Apple was the world’s most imitated brand in the first quarter of the year, according to data.
The company’s name and brand were used more times than any other’s for phishing scams around the world in the first three months of this year, as governments warn consumers not to fall victim to scams from supposed real companies during the ongoing coronavirus.
Despite huge innovations in security, phishing remains common amongst cybercriminals, who use real-looking apps and websites to steal data and money from consumers.
Most scams take place through fraudulent links sent to users via email and SMS.
A new report from Checkpoint has suggested that phishing is the most popular cybercrime and that web-based attempts accounted for 59% of scams in the first quarter of the year.
Apple came out as the most-imitated brand, closely followed by the likes of eBay, PayPal, and Netflix.
Top phishing attacks in Q1 2020
Email (18% of attacks)
- Yahoo
- Microsoft
- Outlook
- Amazon
Web (59% of attacks)
- Apple
- Netflix
- PayPal
- eBay
Mobile (23% of attacks)
- Netflix
- Apple
- Chase
Top brands industries
- Technology
- Banking
- Media
In the fourth quarter of 2019, Apple was ranked in seventh place, but Checkpoint has suggested that the buzz around unreleased Apple products like new iPhones and iPads could be the reason for the increase in reported phishing scams involving the company.
The data also revealed that mobile-based phishing scams had grown in popularity in recent months as more consumers work from home and spend time on their smartphones during the coronavirus pandemic and that enjoy-at-home brands like Netflix had seen more scams.
Have you ever been sent a fake Apple email or text message? Know somebody who has fallen victim to a scam? Let us know on social media and check back soon for more.