Alipay says stolen Apple IDs behind thefts of users money

Apple users in China are required to link their IDs to their phone numbers, which are in turn linked to their national identification numbers.

In a post published on its Toutiao social media account, Alipay warned users who have linked their accounts using Apple IDs to lower transaction limits. The breach has affected users of both Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat and some users lost up to 2,000 yuan (USD 288), state media outlet Xinhua said on October 11. It is not clear how many users were affected by the breach, and Alipay’s statement urged affected users to contact Apple.

However, the issue remains unresolved despite reaching out to the US tech company, the online publication continues. A Shanghai-based spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment. Representatives for Tencent did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment.