iTunes gift cards cracked

well hit the jackpot

If it's a case of stolen credit cards rather than cracked, it's likely been happening for many months, as I noted here: http://www.wisebread.com/inside-the-shady-world-of-cheap-itunes-gift-cards

The itunes cards, ultimately, are based on software generation. There is no such thing as "bullet proof software" - Their codes are just the same as microsofts, adobes, id's, valves, and anyone elses. Technically, even producing a code at all that anyone can see gives up the formula;

With enough codes, anyone who's more than halfway decent with math and logic can crack "the code" through establishing simple, stackable rulesets.

It also helps that apple could probably give less than a shit about what actually happens, so long as they're making profit.

if you want to illegitimately save money on music bittorrent would be a better bet… at least you're not sending your cc # to cc # thieves!

There used to be a site in the UK (itunesvouchers.co.uk) that sold them at 75% discount. I have spent what was at the time nearly $600 there. All the vouchers worked ok. Given that it was a UK company that also had an ebay shop I doubt the vouchers were credit card based.

Also 2 years down the line I still have credit in my account. So any ideas how that would work?

Has anyone actually considered that this might be a scam. Has anyone bought and used on of these codes. The only realistic option seems to me to be than you spend money with a dubious Chinese website that provides you with a code that claims to be real. If this was on eBay you wouldn't think twice that this was a fake. Stolen credit card is all well and good but it's just a whole load easier to make it up and reap in the cash from lots of people.

Almost forgot, did anyone at TUAW think to check with Apple on this first before becoming a world class source of advertising for these thieves?

Rich

Stolen credit cards seems much more likley than a "crack"

Think abou it. There are thousands of these cards sitting on the shelves, all of which are no good until they are "authorized" via the POS system in the store (swipe the card, send message to apple or an auth server (I assume) card is activated.

These have been around for months. Check ebay's forums and the forums at toucharcade.

http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=420

Apple will figure this out and when they do (at least according to users who posted on TA,) they disable your iTunes account for using fraudulent credit cards.

Think about it people, you are giving personal info and/or CC info to a website that's using stolen CC's. Seems like a perpetual money machine for them. At least in theory.

Check your CC statements and credit report carefuly.

Then again, maybe Apple isn't going to do anything about this (other than disable yoru iTunes account and they are going to let "natural selection" take it's course with those who would do business with thieves.

I'm reasonably sure even Paypal is going to give you a ration if you tell them "it seemed like a legitimate transaction" ...really, couple of bucks for $200 worth of iTunes... ahem. Not.

I might even venture that if they can trace the original transaction for your "deal" on the iTunes card they could turn you over to authroities for fraud.

Bad company corrupts good character folks, stay away.

Rich

i just got one form the site
it was a bitch to find someone who knew English
i paid 38$ for a 150$ card.
ebay here i come!

The stolen credit card information is the only one that makes sense. Interestingly, I wonder if they get their stolen credit card information from other people buying cheap gift cards.