Published 2026-04-10 by James Maxwell
A sophisticated new Apple Pay scam is targeting UK iPhone users by tricking them into calling back fake Apple numbers, then talking them through handing over payment access. This isn’t a phishing email you can ignore — it’s a voice call, and it’s working.
The scam is a vishing attack (voice phishing) that impersonates Apple’s fraud team. Victims receive what looks like a legitimate Apple security alert, are told their Apple Pay account has been compromised, and are urged to call a number to resolve it. That number connects them to fraudsters who then walk them through “verification” steps that actually grant access to their Apple Wallet and linked bank accounts.
This matters because Apple Pay is now one of the most widely used contactless payment methods in the UK. According to Statista, over 21 million people in the UK used mobile payment services in 2024, with Apple Pay holding the largest share among iPhone users. The attack surface is enormous, and the scam is specifically designed to exploit the trust Apple has built around its payment security reputation.
The fraud works partly because Apple’s genuine security communications can include automated calls. Scammers mimic that format precisely. When someone sounds like they’re reading from a script and references your real account details (often sourced from earlier data breaches), the call feels legitimate.
The security tools fighting back against this kind of fraud are built into the devices and operating systems you already own. Apple’s own Lockdown Mode, introduced in iOS 16 and still present in iOS 17 and 18, is the most aggressive protection available on an iPhone — though it’s designed for high-risk individuals rather than everyday users, as it disables significant app functionality.
For most people, the practical protection comes from a combination of hardware and software. Apple’s iPhone 15 range (starting at £699 at the time of writing, compared to £599 for the iPhone 14 when it launched) includes on-device fraud detection features within the Secure Enclave chip. Google’s Pixel 9 (from £799 at Google Store) takes a similar approach with its Titan M2 security chip and has added AI-powered scam call detection in the Phone app, which flags suspicious calls in real time , a feature Apple has not yet matched on iOS.
Third-party apps are also worth considering. Truecaller’s premium tier (£1.99/month) identifies and blocks known scam numbers before you pick up. That’s a small outlay compared to the average £1,200 lost per victim in authorised push payment fraud cases, according to UK Finance’s 2024 annual fraud report.
Shoppers weighing up which iPhone to buy right now should look at iOS 18’s built-in security features as part of the value equation, not just the camera or chip speed.
Feature | iPhone 15 (£699) | iPhone 14 (£599 refurb) | Pixel 9 (£799) |
|---|---|---|---|
On-device payment security chip | Secure Enclave | Secure Enclave | Titan M2 |
Scam call detection | Basic (no AI flagging) | Basic (no AI flagging) | AI real-time flagging |
Apple Pay / Google Pay | Apple Pay | Apple Pay | Google Pay |
Lockdown Mode | Yes (iOS 18) | Yes (iOS 17) | N/A |
The Pixel 9’s AI call screening is the standout difference here. It actively warns you during a call if the conversation matches known scam patterns , something Apple’s current iOS build does not do. If scam call protection is a priority (and after this wave of Apple Pay fraud, it should be), Google’s approach is more proactive. That said, if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem with AirPods, an Apple Watch, and iCloud storage, switching to Android carries real switching costs beyond the price tag.
Refurbished iPhone 14 models from certified resellers like Back Market (from around £399) and Apple’s own Certified Refurbished store (from £499) offer a cheaper entry point to the same Secure Enclave protection. The security fundamentals are the same; what you lose is the latest chip and camera improvements.
Watch for Apple’s response in iOS 18.5 and beyond. The company has faced public pressure to add AI-driven scam detection similar to Google’s, and given the scale of this fraud wave, an announcement at WWDC 2026 (expected June) is plausible. If Apple does ship scam call detection natively, it would ly change the buying calculus between iPhone and Pixel for security-conscious shoppers.
Also watch the UK regulatory picture. The Payment Systems Regulator introduced mandatory reimbursement rules for authorised push payment fraud in October 2024, requiring banks to refund victims up to £85,000. That rule applies to bank transfers, not always to Apple Pay transactions processed differently , a gap that consumer groups including Which? have flagged as unresolved. How that gap is closed (or not) will affect how much financial risk you carry as an Apple Pay user.
Finally, keep an eye on whether major UK retailers start offering device security bundles at point of sale. Several network operators, including EE and O2, already include identity protection services with some phone contracts. That bundling trend is likely to accelerate as fraud volumes rise.
At £699, the iPhone 15 is the sensible current buy for Apple Pay security, but it costs £100 more than the iPhone 14 without adding ly better fraud protection , the Secure Enclave chip does the same job in both.
Best place to buy: Apple’s Certified Refurbished store , refurbished iPhone 14 models from £499 carry a one-year warranty, the same Secure Enclave protection, and avoid the grey-market risk of cheaper third-party resellers.
vs. the main rival: The Pixel 9 at £799 beats every current iPhone on scam call detection thanks to its AI-powered Phone app screening, making it the stronger choice if fraud protection is your primary concern rather than ecosystem loyalty.
Our take: Buy the device you already trust, but add Truecaller (£1.99/month) immediately , and never, under any circumstances, call back a number from an unsolicited security alert, regardless of how official it looks.
Check current iPhone and security app pricing across UK retailers at Shopping.co.uk
Will Apple ever call me about Apple Pay fraud?
Apple’s official guidance is clear: the company will never call you unsolicited about a security issue. Any call claiming to be from Apple’s fraud team and asking you to take action should be ended immediately. You can verify your account status by going directly to appleid.apple.com.
Does Apple Pay reimburse fraud victims?
This depends on how the fraud occurred. If a scammer gains access to your Apple Pay and makes unauthorised transactions, your bank’s standard fraud protection should apply. However, if you were socially engineered into authorising payments yourself, the rules are more complicated. Contact your bank directly and report the fraud to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk).
Is the Pixel 9’s scam call detection available in the UK?
Yes. Google confirmed UK availability of its AI-powered scam call detection feature in the Phone app as part of the Pixel 9 launch in 2024. It works on-device without sending call audio to Google’s servers, per Google’s privacy documentation.
Should I use a third-party app like Truecaller?
Truecaller’s free tier flags known scam numbers. The premium tier (£1.99/month, or roughly £24/year) adds real-time call screening. Given that the average loss in an Apple Pay-related fraud case can run to hundreds or thousands of pounds, the cost is modest protection , though you should review Truecaller’s data-sharing practices before installing it.