Hackers hold Apple users’ iPhones, iPads and iPods ransom through Oleg Pliss scam

APPLE users have received sinister messages from a mysterious hacker named Oleg Pliss who held their devices ransom.

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SOME Apple users had a nightmare evening as hackers held their iPhones, iPads and other devices ransom.

An unknown number of Apple users throughout Australia received sinister messages from a mysterious hacker named Oleg Pliss that demanded $100 to unlock their devices.

The typical message read like this: “Device hacked by Oleg Pliss. For unlock device, you need send voucher code by 100 usd/eur (Moneypack/Ukash/PaySafeCard) to email: [e-mail] for unlock.”

Shannon Hampson, of Melbourne, was sent into a panic when the message popped up on her iPhone about 11.30pm.

The hackers triggered the phone’s lost mode and set a new passcode.

“I went into complete panic mode and went into the computer and changed all my passwords,” she told news.com.au.

Apple users are advised to change their passwords regularly to avoid hackers.

She spoke to Apple and it was diagnosed that someone had gained access to her device by hacking into her iCloud, Apple’s online storage system.

Ms Hampson, who works as a dispatcher for 000, was up until about 4am to fix the problem.

“It was a bit scary,” she said.

Those with compromised devices should contact Apple directly.

The technician Ms Hampson spoke to said Apple was aware of the security breach.

Website View News said users could fix the problem by taking the device out of lost mode through the Find My Phone app on a desktop computer.

There are more suggestions on the Apple Support Communities forum, where the same scammers have appear to have targeted dozens of others.

Ms Hampson advised Apple users to change their passwords regularly.

News.com.au sent questions to Apple about the hacking but it is yet to respond.

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Under attack … Apple iPhones in Australia were hacked overnight.