Apple should bear responsibility for Hong Kong iPhone card fraud, lawmaker says

Hong Kong lawmaker Johnny Ng Kit-chong claims Apple should bear responsibility for over 700 unauthorized credit card transactions related to the recently released iPhone 18 Pro series. According to Ng, the incident is rare due to the large number of victims and the involvement of a platform operated by a major company like Apple. Police have received more than 700 reports of unauthorized transactions totaling approximately HK$14.7 million.

Ng suspects hackers may have stolen and stored credit card details over time, waiting for an opportunity to exploit the situation by placing multiple orders. He suggests Apple may have disabled multi-factor verification for credit card transactions to maintain smooth operations amidst heavy traffic, leaving a loophole for fraudsters. Ng also considers glitches in Apple's platform as the cause for some users who placed an order once but discovered multiple orders had been made.

Ng believes Apple should ultimately be held responsible for any losses, as the products have not been delivered yet. Banks should have withheld the funds involved. Hong Kong's major banks have reassured victims that they will not be held liable if the transactions are proven unauthorized.