Reddit Scam Pattern
Malicious apps and ads impersonating Apple services
3 reports · first seen 1 May 2026 · last seen 2 May 2026
Scammers use Google Ads, social media promotions and compromised devices to direct victims to fake Apple-branded pages or malware-laden apps. Victims are caught when they follow instructions to run scripts, install apps or click phishing links sent from trusted contacts.
How the scam works
Paid search and social ads drive traffic to malware downloads or credential-harvesting pages mimicking Apple services.
Brands impersonated
Member posts on Reddit (3)
- I lost my phone and my friends are getting messages from apple with links.
Following a lost phone, the victim's contacts began receiving Apple-branded phishing links while Find My showed the device as offline.
reddit · 1 May 2026 · phishing
- [US] WARNING: Fake Apple Mac "Storage Full" Google Ads spreading malware
Scammers use Google Ads targeting Mac storage keywords to direct users to a fake Apple site that instructs them to run malware via Terminal.
reddit · 29 Apr 2026 · phishing
- Tai Chi exercise apps!
A New Zealand fraud professional warned that apps tied to social media Tai Chi exercise ads contain malware granting scammers remote device access.
reddit · 29 Apr 2026 · other