According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, online fraud of all kinds rose 22.3 percent between 2008 and 2009. Credit-card fraud made up about 10% of the total number of complaints referred to law enforcement.

Last year, companies and individuals lost more than half a billion dollars to cyberthieves, and a "disproportionate share of that was Apple-related," says "The Washington Post" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR201003...).

Why is Apple so popular with scammers? Its business model gives them two ways to use stolen credit-card numbers, according to Robert Vamosi, research analyst specializing in security, fraud and risk for market research firm Javelin Strategy & Research, told "The Post." Apple might be particularly vulnerable because of the price disparity between the United States and the rest of the world when it comes to its iconic hardware, the article adds.

The blog cmyplay created a chart showing how laptop prices in Brazil, for instance, can be up to $1,200 higher than they are in the United States. Discrepancies like this can be tempting to black-market buyers and sellers, note "The Post."

What's more, the upcoming iPad is expected to be a target for credit-card thieves and online scammers. Antivirus software company McAfee is already warning consumers not to fall for e-mails or ads promising a free or reduced-price iPad if they enter an address and a credit card number.