iTunes hacked to boost sales – (How to protect yourself)

What originally started as one lone app developer hacking in to users accounts to purchase his books/apps on the App Store, has now unveiled a much more widespread problem. First of all, it was brought to light that a certain software creator, Thuat Nguyen, was using other people’s accounts to get his software up the rankings in the iTunes virtual store. It was mostly books, and stories of people having a $200 bill on their credit/debit cards. What this meant in turn, was that the developer’s apps would climb higher and higher up the rankings giving it more exposure to the market, and making it more likely to receive more downloads. This particular character was removed from the store, as were all his apps.

After looking in to it a little deeper, The Next Web discovered that it was actually a huge issue, and not just with this single developer. For the past 4 weeks customers have been complaining of activity up to $600, all on apps, in Apple’s hugely popular online download store. Many people were leaving comments in iTunes itself complaining of their accounts being hacked, and that it was near impossible to speak with a Cupertino representative. With customers left disgruntled and frustrated, Jobs&Co don’t seem to have been doing enough to help the issue so far. Emails in many cases are unanswered, and when they are, it seems the company isn’t too keen on dishing out refunds. Instead the responses have mostly been for users to change their passwords. The pattern appears to be that a couple of cheap apps are bought, and then a more expensive (around $50) is purchased. .

So, here’s a few things you can do to protect yourself.

1. Change your password. It’s what Apple will tell you to do, and it does make sense. Changing your password often is the best way to stay safe, especially with your credit card details saved on the system.
2. Use gift cards. Another, slightly more patience testing way, is to remove your credit card details from iTunes and stick to just using Apple’s git cards.
3. Double check your iTunes purchases over the past month, just to make sure there’s nothing on there you haven’t spotted. If you notice some unfamiliar apps, contact Apple. (Hit this link or call 800-275-2273 and keep pressing 0 until you get to a real person).

Have you had any problems with iTunes security? Let me know, comment below or tweet @TiP_Cam

Via: The Next Web

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