Pages as Smishing Traffic Jumps 350%
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 12
Cybercriminals Exploit Stolen iPhones With Fake Apple Pages as Smishing Traffic Jumps 350%
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 12
Summary
Infoblox Threat Intel says thieves are texting stolen iPhone owners links to fake Apple-style pages that mimic Find My and ask for the device passcode.
That passcode lets criminals bypass Activation Lock’s resale barrier—wiping the phone, removing it from the owner’s Apple account and selling it for more.
More than 10,000 domains were tied to the scam network, and verified smishing-domain traffic rose 350% in 2025 from a year earlier.
Telegram-based kits have lowered the barrier to entry: unlocking attempts cost $5 to $50 on average, often paired with fake login pages, AI voice tools and prerecorded Apple impersonations.
The main defense is to ignore recovery links sent by text, WhatsApp or email and use Apple’s Find My or iCloud directly, because Apple does not request passcodes through random messages.