It's widely anticipated that, at some point this year, Apple will announce the iPhone 5.
What it will look like, and what new features or technology it will include, remains a closely-guarded secret in Cupertino - not that that is going to stop Apple websites and fanboys speculating rapidly.
But if you're a scammer you don't need to wait for an official launch from Apple. You can start using the mythical iPhone 5 as bait right now.
Take this scam, for instance, which we have seen on Tumblr.
Tumblr Staff blog
Sponsor Apple Computer, Inc
Promotion iPhone 5We are happy to announce that Tumblr and Apple have joined together in a promotion to giveaway FREE iPhone 5's to each one of our users!
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO GET YOUR OWN
Be sure to reblog this post so that others will have the same opportunity to get their own phone. Nothing better than starting your day off with a gift from us. We hope you enjoy!
Wow! Is that really true? That every user of Tumblr can claim a free iPhone 5? That would be pretty big news if it were true (and a strange marketing move by Apple).
Of course, the message is not true, and the post isn't really by Tumblr's staff.
If you click on the link you are taken to a scam webpage that breathlessly claims that the new iPhone 5 includes:
- Increased Display with 3D graphics
- 4G Capabilities
- Increased Battery Life
- 8-megapixel Camera
- FaceTime over Cellular Network
But they'll put the pressure on you if you're not tempted and try to browse away from the page, displaying warnings that if you don't take the five minute survey, you'll be missing out on the chance of receiving Apple's latest gadget.
The scammers want you to enter your email and other personal information. You have no way of telling what they're going to do with it, but don't be surprised if you're spammed in the future or subscribed against your wishes to a premium rate mobile phone service.
Scammers don't need to wait for the iPhone 5 to be released - they can start using it as bait right now.
Follow @gcluley
I know better to accept an offer like this which is a total hoax the scammers are always after your mobile number to just scam you and I just find it astounding that Apple hasnt gone after these people like what Facebook did to Adscend Media to cut the click and like jacking pages...Apple should do the same to these people because I suspect in the next few years maybe 3 to 5 years from now Apple will announce the iPhone 5 but for now it doesnt exist its just a photo edited iPhone 4 with a larger screen thats what the image is showing there and if I find anything odd with the site I close it and get on with my web browsing
Excellent point. Apple is so keen to sue Samsung, or anyone else releasing a tablet device, claiming copyright infringement, but seems to do absolutely nothing to prevent scammers hijacking their products in order to rip people off. Methinks someone's got their corporate priorities all arse about.
3 to 5 years??? Er no, this year!
Well thats what I think they usually bring that stuff out every few years at least I am going on projections okay all I say is that I am guessing when it might be released if ever Steve Jobs was the mastermind behind it all and with him gone I am not sure really but it was a total guess
There is more to this one than Tumblr is letting on. The posts are obviously spam. So, I did *not* open one. I did *not* click on the link. Yet, floods of these posts started appearing in my blog as though they were posted by me. I changed my password, and they stopped. Hmm, what to think? This certainly has the appearance that some bot was using my password to post to my blog. A compromised password DB?
If anyone is stupid enough to fall for this, they are obviously too stupid to use Facebook
It's just a theory I have, but I'm not sure it's possible to be too stupid to use Facebook.
It's a con. I doubt the scammers revealed anything about the iPhone 5 that we didn't already know.