Apple Pay Scam UK: Spot Fake Security Alerts & Texts
Fraudsters are using fake Apple Pay alerts to steal your card details and bank login information—but you can spot and stop them.
What an Apple Pay scam looks like
An Apple Pay scam uses a call, text, or email that pretends to be from Apple or your bank, claiming there is "suspicious activity" on your Apple Pay or that it has been "locked", so you click a link or hand over details. An example of the style is: Apple Pay: a payment of £79.99 was authorised on your account. If this wasn't you, verify now: apple-pay-secure.example.
The goal is to capture your Apple ID, card details, or bank login - or, in the worst version, to talk you into "moving money to a safe account". This guide shows the warning signs, how to check, and what to do if you have already responded.
Why these scams are convincing
Apple and Apple Pay are trusted, and a specific amount or a "locked account" warning creates instant alarm. The sender ID, caller number, and links can all be faked, and a follow-up call may pose as your bank's fraud team to seem helpful.
The distinction that protects you: do not verify Apple Pay, Apple ID, or bank details through an unexpected link. Check directly in Wallet and your bank/card account, and contact your bank yourself if you think a card is affected. Neither Apple nor your bank will ask you to move money to a new "safe" account to keep it protected.
Signs an Apple Pay message is a scam
- It claims suspicious activity, a locked account, or an unrecognised payment, and wants you to act now.
- It asks you to "verify" through a link, or to confirm your Apple ID, card, or bank details.
- It tells you to move money to a new, "safe", or "holding" account.
- The link is not
apple.comor your bank's site, for example a lookalike such asapple-pay-secure.example. - A caller claims to be Apple or your bank and pressures you to act or stay on the line.
- You are asked to read out a one-time passcode.
How the scam works
First, a message or call warns of a problem with your Apple Pay. Second, urgency pushes you to click a link or keep talking. Third, a fake Apple or bank page captures your Apple ID, card, or login - or the caller talks you through "securing" your money. Fourth, criminals use the details for fraud, or the "safe account" transfer sends your money straight to them. Fifth, they may call again posing as your bank.
Checking Wallet, checking your bank/card account directly, and contacting your bank yourself breaks the chain.
How to check an Apple Pay alert safely
If anything feels rushed, stop. A genuine alert survives a pause.
- Open the Wallet app and your bank/card app directly to check cards and recent activity.
- If you think a card is affected, call your bank on 159 or the number on your card.
- Never move money to a "safe", "holding", or "protected" account - no bank or Apple will ask you to do that.
- Do not click links or read out a one-time passcode from a message or call.
- Manage your Apple ID by typing
apple.comyourself, not through a link.
If you are unsure whether a linked page is genuine, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy helps, and our impersonation scams when criminals pretend to be your bank or the police guide covers the bank-impersonation and safe-account con.
If you responded or shared details
If you shared card or bank details, or moved money, contact your bank immediately on 159 or the number on your card, tell them it was a scam, and ask them to secure the account and try to recover any payment. If you sent money by UK bank transfer on or after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules may apply to Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. The PSR rules include a 13-month claim window, reimbursement within 5 business days in many cases, a maximum claim amount of £85,000, possible exclusions, and a possible excess of up to £100.
The rules do not cover every payment type or every situation, so report it to your bank as soon as possible.
If you gave away your Apple ID password, change it by typing apple.com yourself and turn on two-factor authentication. If you shared personal details, consider Cifas Protective Registration at cifas.org.uk and monitor your credit reports with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Keep the message or caller number as evidence.
How to report an Apple Pay scam (UK)
If the scam came by text, forward it to 7726. If it came by email, forward it to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also report phishing that impersonates Apple to Apple at reportphishing@apple.com.
If you lost money or shared sensitive information, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Tell your bank as soon as possible if money moved, and keep the evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apple Pay safe, or are these alerts real?
Apple Pay itself is secure. The scam is the impersonation around it. Do not verify through an unexpected link. Check Wallet and your bank/card account directly, and contact your bank yourself if you think a card is affected.
Apple Pay 'locked my account' and wants me to verify - is that genuine?
No. An unexpected message asking you to verify Apple Pay through a link is phishing. Check Wallet and your bank/card account directly, and contact your bank on 159 if you think a card is affected.
Someone says my money is at risk and I must move it to a safe account - real?
No. That is a scam, however convincing the caller. No bank or Apple will ask you to move money to a safe, holding, or protected account. Hang up and call your bank on 159.
I shared my details or moved money - can I get it back?
Maybe. Tell your bank immediately on 159 or the number on your card. A card payment may be recoverable through chargeback, and eligible UK transfers since 7 October 2024 may fall under APP reimbursement rules, subject to limits and exclusions.
How do I report an Apple Pay scam text or email?
Forward scam texts to 7726 and scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also report Apple-impersonation phishing to reportphishing@apple.com. If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland.