Terry KS As Apple opens preorders for the iPhone 17, Kaspersky reports a surge in scams using fake websites, bogus lotteries, and “tester” schemes to steal personal and financial data. Experts urge consumers to stay vigilant and buy only from official channels.
MALAYSIA, 19 SEPTEMBER 2025 – The global excitement surrounding Apple’s iPhone 17 launch has triggered a wave of online scams, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. Fraudsters are leveraging the hype with counterfeit websites, fake lotteries, and deceptive “tester” programs, all designed to harvest sensitive personal and financial information.
One widespread scheme involves fraudulent websites that mimic Apple’s official store. These sites offer preorder options for the iPhone 17 “before it sells out,” but instead capture users’ banking details during checkout.
Scammers are also circulating bogus lotteries and “celebration gift” campaigns, promising free iPhones in exchange for completing surveys and submitting personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers. Many of these scams request delivery fees, and even feature fabricated user reviews to create a false sense of legitimacy.
Another tactic exploits consumer curiosity with “tester” recruitment programs. These fake opportunities lure participants with early access promises but ultimately lead to stolen data, delivery fee losses, and spam or phishing attempts.
“Cybercriminals thrive on the excitement of major product launches, turning consumer enthusiasm into a gateway for data breaches. We’ve seen these tactics evolve from crude phishing to highly polished sites that can look authentic,” said Tatyana Shcherbakova, Web Content Analyst at Kaspersky.
Kaspersky advises consumers to purchase only from Apple’s official website, authorized retailers, or verified carriers; verify URLs before making transactions; avoid sharing sensitive details for giveaways; and enable multi-factor authentication while monitoring accounts for suspicious activity.