Is the Apple Support email with the blue badge and BIMI logo legitimate?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 21 Jul 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
8 min read
I've heard from many people recently who are confused about the legitimacy of emails, especially those claiming to be from Apple Support that include a blue verification badge and a Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) logo. It’s a valid concern, as these visual cues are designed to build trust. When a potential phishing email appears with such indicators, it naturally raises questions about email security and authentication.
The primary question is, how can a scam email display these seemingly legitimate markers? This situation highlights the evolving landscape of email authentication and the importance of understanding what these indicators truly signify. While BIMI and blue badges are powerful tools for verified senders, they don't replace the need for vigilant user practices.
Understanding BIMI and verified indicators
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email specification that allows organizations to display their verified brand logo next to their authenticated emails in supporting inboxes. For a logo to appear, the sender's domain must pass strong email authentication checks, specifically DMARC with an enforced policy (quarantine or reject).
The blue verification badge, often seen alongside a BIMI logo, is an additional layer of visual trust. For example, Gmail adopted this feature based on BIMI and a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). A VMC is a digital certificate that cryptographically verifies ownership of a brand's logo, linking it directly to their domain. This means that email messages with brand logos have been digitally certified, confirming the sender has met robust security and authentication requirements. More information on how the check mark works in Gmail is publicly available.
The implementation of BIMI and the blue badge aims to increase security and brand affinity in the inbox. By displaying a verified logo, brands can enhance trust and establish their legitimacy as authenticated senders. However, it’s crucial to understand that BIMI leverages existing strong email authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM, it does not inherently make emails more secure on its own.
How spoofing and phishing work with authentication
The concern arises when a phishing email manages to display these trusted indicators. It's important to clarify that legitimate BIMI logos and blue badges are extremely difficult, if not impossible, for unauthorized senders to spoof directly because they rely on robust cryptographic verification and DMARCauthentication. If a domain has a proper BIMI setup, an unauthenticated email from that domain should be rejected or quarantined, preventing the logo from displaying.
However, scammers are cunning. They might exploit other vulnerabilities or use deceptive tactics that don't directly spoof BIMI. For example, they might use a lookalike domain that doesn't have a BIMI record but looks similar to the legitimate one. They could also rely on display name spoofing, where the From name appears legitimate, even if the underlying email address is not. In rare cases, a sender's BIMI record itself might be misconfigured or point to an incorrect logo SVG file, though this wouldn't typically facilitate a scam.
Another possibility is that the email client itself might have a bug or be displaying a cached version of a logo, or the scam uses social engineering to trick users into believing a fake badge is present when it's not. For example, Outlook does not support BIMI for displaying brand logos, so a badge there would be highly suspicious. Always exercise caution.
Beware of subtle signs
Even with a seemingly legitimate blue badge or BIMI logo, phishing emails often contain red flags. Always look for unusual sender addresses, grammatical errors, urgent language, or requests for personal information.
Never click on suspicious links. Instead, navigate directly to the official website or app to verify any claims.
Verifying Apple support emails
When you receive an email claiming to be from Apple Support, even with a blue badge or BIMI logo, always verify its legitimacy. Apple provides guidance on identifying legitimate communications. A key step is to inspect the email headers, which reveal the actual sender and authentication results. Look for headers like Authentication-Results to confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment.
Another crucial step is to hover over any links without clicking them to see the destination URL. Genuine Apple links should point to apple.com or icloud.com domains. If they point to a suspicious or unfamiliar domain, it's likely a scam. While BIMI helps, no single indicator is 100% foolproof, so always combine multiple verification steps.
Remember that Apple's email authentication requirements are strict. They implement strong DMARC policies to protect their brand and users. If you suspect a fraudulent email, the best course of action is to contact Apple Support directly through their official website or phone numbers, not using any contact information provided in the suspicious email. This proactive approach helps protect you from phishing scams.
The role of DMARC and VMC in BIMI
The ability of a brand to display its logo and a blue checkmark is contingent on its email authentication protocols. BIMI itself requires DMARC to be enforced. This means the domain's DMARC policy must be set to p=quarantine or p=reject. This robust authentication makes it extremely difficult for unauthorized parties to send emails appearing to be from that domain while displaying the BIMI logo or blue badge.
For the blue badge specifically, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is required. A VMC acts as a digital seal of approval, verifying that the brand logo belongs to the sending organization. This adds another layer of trust and security, as acquiring a VMC involves a stringent validation process by a Certificate Authority. Therefore, seeing a blue badge combined with a BIMI logo usually indicates a highly authenticated sender. You can read more about branding your emails using VMC and BIMI.
While BIMI does not directly impact email deliverability, it encourages the adoption of strong authentication standards that do improve it. Therefore, if an Apple Support email contains these visual cues, it is a strong indication of its legitimacy. However, always confirm other details like the sender's exact email address and the content of the email for any inconsistencies.
Layers of protection: BIMI, VMC, and user vigilance
Element
Purpose
Impact on email delivery
SPF
Authorizes sending IP addresses
Helps prevent spoofing of the sender domain.
DKIM
Digitally signs emails to verify content integrity and sender.
Prevents tampering and confirms sender identity.
DMARC
Enforces alignment of SPF/DKIM and specifies actions for failed emails.
Crucial for preventing unauthorized use of your domain.
BIMI
Displays a verified brand logo in supporting inboxes.
Cryptographically verifies logo ownership for BIMI implementation.
Required for blue checkmarks and certain BIMI displays.
While BIMI and VMC significantly enhance email security and trustworthiness, it is vital to remain vigilant. No single technology can completely eliminate the risk of sophisticated phishing attempts. Always combine visual cues with critical thinking and direct verification through official channels.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always check the full sender email address, not just the display name, for legitimacy.
Hover over links to preview the URL without clicking, ensuring it points to the official domain.
Verify any urgent requests by contacting the company directly via their official website or known phone number.
Educate your users about common phishing tactics and the importance of email authentication signals.
Common pitfalls
Assuming an email is legitimate solely because of a blue badge or brand logo, ignoring other warning signs.
Clicking on links in suspicious emails that appear to have a verified logo.
Not understanding that BIMI relies on strong DMARC policies at an enforcement level.
Ignoring the raw email headers, which provide critical authentication results like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC passes or failures.
Expert tips
Implement DMARC at p=reject for your own domains to prevent spoofing that could carry your brand logo.
Utilize DMARC reporting to monitor for any unauthorized use of your domain, even if it doesn't display your BIMI logo.
Regularly review your brand's BIMI setup, including your SVG logo and VMC, to ensure proper display and compliance.
Keep abreast of updates from major email providers regarding their authentication and display features.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that confirming an email's legitimacy requires more than just visual cues like a blue badge or a BIMI logo. Checking the full email headers for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment is essential.
2024-12-10 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they received an Apple Support email with a blue badge and BIMI logo that turned out to be legitimate after thorough inspection.
2024-12-10 - Email Geeks
Confirming email authenticity
The presence of a blue badge and a BIMI logo on an Apple Support email is a strong indicator of its legitimacy. These visual cues are only possible when the sending domain has implemented rigorous email authentication standards, including an enforced DMARC policy and, for the blue badge, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).
While it's highly improbable for a scammer to successfully spoof these specific indicators on a truly authenticated domain, vigilance is still paramount. Always cross-reference information by checking email headers, hovering over links, and contacting the company directly through official channels if anything feels amiss. By combining the trust signals of BIMI and VMC with your own critical assessment, you can confidently determine the authenticity of emails.
Apple Support that include a blue verification badge and a Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) logo. It’s a valid concern, as these visual cues are designed to build trust. When a potential phishing email appears with such indicators, it naturally raises questions about email security and authentication.
Gmail adopted this feature based on BIMI and a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). A VMC is a digital certificate that cryptographically verifies ownership of a brand's logo, linking it directly to their domain. This means that email messages with brand logos have been digitally certified, confirming the sender has met robust security and authentication requirements. More information on how the check mark works in Gmail is publicly available.
Outlook does not support BIMI for displaying brand logos, so a badge there would be highly suspicious. Always exercise caution.
