Apple apologizes for Chinese account hacks

Apple apologizes to Chinese users from whom money has been stolen by hackers who misused their Apple IDs. The company acknowledges the problems, but stresses that only a small number of users have been affected.

Earlier this month, Alipay and Tencent Holdings warned that money had been stolen from their users by hackers who were abusing stolen Apple ID data. In some cases, more than 250 euros were captured. Alipay expressed strong criticism of Apple, by stating that it had contacted the company many times, but that the problems had not been solved. So now Apple acknowledges that the problem exists.

Small number of people affected

In a statement written by the Wall Street Journal, Apple states that the inconvenience caused to its customers is very inconvenient. But it thinks that only a small number of our users’ accounts have been affected by the problems. According to Apple, money could be stolen from users whose Apple account is linked to Tencent’s Alipay or WeChat Pay.

The accounts that have been stolen are then used within the App Store. Apple stated that users whose account information was stolen did not use two-step verification. Apple recommends that users add the extra layer of security to their accounts as soon as possible.

Unusual discussion

It is quite unusual for tech companies to act against each other in the media. Alipay and Tencent’s reports were therefore widely picked up in Chinese media, including state broadcaster CCTV. However, it is not entirely clear how the account data has been captured, although Apple writes that it is the consequences of a phishing attack.

Apple’s apologies follow a recent announcement that Apple has decided to fight Chinese fraudsters who make money by buying or stealing iPhones, replacing parts and then claiming that the devices are broken.