Scalpers use bots to mass buy iPhone 15 Pro Max

New research claims that scalpers have been using bots to pre-order the most in-demand iPhone 15 Pro Max, making it harder for regular buyers, and pushing back shipment dates.

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max has proven to be a hit, with demand outselling supply, and worldwide lead times extending by historic levels. Now security and specifically anti-bot company Kasada, claims that scalpers are automating their purchasing of the iPhone 15 Pro Max in order to capitalize on the demand.

Kasada's report is a sales tool to get firms to buy its anti-bot services, and it tends toward hyperbole. For instance, it claims that "most of the population wanting to pre-order is at a severe disadvantage in ordering a new iPhone without the use of a bot."

But it shows examples of what it describes as all-in-one (AIO) bots capitalizing on demand. Describing it as "an AIO bot notorious for sniping electronics," a screenshot shows a recommendation for buying the iPhone 15.

It's not explained how the screenshot is an automated bot instead of a human being recommending that scalpers buy the iPhone 15. But it is clear about how even such an expensive purchase can turn out to be a safe bet.

"The expected profit made by scaling one of the Pro models is estimated at $300 each," says Kasada. "Given Apple's flexible return policy, there's little risk of being stuck with the device so scalpers see this opportunity for profit as a risk-free return."

Another example given claims to show that a bot made over 3,000 checkouts, or orders, of the iPhone 15 range. "This one claims 3,000 successful checkouts," says Kasada, "setting expectations of shipment within the first week of its launch date. These scalpers can expect to make nearly $1,000,000 from this sale."

Both of these examples cover the whole iPhone 15 range, but Kasada claims to have witnessed individuals writing their own bots specifically to order the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

"In addition to abusing Apple's website for pre-ordering, Kasada is also observing bots being used to abuse the wireless providers that sell their locked versions of the iPhone 15," continues the company.

Separately, criminals using bots have previously been accused of targeting Apple Pay in various credit card scams.

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12 Comments

eriamjh 1760 comments · 17 Years

About 1 year ago

What sane person is paying more than retail for an iPhone? iPhones have unlimited supply averaged over time. There’s no shortage. Anyone who can wait, will wait.

So I don’t understand this “bot scalper” model without the scalpees.

Don't bots still have to pay for the phones or are all the payment methods stolen and faked?

Color me skeptical that this is happening.

neoncat 164 comments · 5 Years

eriamjh said:

What sane person is paying more than retail for an iPhone?

[ ... ]

Color me skeptical that this is happening.

People with low impulse control.
People who need to have the latest and greatest right away regardless the cost.
People who have the money to spend and don't put a lot of thought into how they are spending it, or people who don't have the money but spend it anyway.
People who take a measure of their self worth from what they own rather than who they are.
People who buy into the hype created by Apple's maudlin, over-the-top, effusive marketing juggernaut and their army of fan sites (like this one, to be sure) and influencers that turn functional, practical tools into desired objects and baubles.

Of course it occurs, the same way it occurs with fancy shoes like Air Jordans, with concert tickets, with a host of "coveted" objects, services, or events. It is a mix of capitalism working as intended (scarcity creates demand, demand raises prices), people with broken self worth, and companies encouraging people to think about purchases as emotional rather than practical. The scalpers may be preying on people's lack of self control and a company's lack of safeguards, but they're far from the only ones complicit in this relationship.

Consider: There are a handful of regular users over at MacRumors who live in Australia. Thanks to the international date line, they are first to get access to the new iPhones, and the members of that group buy new phones every year and race to post their unboxing photos and share their first impressions, usually before people in the U.S. are even awake. They're treated with this weird reverence, and their posts attract hundreds of obsequious replies: omg that color is so pretty! You're so lucky! What case did you get? and so on. This weird emotional feedback loop. Over a phone. Yes, I think it's completely nuts too. But it's a behavior on display everywhere you look.

robin huber 4025 comments · 22 Years

Time for us all to have to count how many pics have crosswalks in them.

mknelson 1146 comments · 9 Years

eriamjh said:

What sane person is paying more than retail for an iPhone? iPhones have unlimited supply averaged over time. There’s no shortage. Anyone who can wait, will wait.
So I don’t understand this “bot scalper” model without the scalpees.

Don't bots still have to pay for the phones or are all the payment methods stolen and faked?

Color me skeptical that this is happening.

You also need to consider where the scalper is selling the phones. This could be Russia, Africa, or any number of other regions where the 15 series isn't available yet, or the iPhone isn't sold at all.