Is this an official Apple support email or a scam?

It is hard to tell in your particular case since we have almost no information.

Criminals are getting very good at imitating Apple messages. Start here about recognizing phishing and scams —> Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Read this article about identifying real App Store and iTunes Store emails --> Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support Sometimes the only indication in a communication is very subtle. Have a look at this thread. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255639814 It can be very hard to tell from a communication alone if it is authentic. The best way to check is to use an independent way through Apple's own resources to confirm what the communication claims. Scams (e-mail, text messages, and phone calls) are getting very good at closely imitating true Apple communications. Always be cautious. These support articles have some guidelines:

More information about scams:

Apple Cash --> https://support.apple.com/HT208226

Gift Card Scams --> https://support.apple.com/120933

If you are uncertain about a message and a resource provided in that message, do not click on any links in the message. Use an actual apple.com resource to independently verify what the message is claiming, or use an Apple device feature such as Settings or an Apple app. To ask Apple, start at this web page: https://www.apple.com/support/ If you wish to investigate links, this post by contributor MrHoffman describes how you can do that —> https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255879312?answerId=260997158022 (the link takes you to the end of the post so scroll up a bit).

- Do a web search for any telephone number being provided. See if it is listed on an actual real apple.com web page as a contact method.

- Apple won’t warn you about disabling an account. You will find out when you try to sign in.

- Phishing emails may include account suspension or similar threats in order to panic you into clicking on a link without thinking. They may report a fake purchase in order to infuriate you into rashly clicking on a false link to report a problem.

- Apple e-mails address you by your real name, not something like "Dear Customer", "Dear Client", or an e-mail address* However, having your actual name is not proof this isn’t phishing. Compromised databases may have your name and address in them.

- Apple e-mails originate from @apple.com or @itunes.com but it is possible to spoof a sender address. "Apple email related to your Apple ID account always comes from [email protected] ." (From an older version of: https://support.apple.com/HT201356 )

- Set your email to display Show Headers or Show Original to view Received From. Apple emails originate from IP addresses starting with "17.".

- Mouse-over links to see if they direct to real Apple web sites. Do not click on them as this just tells the spammer they have a working e-mail address in their database. If you are unsure, contact Apple using a link from the Apple.com web site, not one in an email.

- Apple will not ask for personal information in an e-mail and never for a social security number.

- Scams frequently have bad grammar or spelling mistakes. They may sounds too “folksy”.

- Apple will not phone you unless it is in response to a request from you to have them call you.

* Exception: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8483395?answerId=33701414022#33701414022

Forward email phishing attempts as an attachment (in MacOS Mail use the paperclip icon) to: [email protected] then delete it.

Re: "Scam" ("Is this an official Apple support email or a scam?")

Apple Support provides some guidance in this linked article below:

Eg: says: "If you’re not sure whether an email about an App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store or Apple Music purchase is legitimate, these tips may help."

Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support

Also: Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Eg: says:

"If you receive a suspicious email that looks like it's supposed to be from Apple, please forward it to [email protected]. 1 "

"1. To report an SMS text message, take a screenshot of the message and send it via email. If you forward a message from Mail on your Mac, include the header information by selecting the message and choosing Forward As Attachment from the Message menu."

Note: There is much more info. in both the linked articles above.

If the entirety of the context is an unspecified mail message from the iCloud.com domain, I’d assume a scam.

iCloud.com is overwhelmingly user-created accounts, not Apple.

But without a modicum of context, it’s literally asking for guesses based solely on a domain.

Thank you for reaching out. 🤗

Scammers routinely spoof legitimate email addresses and phone numbers to fool their victims into responding.

If you received a text message:

• The text message you received was a scam.
• Simply block, report and delete the message.
• Never click any links or call phony phone numbers they provide!
• The phony text message will never mention you by name because they don’t know it.

🛑 Apple will never send you a text message‼️⚠️

Important: If you receive a suspicious email or SMS text message that looks like it’s supposed to be from Apple, please email it to [email protected].

Learn more:

• Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls and other scams.
• Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store.
• Avoid scams when you use Apple Cash.
• About gift card scams.

Good luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian | Community Volunteer