Email fraudsters are targeting Apple fans in a change of tactic from standard phishing attacks. Commonly bogus emails that form the basis of phishing attacks pose as security messages from online banks in an attempt to dupe a tiny proportion of recipients, who happen to be customers of the bank, into visiting a bogus site on handing over account information.

eBay account details are also often targeted in a similar way but the latest scam emails, sent out last weekend, target Apple IDs. Armed with an Apple ID and password, fraudsters have access to user's iTunes Music Store account and their AppleStore account, information that might allow them to buy computers, software, peripherals under a false identity.

The Apple phishing emails are another example of how email fraudsters are widening their targets and developing more sophisticated scams. Recently fraudsters have begun targeting scam emails rather than sending them out indiscriminately. They've also used data from other sources to lend credibility to their claims. For example, Reg readers have reported receiving "security check" emails purporting to come from Barclays and, in several other cases, Halifax that featured a recipient's genuine home address.

It unclear how fraudsters came by this information and in most cases the recipient didn't bank with the organisation concerned. In any case, the emails concerned led to bogus sites. This was easily apparent to our informants but might easily undo a less knowledgeable person.

Let's be careful out there. ®