MANY Shenzhen residents have received FaceTime video call requests from strange numbers or email accounts recently. Some worried that their Apple IDs might have been stolen, and wondered whether this was a new type of fraud, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

A citizen surnamed Wang said she received a FaceTime video call request under the name of an e-mail address last weekend. After she answered the call, something similar to an office wall appeared on the screen and she heard the audio of the Hong Kong Mark Six lottery. While the caller could not be seen, Wang was on the screen. She thought it was a marketing call and hung up. However, she became worried after she saw that a lot of friends had posted similar information on their WeChat Moments, saying that this was a new type of fraud that steals user IDs.

According to Yang Qibo, an expert from Tencent WeSecure, such video calls could not disclose a user’s ID directly. However, after verification, risks do exist as the user’s face can be recorded. It could be used in frauds that use apps or software that require face-recognition technology or to defraud acquaintances. For instance, criminals could use the stolen images to crack the face-recognition function in a payment software or to swindle a user’s friends and family out of their money.

Apple’s customer service staff said they had not yet received any customer complaints concerning fraud arising out of strange FaceTime video call requests.

The city’s anti-telecom fraud center said it would keep a close eye on the issue.

(Zhang Yu)