HONG KONG, SEP 13, 2026 - A wave of credit card fraud struck Hong Kong residents shortly after pre-orders opened for Apple Inc’s new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models on Saturday evening, with numerous consumers reporting unauthorized transactions processed through the Apple Online Store.
The fraudulent activity began immediately following the official launch of pre-orders at 8:00 p.m. local time on September 12, 2026. Within hours, Hong Kong residents took to social media to report receiving bank notification alerts for high-value purchases of the latest flagship smartphones that they never authorized.
Victims reported that their credit card details were exploited to buy multiple units of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Several affected cardholders stated that transactions ranged from HK$10,000 ($1274.76) to over HK$30,000 ($3824.29) per incident.
Local law enforcement and major retail banking institutions in Hong Kong have begun receiving a surge of inquiries and formal fraud complaints. Representatives from several leading banks confirmed they are monitoring unusual transaction spikes tied to e-commerce electronics purchases, advising affected clients to immediately lock their cards, report the fraudulent charges, and file police reports.