If you get a random DocuSign email out of nowhere from someone you don’t know, don’t sign it.
Per AppleInsider, scammers have begun sending fake DocuSign emails that appear to show charges from major companies, including Apple, in an attempt to catch users off guard. Some of the messages look like billing receipts for recent Apple Pay purchases, with the emails claiming a subscription has been charged to your account and includes a phone number to call if it wasn’t you.
As such, don’t call the number or click on any links within the email, as this will connect you to scammers posing as support agents. These messages also use Apple’s branding and are framed as DocuSign alerts, complete with a fake order ID, a charge total, and language meant to create urgency. The entire setup is designed to get you to react quickly and call. The purported orders can be for something recognizable, such as a Netflix subscription, with the email stating that the payment went through Apple Pay and that a document is ready to view on DocuSign.
The email may include a security code to “access” the file, which helps make it look more official. That alone is a red flag, and another is the support number, which often appears as “1-804-390-9231.”
The sender name may also contain odd characters, like a Cyrillic “B” in “Billing,” to evade spam filters and make the email harder to block.
The scam itself works by prompting the user to call a company that the user believes is Apple’s support division or a support division from a trustworthy company. Once on the phone, the purported representative might ask for personal details, passwords, or remote access to your device. Some demand payment to “secure” your account. Once access is gained, they can lock you out, steal information, or initiate fraudulent transactions.
These scams can often be spotted by checking for the following details:
- The sender isn’t from an official company domain.
- The receipt is delivered through DocuSign, which Apple, Netflix and others, don’t use.
- The message creates artificial urgency to push you into calling.
- The support number isn’t listed on the company’s website.
- The charge doesn’t show up in your App Store or Wallet history.
Always remember that legitimate billing emails won’t ask you to call a phone number. If something seems off, log into your Apple ID and check recent transactions in the Settings app on your devices.
The cool cats at AppleInsider have also published the following tips to avoid support scams:
- If you get one of these emails, don’t click anything or call the number. Delete the message and report it.
- To report Apple-related scams, forward the email to [email protected]. If the message came through DocuSign, send it to [email protected].
- To verify any real charges, open the App Store or Wallet app on your device. You can also check your account directly at support.apple.com.
- Scammers often target Apple users because of the trust built around Apple services and branding. Combining that with DocuSign, which is commonly used for secure documents, makes the scam more believable.
- Email from Apple discussing an invoice and Docusign process, including instructions and links. Displayed on an iPad screen with signal and battery indicators.
As always, be careful out there, and if something feels off, don’t hesitate to delete the email. Speaking from personal experience, these people will never stop, and it costs them next to nothing to send out millions of scam emails every day. Be prepared for what’s out there, don’t call the phone numbers, and you should be ok.
Via AppleInsider
