Russia's Crime Threat Forecasting and Public Safety Risk Center under the Legal Statistics and Special Records Committee of the Prosecutor General's Office warns of a new online scam targeting cloud service users.

Fake iCloud alerts trick users into handing over personal data

According to foreign sources, fraudsters are mass-sending fake emails, SMS messages, and notifications to iPhone users, falsely claiming their iCloud storage is full.

The alerts warn of account suspension and potential deletion of photos, videos, and documents.

The messages closely mimic official notifications from major cloud platforms, creating a false sense of authenticity and pressuring users into action.

To heighten urgency, victims are prompted to click a link to expand storage, update payment details, or restore access.

Clicking the link redirects users to a phishing site—a convincing replica of the real service—where entered logins, passwords, and banking information are harvested by cybercriminals.

Similar scams may target other cloud storage services, including Google Drive, Mail.ru Cloud, Yandex Disk, and others.

As this threat spreads, experts recommend:

• Avoid clicking links in SMS, emails, or messenger apps with "urgent" alerts;
• Check cloud storage status only through official apps or websites;
• Never enter logins, passwords, or banking details on third-party pages;
• Enable two-factor authentication on all cloud and email accounts;
• Use unique, strong passwords for different services;
• If hacking is suspected, immediately change passwords and terminate all active sessions.