Apple HK reviews iPhone 18 pre-orders amid widespread credit card fraud reports

Apple Hong Kong is working to identify and cancel any potentially fraudulent transactions swiftly after police received more than 700 reports of unauthorized credit-card purchases in the city.

The situation unfolded over the weekend, as numerous Hongkongers reported receiving alerts for unauthorized credit card transactions linked to the pre-order for the newly launched iPhone 18 Pro series.

According to police, more than 700 reports of suspected stolen credit card information used for online smartphone purchases have been filed, with total losses estimated at around HK$14.7 million. The largest reported case involved HK$114,000 in losses.

In response to media queries, Apple said it will review all incoming orders before processing. The company is currently identifying and canceling any suspected fraudulent transactions. 

Speaking on a radio program on Monday, lawmaker Johnny Ng Kit-chong said he believed hackers had already obtained large amounts of citizens’ credit-card data and were attempting to profit during the launch of the new smartphone model.

Regarding complaints from internet users who said they placed a single order but later discovered multiple orders had been submitted, Ng suggested it was more likely related to a platform system malfunction—for example, a customer clicking the “place order” button multiple times, inadvertently generating duplicate orders.

He further suggested that Apple may have temporarily disabled the 3D Secure (3DS) extra authentication protocol to reduce server load and shorten waiting times during peak demand.

While Ng noted that unfulfilled orders and pending bank settlements could help limit overall losses, he emphasized the need for organizations managing large databases to bolster protections against data leaks.

Regarding liability, Ng cited Hong Kong Monetary Authority guidelines, saying that if a vendor suspends extra authentication for operational reasons, the merchant should bear full responsibility and financial liability for any resulting fraudulent transactions.

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