Scam sites offering iPhone 18 Pro & Duo

With the latest Apple iPhone 18 pro & Duo released last Wednesday The Guardian has published an article highlighting hundreds of scam sites registered within a 24 hour window of the launch selling fake iPhones or non existent mobiles.

Apples latest releases including iPhone 18 Pro & Max, along with Apples first foldable iPhone Duo have starting prices at £1,199, the cry to scroll the internet to find the biggest and best deal is a realistic one. Scammers are all to aware of our urge to bargain hunt, and use this well practiced purchase technique against us. With searches including "Apple" and "iPhone" gaining huge traction for weeks after launch dates, scammers are moving quickly to catch those who are searching for a lower price.

The warning is simple: if a brand-new device is being offered for around £200 less than Apple’s official price, treat it with caution. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199 officially, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at £1,299. A small discount from a known retailer is possible. A large discount from a website you have never heard of is not plausible.

Check the price against Apple and known retailers

The fastest way to spot a suspicious offer is to compare the price with Apple and major UK retailers.

A saving of £200 may sound just low enough to feel believable, which is exactly why scammers use it.

Look for these warning signs:

• A large launch-week discount

  Brand-new devices are rarely heavily reduced straight away.

  
  

• Pressure to buy immediately

  Countdown timers, “only two left” warnings, and “today only” discounts are common scam tactics.

  
  

• No clear company details

  A real retailer should show a registered business name, contact details, returns policy, and delivery information.

  
  

• Poor spelling or odd wording

  One typo does not prove fraud, but repeated errors can be a clue.

  
  

• Prices that can change at checkout

  Watch for unexpected fees, forced add-ons, or a different payment amount.

Be suspicious of lotteries and tester offers

Apple does not run public lotteries giving away new phones, and it does not recruit random people online to test unreleased or newly launched devices in exchange for a small fee.

Prize messages and tester offers are common routes into phone scams.

Check how the site asks you to pay

Payment method is one of the clearest signs of risk.

Legitimate retailers usually offer more than one way to pay, including debit cards and credit cards. Some may also offer recognised payment services. Fraudulent sites often push methods that are harder to reverse.

Treat these as major red flags:

• Cryptocurrency payment only

  Crypto payments are difficult to recover and should ring alarm bells.

  
  

• Bank transfer to an individual

  A genuine retailer should not ask you to send money to a personal account.

  
  

This article was created for general information and consumer assistance, and is not considered financial advice.