Cryptic Response from Apple re: Account Hold

[apple_convert]

Hello,

A colleague recommended I post to this community...

Last week I suddenly was unable to make purchases in the App Store. After calling Apple Support, explaining the problem to a representative, she came back and said my account was placed on a hold. She said she had the hold removed and I should be all set. I asked why the hold was put on to begin with, and she said she would have to ask a senior specialist. I got to speak to a senior specialist and he said all he could tell me was, "for your protection, we use technologies to secure your account that may be encountered during normal usage." I waited for him to continue but he said that's all he could tell me. I asked him to repeat what he said, and he said it again, verbatim. I said that raised more questions than it answered and I asked if it was because of a security breach. He replied no, and with a chuckle said I'd have to come join his team and sign a non-disclosure agreement in order for him to be able to tell me more. I find this odd and a bit creepy.

Has anyone else encountered anything like this? Anyone know what's really going on?

Thanks...

 

[keysofanxiety]

Did you recently update your credit/debit card details? Have you checked your purchases on the card and found any evidence of fraud? Do you have any other Mac computers/iOS devices which may indicate that your account has been compromised (e.g., iCloud not letting you sign in?) What about the Mac App Store, does that work?

TL;DR: I genuinely haven't the slightest, though any additional information you can supply could be helpful.

 

[Partron22]

Oddly repetitious login failures on your account over a period of days from some ip address in the Irkutsk Oblast?

 

[apple_convert]

Did you recently update your credit/debit card details? Have you checked your purchases on the card and found any evidence of fraud? Do you have any other Mac computers/iOS devices which may indicate that your account has been compromised (e.g., iCloud not letting you sign in?) What about the Mac App Store, does that work?

TL;DR: I genuinely haven't the slightest, though any additional information you can supply could be helpful.

The first thing I did before contacting Apple was to check with my bank - no account issues or fraud activity. Also, no sign-in issues or other Apple ID / account problems. Tried not to make the post too long while still providing enough info.

My main question is, what does the following really mean:
"For your protection, we use technologies to secure your account that may be encountered during normal usage."

 

[keysofanxiety]

The first thing I did before contacting Apple was to check with my bank - no account issues or fraud activity. Also, no sign-in issues or other Apple ID / account problems. Tried not to make the post too long while still providing enough info.

My main question is, what does the following really mean:
"For your protection, we use technologies to secure your account that may be encountered during normal usage."

To be honest it doesn't really mean anything to me. I searched Apple's T&Cs for that phrase and could find nothing.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Most likely, it means, "We're using software/algorithms that analyze card/account usage and for one reason or another, something tripped a circuit breaker. It's possible for this to happen during normal use, it's not necessarily a sign that there's something wrong." The specifics aren't disclosed because it provides useful information to scammers.

 

[UKgaryb]

Sounds like usage has triggered something, much like banks put Fraud Check holds on your card when you come to make a purchase.

Bit annoying but who knows what's been going on? Someone may be trying to brute force your account and they've nipped it in the bud; after all the negative press about accounts being hacked.