Illinois Sheriff Warns Of Phone Scam

CHICAGO (AP) — A sheriff in Illinois is warning people about a sophisticated phone scam.

In a news release, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says residents are reporting that they are receiving an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be a representative of Apple Inc. warning them that their device or iCloud account has been compromised. The caller then asks for personal information such as passwords or usernames.

The calls that come from numbers including (800) 275-2273 and (703) 336-8450 appear legitimate because the residents' caller identification shows the calls are coming from Apple Customer Service or Apple Inc. But Dart says that Apple — which is aware of the scam — says that its service representatives never ask customers for such personal information over the phone.

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