Viral TikTok videos falsely claim hackers can steal credit card data via AirDrop

Facepalm: TikTok is being used to warn iPhone owners about the alleged risk of hackers stealing their financial data via AirDrop. However, tech experts have debunked these claims, clarifying that credit card information cannot be stolen through AirDrop. In short, the videos are spreading a baseless conspiracy theory with no factual foundation.

Several TikTok videos claim that using AirDrop on an iPhone makes users vulnerable to financial fraud, alleging that hackers can access "everything," including sensitive information stored in Apple Wallet. To mitigate this supposed threat, TikTokers are advising users to disable AirDrop entirely. Many of these videos have gone viral, with some amassing over a million views.

One notable influencer spreading this rumor is @vanessaromito13, who recently uploaded a video claiming that updating her iPhone to iOS 18.1.1 automatically enabled an AirDrop setting. In her video, she alleges this setting allows criminals to "just tap your phone like, walk past you, steal every single thing that you have on your phone."

She advises users to disable a purported "search with other iPhones" feature to prevent AirDrop hacks. However, such a feature does not exist. Apple does include a "Bringing Devices Together" option, which allows devices to receive AirDrops from anyone nearby but automatically disables itself after 10 minutes of inactivity.

Another TikToker fueling the conspiracy is @the_journey76. In one of his videos, he claims that cybercriminals can access "all of the cards in your (Apple) Wallet" via AirDrop. He advises viewers to disable the "Sharing" option to prevent nearby criminals from stealing their financial information.

Tech experts, however, have debunked these claims, stating that there is no security flaw in AirDrop that allows access to Apple Wallet or Apple Pay data. According to them, financial data on an iPhone is fully encrypted and securely stored in a private section of the device, inaccessible via AirDrop or the file management system.

The Daily Dot highlights that the only potential security concern in iOS 18.1 relates to a new FaceTime feature that allows users to grant remote access to their devices. However, this feature requires explicit permission from the user before a FaceTime partner can access their device remotely. While this could pose a risk, it is easily mitigated by declining access requests from untrusted individuals.

A likely source of the AirDrop conspiracy theory is last year's iOS 17.1 update, which introduced the NameDrop feature. Enabled by default, NameDrop allows iPhone users to locate other nearby iPhones and send file-sharing requests. The feature was flagged as a potential security concern by law enforcement officials in Massachusetts but, like AirDrop, it requires explicit user consent before any connection is made.