Readers Beware: Some App Store Users Receiving Fake Emails From Apple

Apple has recently started to rollout some added security measures for your Apple ID, but there is still a lot to look out for. The folks over at iDownloadBlog are reporting that some users are receiving fake emails that are claiming to be from Apple. The email in question, which is apparently sent from "no_reply@apple.com," asks the recipient to download The Tribez HD (free). Strangely, the download link in the email takes you on a short ride before reaching The Tribez HD in the App Store; first to http://hastrk2.com/pub_c?adgroup_id=3513, which then redirects you to a subdomain of mobileapptracking.com, and finally to the App Store. In iDB's research, they discovered that the hastrk2 domain belongs to a company called Adapp Solutions, which runs mobileapptracking.com. Sound suspicious? Adapp Solutions describes their objectives as such:

Even as the online advertising industry continues to grow, too many participants are forced to use software that doesn’t match up to the quality of their business. Adapp – made up of a core team of highly successful former affiliate marketers – was founded on the simple idea that giving ad network managers and affiliates themselves complete control over every aspect of their application was the best approach. If you are interested in our product you can find it at www.hasoffers.com

After a search of Adapp Solutions, iDB discovered a Ripoff report that sheds a little more light on Adapp Solutions:

This company is ripping off their customers.  They aren’t paying successful advertisers, and they are using illegal practices to cheat customers.  They are using automated tools to to record fake traffic, making their advertisers pay for hits that are not coming from real people.  If you do some searched (sic) for the various names that they operate under, you will find that they are already involved in a number of lawsuits for ripping people off.  If you are involved in any type of Internet advertising as an advertiser, publisher or affiliate, make sure you are getting paid where payment is due, and you are not getting ripped off by paying for fake traffic! Adapp Solutions, which also operates under the name Tatto Media, has already been fined by the Washington State Attorney General one case, and is being investigated in additional cases in Washington, Massachusetts, and possibly other states as well?

So, while none of this poses any apparent danger to your personal information, as the spam email doesn't require you input any of your App Store credentials, you can't help but wonder how these companies acquired these Apple IDs to begin with, or what the true motive is behind these emails. In any case, be careful when opening suspicious emails or providing your Apple ID credentials when you normally wouldn't. Check your address bars vigilantly! Apple has been alerted about emails, and hopefully, more answers will be available soon. (via iDownloadBlog)

 

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