Stolen swindle
Around 50,000 fraudulent iTunes accounts have apparently been put up for sale on China's answer to eBay called TaoBao.
The BBC reported that the accounts are linked to stolen credit cards and buyers of the iTunes accounts are promised temporary access to unlimited downloads for a tiny 1 yuan or 10p.
Apple has so far kept tight lipped about the report but has recently advised users of its music and film download site to step up their security after a number of iTunes break-ins.
Auntie said that some of the ads on TaoBao tell prospective buyers they can download ‘anything they like' from iTunes including games, films and music, while several reportedly warn that the accounts will probably only work for around 12 hours before they are shut down.
The BBC first picked up the story from China's Global Times, which reported that one of the sellers had admitted to stealing. The thief reportedly said: "Of course these accounts are hacked, otherwise how could they be so cheap?"
It is not known whether the accounts themselves were nicked or if they were set up fraudulently using stolen information. Whatever the case, people are not allowed to resell user identities for iTunes.
In recent times iTunes seems to have acted as a magnet for fraudsters. Previously some users have seen crazy bills racked up after an email scam that hit PayPal and iTunes.
TaoBao told the Beeb it didn't have to remove the listings on its site as it had not received any complaints directly. It reportedly said: "We take all reasonable and necessary measures to protect the rights of consumers who use Taobao, of our sellers and of third-parties. Until we receive a valid takedown request, we cannot take action."
Tao Bao is China's answer to eBay and is believed to have over 200 million users, selling around £38bn worth of goods last year.
