{
  "id": 15562921,
  "title": "Credit card fraud reports over iPhone Duo pre-orders jump to 130 cases, police say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/credit-card-fraud-reports-over-iphone-duo-pre-orders-jump-to-130",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T05:23:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post-hong-kong",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371354/credit-card-fraud-reports-over-iphone-duo-pre-orders-jump-130-cases-police-say"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong police have reported a surge in unauthorized credit card transactions related to pre-orders for the new iPhone Duo, with 130 cases amounting to HK$5 million (US$637,100) brought to their attention over the weekend. A police spokesman revealed that, as of 9am on Monday, they had received 130 reports of fraudulent credit card transactions for smartphones, totaling HK$5 million. Initially classified as \"obtaining property by deception,\" these cases are now being probed by the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau. Earlier this week, the police had alerted the public of suspicious pre-order credit card purchases made for the foldable iPhone Duo, which began online on Friday at 8pm. Apple had opted not to activate 3D Secure (3DS), a security feature meant to authenticate buyer identity during online transactions, despite receiving advice from the police. The police expressed grave concern over Apple's lack of compliance with its corporate responsibilities, potentially enabling criminals to exploit unsuspecting customers. Apple's spokesperson stated on Saturday that all iPhone Duo orders were being scrutinized before processing, and the company was actively working to pinpoint and cancel any fraudulent transactions. When asked about the police's earlier criticism and whether it would activate 3DS on Monday, Apple reiterated its previous stance, stating it had no further comments to make. The weekend marked the second instance within a month where iPhone launches have been marred by widespread fraud reports. Police noted they are still investigating 1,572 complaints of suspicious credit card transactions associated with the iPhone 18 Pro series, which were available for pre-order on September 12, totaling over HK$31 million.",
  "summary": "Hong Kong police have received nearly 20 more reports of unauthorised credit card transactions for iPhone Duo pre-orders over the weekend, bringing the total amount involved to HK$5 million (US$637,100). A police spokesman said that, as of 9am on Monday, the force had received 130 reports of unauthorised credit card transactions for smartphones amounting to HK$5 million. The cases were…",
  "key_points": [
    "130 unauthorized credit card transactions reported for iPhone Duo pre-orders",
    "HK$5 million (US$637,100) in fraudulent transactions over the weekend",
    "Police criticize Apple for not activating 3D Secure on iPhone Duo"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Apple's decision to forgo standard transaction authentication features leaves customers vulnerable to organized theft during high-demand product launches, repeating a pattern of security failures seen in recent smartphone releases.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Credit card fraud reports over iPhone Duo pre-orders jump to 130 cases, police say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/credit-card-fraud-reports-over-iphone-duo-pre-orders-jump-to-130-15565641",
        "published": "2026-10-19T05:23:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}