An old Apple account I created years ago was recently compromised. I received legitimate alerts about account changes and discovered that someone had added their own trusted phone number and redeemed a gift card, leaving about $70 in the account. The only apparent purchase is a ChatGPT subscription, which makes me concerned the balance could be connected to fraudulent activity.
I changed the password, replaced the two-factor authentication number with my own, and contacted Apple Support several times. They told me the account cannot be closed while the balance remains and that I need to spend it down first. I'm uncomfortable using money that may not belong to me, especially if the gift card was stolen or involved in a scam.
Has anyone dealt with an unexplained account balance like this? Should I ask for an account-funds investigation or escalation, use the balance on legitimate Apple hardware such as AirTags, or simply keep the account secured and leave it unused?
3 Answers
Don’t buy products just to force the balance to zero unless Apple clearly confirms in writing that doing so is appropriate. Spending a questionable gift-card balance could make the transaction look like you accepted or benefited from it. Also review your email and phone accounts for signs of compromise, since access to either could have been used to take over the Apple account.
If Support refuses to remove the balance, the safest practical option is to leave the account secured rather than spend the funds. Make sure the password is unique, two-factor authentication uses only your number or trusted devices, and remove any unfamiliar devices, payment methods, subscriptions, and account-recovery details. Keep records of the support conversations and the suspicious alerts.
Keep escalating through official Apple Support and specifically ask for the account-security or fraud team. Explain that the balance came from a gift card you did not purchase or redeem and that you do not want to spend potentially fraudulent funds. Ask them to document the incident and investigate the gift-card redemption rather than treating this as a normal account-closure request.
I’ve contacted Support twice and asked for the balance to be removed, but they said they couldn’t do that. I’m worried that spending it myself could create problems later, since the money clearly isn’t mine.
That’s what I’m leaning toward. I’ve changed the credentials and authentication details, and I’ll leave the account untouched unless Apple provides a proper way to resolve the balance.