I won an iPod from Apple, or did I?
Hey, I think I just tone one of the iPod minis for purchasing a song at one of the 100,000 marks. Way cool.
However, the very paranoid person in me is just a little unsure. I bought the song yesterday and did my best at purchasing it based on the count up clock on Apple's home page. So, it all make sense I won 8) I got an e-mail saying I won and they want me to sign a form with my social security number and address. It makes all good sense that when you win something that they want the information as well as my signature that I'm not associated with Apple etc etc. I just get so many scams a day in my in-box that I worry that I'm being phished.
Am I paranoid? Has anyone else won something from Apple or got a scam e-mail from itunes?
However, the very paranoid person in me is just a little unsure. I bought the song yesterday and did my best at purchasing it based on the count up clock on Apple's home page. So, it all make sense I won 8) I got an e-mail saying I won and they want me to sign a form with my social security number and address. It makes all good sense that when you win something that they want the information as well as my signature that I'm not associated with Apple etc etc. I just get so many scams a day in my in-box that I worry that I'm being phished.
Am I paranoid? Has anyone else won something from Apple or got a scam e-mail from itunes?
Comments
Thanks!
I'd say call them and try to connect with someone who can verify the e-mail was from them. If it was, give your info over the phone if you're comfortable with that.
Originally posted by Carson O'Genic
Hey, I think I just tone one of the iPod minis for purchasing a song at one of the 100,000 marks. Way cool.
However, the very paranoid person in me is just a little unsure. I bought the song yesterday and did my best at purchasing it based on the count up clock on Apple's home page. So, it all make sense I won 8) I got an e-mail saying I won and they want me to sign a form with my social security number and address. It makes all good sense that when you win something that they want the information as well as my signature that I'm not associated with Apple etc etc. I just get so many scams a day in my in-box that I worry that I'm being phished.
Am I paranoid? Has anyone else won something from Apple or got a scam e-mail from itunes?
Call Apple, they have your phone # with your account so they should call AND email...but if they want you to reply in E-MAIL with the info, I say no, the risk is greater than the reward...but if it is a secure (128 SSL) site on the apple.com domain...it is likely lagit, although I would still call, they shouldnt need your SSN...
EDIT: they probably run the SSN to make sure you arent employeed by Apple/partners
Originally posted by Kickaha
They also need the SSN to report the winnings to the IRS for tax purposes.
True, but in this day and age what company in their right mind would want them in an e-mail...if I weregoing to the trouble of a contest like this, I would toss up an encrypted page and for good mesure, have the winner type a confermation ID from the email.
$250 value of the iPOD does not have to be reported to IRS. Too little.
I would not, however, send my SSN over e-mail, even after a thorough check of the headers and 128 bit encryption I am to paranoid now adays.
Update: I'm actully beleiveing I did win this thing-cool beans.
I googled the Fax number they gave me (to fax the signed form with the SS# - not e-mail) and the only link that came up was an Apple site (off firewire.org not apple.com). The site was for promoting iTunes song giveaways for corporations, they had to fax their forms in to the same number. So I think this sounds authentic enough for me. It's either an Apple number or the scam artists own firewire.org and have a really good Apple site up on their server.
I also e-mailed them with my color choice and work mailing address and requested some confrimation that this is legit. They replied with a phone number and person I can call to talk to. I may still do that on Monday, but I think the google results put most of my paranoid nightmares to rest.
I really should just enjoy the moment.
Not that I want to give the bad guys any more ideas, but if you have a few million e-mail addresses at your finger tips you can just fake an Apple e-mail and form and phish away. Your bound to hit some people that had bought some songs on iTunes and they think they win and send you there SS#, name, address, phone number and signature.
So Congrats on your iPod
What color did you get?
I recently got an SMS from cingular saying that they received my rebate form. It was a nice surprise and gave me warm fuzzies, a rare thing especially from a cell carrier.
Originally posted by Mount_my_floppy
I just ran a whois on firewire.org just to double check and it appears to have been registered by Apple by the same registrar as apple.com.
So Congrats on your iPod
What color did you get?
Thanks for checking!
I'm getting green. I already own a 10Gb model that keeps me happy and just three weeks ago I bought my wife a 6Gb mini for her birthday. So get this act of decadence: I'm going to give the new mini to my 8 year old daughter! Spoiled brat. She doesn't know it yet and we're making her work for it. She has to earn 100 points (randomly given out by her overlord parents) to get something really cool that is a surprise. She also has to learn her multiplication tables up to 12 x 12 to her Father's satisfaction. Thanks Apple for furthering my daughter's eductation!
Originally posted by DHagan4755
I just saw what the grand prize is. Wow. Sweet. But after some thought, other than the 10,000 song gift certificate, I think I would donate the rest to charity or work with Apple to donate it all to underpriveleged kids.
Or you could donate to underprivileged AI members. Good luck!
I think its pretty cool that they let you pick your color instead of just moving the slower selling models.
Originally posted by fahlman
Apple posted the winners.
Cool, my name up on apple.com. Off course this means that anyone on these forums who wants to know my real name can now figure it out. Guess I have to watch what i say in Political outsider a little more carefully.
Originally posted by Anders
What kind of name is that? And what awful music taste
Maybe his girlfriend likes the song. Maybe it's her button.
I used to date a chick that when I wore Drakkar Noir and a blue shirt couldn't keep her hands off of me. This was 15 years ago when I was in high school. A kid has to do what a kids has to do.
Originally posted by Anders
What kind of name is that? And what awful music taste
OK I was desperate to find a song to download since I saw the counter approaching a 100k mark. It is not my usual taste in music, butI'm having a weird pop music of the 80's phase. My standard fare is Marillion, Fish, Hot Tuna, various rock bands of the 70's and 80's (ok I'm getting old), and some Hawaiian bands.
I actually don't care if you like my taste or not, I'm use to being out in left field on musical taste, but what's wrong with my name?