Apple and Amazon users: Beware this new ‘unauthorized charge’ scam

It seems like hardly a month goes by without some new or increasingly frequent online scam trying to separate us from our money or data. In June, it was the so-called Apple High Alert scam. Now it’s a swindle using both Apple and Amazon as its facade. Here’s what you need to know about the Apple and Amazon “unauthorized charge” scam—and how to protect yourself. What is the Apple and Amazon “unauthorized charge” scam? The scam is a phishing scheme designed to get unsuspecting targets to hand over their personal details and/or money. Phishing is the practice scammers use to impersonate legitimate organizations in hopes of extracting sensitive information or payment details from you. The scam involves displaying a malicious pop-up in your browser that purports to be a notification from Apple or Amazon. The scam was recently highlighted by the cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes, which says the scam is delivered by compromised websites, browser redirects, or malicious ads that take a user to a website that looks like Apple’s or Amazon’s in the background. In the foreground, a pop-up will appear that matches the design language of Apple or Amazon. The pop-up warns that a suspicious pre-aut…