There is a fraud trap hidden behind the scenes, "Screenshots of Smart Island to buy Apple for 5 yuan" are popular on social platforms

Recently, the topic of "Apple Smart Island screenshots for 5 yuan a piece" has been hotly discussed on online platforms. Since Apple's new iPhone has a "Smart Island" interface, many individual users have set up "Smart Island" services on social media platforms for a fee. "Screenshot service, and this service is also targeted by fraudsters.

It is understood that the scammers used the "Lost Mode" function of Apple mobile phones. These scammers usually pay 5 to 10 yuan to buy a screenshot of Smart Island from someone who provides screenshot services. But after the payment is completed, they often make an additional request - the seller logs in to his Apple ID to take a screenshot, then locks the phone with "lost functions" and then asks the seller for money on the grounds of unlocking it, ranging from five to six hundred, or as much as Thousands.

"Scammers usually don't ask you to log in to their ID right away. Instead, they talk to the seller step by step and gain the seller's trust by offering 'monthly subscription' or continuous orders, and then they ask us to log in to their ID. "A fraud victim told China Business News.

On June 5, reporters saw on social media Xiaohongshu, Douyin and second-hand goods trading platform Xianyu that there are still a large number of Apple users providing "Smart Island" screenshot services.

▲Xianyu’s service regarding “Smart Island” screenshots

The "Smart Island" of Apple's mobile phone is an elliptical and rectangular interactive interface located on the "bangs" of the iPhone. This function can be understood as an "information notification center" for a mobile phone. Apple has introduced this feature since the iPhone 14 Pro series models. In the entire series of iPhone 15 products released subsequently, Apple directly canceled the "notch screen" and replaced it with "Smart Island".

As time goes by, the service of "paid for purchasing Smart Island screenshots" gradually appeared on major social network platforms. Many users of new Apple mobile phones charge others for the service of helping others capture mobile phone pictures with "Smart Island" on them.

"Because the 'Smart Island' can only be found in Apple's relatively new models, everyone initially wanted to find friends who have the latest models to take screenshots and post them on Moments, but I don't know when this started to change. It has become a paid service," an Apple user told reporters.

The reporter noticed that the quotation system of the "Smart Island" service has been very detailed. A tweet from a Xiaohongshu blogger showed that the prices for screenshots of "Smart Island" for different Apple phone models vary, and can be offered as a "weekly" or "monthly" subscription, with prices ranging from 5 yuan to 100 yuan. There are even Xianyu users who provide mobile phone screen recording services with Smart Island interface, and the price is calculated in seconds.

▲An article about screenshots of "Smart Island" on Xiaohongshu

An Apple user who can provide screenshot services told reporters that he is a college student and opened related services on Xianyu after being introduced by a friend. "They told me this is quite popular right now. So I wanted to try it and see if I could make some pocket money."

During the interview, the reporter found that many users who provided the "Smart Island" screenshot service mainly did so for the purpose of "following the trend of the topic" and "hoping to make a little money." In addition, most users who provided screenshots said they did not understand the fraud behind it, and even fewer people knew how to unlock their phones after being locked by the other party. Only some users knew the specifics of Apple's "Lost Mode" function.

Behind the "Smart Island" screenshots, when the seller logs in to the fraudster's Apple ID as required, the fraudster will use the "Lost Mode" function of the Apple phone to operate remotely. The reporter learned that the original intention of designing "lost mode" for Apple mobile phones was to prevent others from further expanding the losses after picking up the user's lost mobile phone and performing operations involving the owner's property. This feature allows owners to remotely lock devices logged in with a specific Apple ID.

"After the phone was locked, I was panicked and didn't know how to unlock it through other methods, so I had to pay the other party." An Apple user told reporters.

In response to the recent scam using "Smart Island" screenshots, the reporter called Apple customer service on the 5th. Apple’s official customer service told reporters that they have learned about and received similar scams that have occurred recently.

"If the phone is logged into someone else's account and someone else's device is locked, it can be unlocked. There are two situations. If the locked person is an acquaintance, we will give priority to letting the acquaintance unlock it on their own initiative. If it is a special situation, For example, in a situation similar to the screenshot of 'Smart Island', it is recommended that the owner contact the official customer service to unlock the device. The customer service needs to provide the device identification code and proof of purchase of the device, such as invoice, product packaging box, three-pack card in the box, etc., before verifying the device and After remembering the identity, we can help unlock it," the other party said.

In addition, the customer service staff also told reporters that in recent years, fraud methods similar to the "Lingdong Island" screenshot incident have emerged one after another, "for example, telling the other party that you can recharge in-game purchases with the original price of 648 yuan for 500 yuan, thereby asking for the other party's Apple ID. The form of fraud has changed. Various. "In response to such incidents, the customer service staff told reporters that they can also provide the official customer service with chat records between themselves and the fraudsters to supplement the evidence.

A long-term user of Apple mobile phones told reporters that Apple mobile phone accounts are highly bound to hardware devices for security reasons. However, once the account is abnormal, it will have a great impact on Apple users' hardware use. A big problem, which also provides speculators with the possibility of "taking advantage of the loopholes".

Recently, the Linyi City Joint Conference Office on Combating and Controlling New Illegal Crimes of Telecommunications Network Fraud reminded many users through SMS channels that some people rent out their iPhone accounts to fraudsters and use FaceTime to initiate video calls to Apple iPhone users. Pretending to be "WeChat, e-commerce" customer service, etc., made up various excuses to induce transfers, and committed fraud. According to the "Anti-Telecommunications and Internet Fraud Law of the People's Republic of China", anyone who rents out Apple mobile phone accounts or helps fraudsters make FaceTime calls will be subject to administrative detention or fines by the public security organs. If the circumstances are serious, criminal liability will be pursued.

The office advises citizens not to rent out their iPhone accounts. Whether you log in to someone else's Apple account or lend your account to others, the user's personal privacy and data security will be threatened, and Apple ID needs to be managed well.