Apple is quietly combating fraudulent iTunes gift card offenders, writes the Washington Post. After using cards purchased from eBay, some shoppers are reporting that their iTunes accounts are being disabled. As a consequence, many claim that they are losing all iTunes Store purchases that are not backed up. Fake cards are typically said to be listed at $20 (for a $25 iTunes card), and originally purchased with a stolen or hacked credit card.

While Apple has been mum about the crackdown and closure of some iTunes accounts, the company's gift card policy -- buried in the iTunes terms-of-service agreement -- states that Apple "reserves the right to close customer accounts and request alternative forms of Payment if a Gift Certificate, iTunes Card, Content Code or Allowance is fraudulently obtained or used on the iTunes Store."

The company does add however that people should be contacted by Apple support if their account is going to be deactivated, with the aim of providing time to backup music files. Customers can also appeal to Apple to have their account reopened, but the Post observes that they may not have much luck.