Apple crackdown on Bogus iTunes Gift Cards
Ever seen a $200 iTunes gift card offered for $2.60 on the Internet? Guess what? It's a scam.Not hard to believe, but shoppers have reported to Apple that their iTunes accounts are being disabled and they are are losing all iTunes Store purchases. These deeply discounted gift cards are said to been bought with a stolen or hacked credit card, according to stories on MacNN and The Washington Post's website.
An Apple spokesperson told The Post that that its support team will attempt to contact customers who have used these gift cards before their accounts are to be closed to give ample time to back up their iTunes files. The Washington Post said customers’ might have a difficult time requesting to reopen accounts. The Post writer found the following bit of legalese in the iTunesterms of service agreement, which gives Apple the right to close accounts: "Apple reserves the right to close customer accounts and request alternative forms of payment if a Gift Certificate, iTunes Card, Content Code or Allowance is fraudulently obtained or used on the iTunes Store."
The Post also suggests that buyers should be aware of the seller’s account history, their reviews, and so on, if they are buying discounted gift cards on a site like eBay. In addition, if the seller posts multiple cards on their for-sale list, the likelier they are to be fraudulent.
Via MacNN.
Via The Washington Post.