Cybercriminals have initiated deceptive online marketing campaigns aimed at consumers eager to acquire Apple’s latest iPhone Duo.
These scams employ fabricated discounts, fraudulent preorders, and misleading websites to capture personal data, thereby endangering individuals to potential financial exploitation.
Kaspersky, a prominent cybersecurity firm, reported a surge in scam attempts across various regions in the wake of Apple’s inaugural foldable smartphone launch.
The perpetrators are taking advantage of the heightened consumer interest in accessing this luxurious device ahead of others.
Among the fraudulent websites detected, one English-language site touted a 25% discount on the iPhone Duo, meticulously mimicking Apple’s aesthetic to lend an air of authenticity to the promotion.
This misleading platform included a countdown timer that suggested the offer would vanish in 30 minutes, a strategy engineered to induce urgency, thereby pressuring customers into finalizing purchases without proper verification of the vendor’s legitimacy.
During the checkout process, the site solicited buyers’ contact information and shipping details but refrained from immediately requesting credit card information.
Instead, it falsely assured individuals that a representative would later reach out to finalize delivery and payment specifics.
Kaspersky cautioned that this methodology might signify the preliminary phase of a more extensive fraud operation, granting criminals the opportunity to gather personal data before executing further attempts to extract financial or sensitive information.
The firm also uncovered multilingual fraudulent sites offering preorders, allowing users to choose their preferred language and, in select cases, currency.
One such site claimed that customers would be redirected to Apple’s official platform to complete their transactions, yet this promised navigation never occurred, further revealing the fraudulent intent behind the operation.
In another initiative targeting Portuguese-speaking users, a counterfeit site demanded email addresses and mobile numbers under the pretense of verifying product availability, with the intention of steering potential buyers into private messaging discussions.
A report on the Brazilian scheme indicated that WhatsApp was employed as a channel to establish direct contact with victims, where swindlers could manipulate them into executing financial transfers to fraudulent accounts.
Olga Altukhova, Senior Web Content Analyst at Kaspersky, remarked that the excitement surrounding the launch of flagship devices often presents cybercriminals with an opportune moment to exploit consumers’ eagerness to invest in innovative products.
“Scammers act swiftly when a flagship device debuts, as the resulting hype engenders urgency, which in turn diminishes caution,” she stated.
Altukhova emphasized that these campaigns are meticulously crafted to appear credible, ultimately coaxing targets into private interactions where verification becomes significantly more challenging.
She further indicated that consumers purchasing premium devices are particularly appealing to fraudsters, as their propensity to invest considerable sums renders them more vulnerable to disclosing personal or payment-related data.
The recent fraud campaigns echo similar dubious activities noted during the unveiling of Apple’s iPhone 17 in September 2025, when Kaspersky detected counterfeit websites, false lottery schemes, and fraudulent product-tester recruitment processes aimed at gathering users’ personal and financial information.
In prior schemes, victims were lured with the promise of preordering devices before stock depletion, while others were enticed with offers of complimentary smartphones via online lotteries that demanded participants to provide personal data and pay alleged delivery charges.
The recurrence of these schemes underscores how cybercriminals exploit consumer enthusiasm surrounding newly launched technologies, masking deceitful transactions behind familiar brand identities and attractive offers.
Kaspersky recommends that consumers only procure new devices from official retailers and trusted stores, while diligently scrutinizing website URLs and potential misspellings in domain names prior to divulging personal information.
The firm also advises the public to be wary of dubious discounts and preorder propositions, employ security solutions capable of flagging fraudulent websites, and consider using virtual cards or dedicated payment services for online purchases.
Additionally, it is prudent to enable multi-factor authentication on financial applications and online accounts, as well as to regularly audit bank statements for unauthorized transactions.
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