iPhone still not theft proof

[docc]

My iPhone 6S plus which was running iOS 9.2.1 got stolen on Saturday night. It was protected by fingerprint security as well as a 6 digit pass code. I instantly activated lost mode and tried to find my iPhone but the thief switched it off.

Till today, the iPhone showed the last known location which is where i lost it. After that the thief briefly switched it on for a minute and the location changed. Today, i notice that the device is not on my list of apple devices on my iCloud account.

I really can't figure out how the thief could have bypassed so many layers of security i.e Fingerprint, 6 digit passcode, lost mode, activation lock. If the device is not listed anymore in my iCloud account, i am assuming it is because he was able to factory restore it.

Can anyone please explain to me how it is that he was able to do inspite of so many layers of security.

 

[I7guy]

Is it possible the thief guessed your iCloud id? Do you have two factor authentication turned on?

 

[bpeeps]

Is it possible the thief guessed your iCloud id? Do you have two factor authentication turned on?

All the thief would need is the passcode on the phone (unless it was changed via iCloud lost mode) So if the user had an easy number passcode, the thief might have gained entry that way.

Call your service provider and see if they are willing to blacklist the IMEI.

 

[Givmeabrek]

That's pretty strange because I don't think you can remove a device without logging into the iCloud account.

 

[C DM]

Factory restoring the phone won't remove it from iCloud or remove iCloud Activstion Lock as all of that actually requires access to the iCloud account. Now if someone had that somehow (though phishing or social engineering or some other method of that sort) then they could certainly do something like that.

 

[e93to]

Factory-restoring the iPhone (DFU restore) does not remove the device from the iCloud list. This is bizarre... Correctly guessing iPhone passcode AND iCloud password? Did you happen to save iCloud password as autofill on iPhone?

 

[BradWould]

I find it hard to believe that a run of the mill phone thief guessed your passcode and then guessed your iCloud password (unless they were "1234" and "password"). I'd guess it's either someone you know or someone who has been looking over your shoulder for awhile. Neither of which have anything to do with the actual security features.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I find it hard to believe that a run of the mill phone thief guessed your passcode and then guessed your iCloud password (unless they were "1234" and "password"). I'd guess it's either someone you know or someone who has been looking over your shoulder for awhile. Neither of which have anything to do with the actual security features.

If not we are all being made fools of!

 

[C DM]

Factory-restoring the iPhone (DFU restore) does not remove the device from the iCloud list. This is bizarre... Correctly guessing iPhone passcode AND iCloud password? Did you happen to save iCloud password as autofill on iPhone?

Don't think iCloud password can ge auto filled at least not in settings related parts of iOS.

 

[soy]

Don't think iCloud password can ge auto filled at least not in settings related parts of iOS.

Not in Settings, but they can in Safari, so they can be viewed in Settings - Safari - Passwords if you have the passcode

 

[e93to]

Don't think iCloud password can ge auto filled at least not in settings related parts of iOS.

Yeah, I was referring to Safari.

Not in Settings, but they can in Safari, so they can be viewed in Settings - Safari - Passwords if you have the passcode

I've just tried to access iCloud account page on my iPhone, but I was not prompted to save the password on autofill. I don't have iCloud sync enabled for Safari. Does Safari import autofill for iCloud account into iOS devices if sync is enabled?

 

[docc]

We were at a concert and i'm pretty sure it was not someone i knew.

I had a difficult passcode and fingerprint authentication active. Lost mode was active too with a message sent to the phone requesting the phone to be returned. I even got a mail from Apple saying that lost mode is activated on the phone. If lost mode is activated, there should be absolutely no way for the thief to activate it for his personal use.

Autofill was not active. Besides, there is no way for him to bypass the screen lock with so much security in place.

And how on earth did he manage to get the device removed from my iCloud devices list?

 

[andyw715]

FBI. They are on to you.

 

[timeconsumer]

My iPhone 6S plus which was running iOS 9.2.1 got stolen on Saturday night. It was protected by fingerprint security as well as a 6 digit pass code. I instantly activated lost mode and tried to find my iPhone but the thief switched it off.

Till today, the iPhone showed the last known location which is where i lost it. After that the thief briefly switched it on for a minute and the location changed. Today, i notice that the device is not on my list of apple devices on my iCloud account.

I really can't figure out how the thief could have bypassed so many layers of security i.e Fingerprint, 6 digit passcode, lost mode, activation lock. If the device is not listed anymore in my iCloud account, i am assuming it is because he was able to factory restore it.

Can anyone please explain to me how it is that he was able to do inspite of so many layers of security.

I would suggest this thief needs to apply to the FBI if he/she was able to do this.

 

[ABC5S]

This happened last Saturday night, and did you blacklist the IMEI through your carrier yet and make a police report ? Time is a wasting

 

[e93to]

I guess the thief is tech-savvy, and knows how to bypass the passcode lock somehow through some kind of glitch... Wasn't there a video posted on MacRumors several days ago that showed bypassing lock screen by asking Siri what time it is? Thief could have exploited such glitch to get full access to the iPhone.

As for iCloud password... The password could had been saved on the device as Safari autofill. Or...(this is a long shot) thief him/herself could have called Apple to remove the device from the list... Not sure if it's feasible, but at least a possibility.

 

[C DM]

I guess the thief is tech-savvy, and knows how to bypass the passcode lock somehow through some kind of glitch... Wasn't there a video posted on MacRumors several days ago that showed bypassing lock screen by asking Siri what time it is? Thief could have exploited such glitch to get full access to the iPhone.

As for iCloud password... The password could had been saved on the device as Safari autofill. Or...(this is a long shot) thief him/herself could have called Apple to remove the device from the list... Not sure if it's feasible, but at least a possibility.

Not a real thing (although there have certainly been various glitches before): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/viral-video-claiming-iphone-passcode-glitch-is-false.1959995/

Doesn't seem like calling Apple would get something like that accomplished as even rightful owners have had a hard time getting Apple to do something like that without them themselves being able to do it on their device or via iCloud.com.

 

[BeefCake 15]

Maybe the glitch is in your iCloud account where the device is missing, have you asked Apple why the device is no longer listed?

 

[ron7624]

After a theft recently, I was talking to the police and the investigator stated that in most cases, it is a friend or family member that gets your stuff. In my case it was a son-in-law. Well, x son-in law.
I know this is a bit different than an ordinary breakin or theft, but do you think someone in your group might have gotten it? That could account for them knowing your info...
Just a thought.

 

[docc]

Definitely not someone i know. There were more than 3000 people at the concert!

 

[Chatter]

Definitely not someone i know. There were more than 3000 people at the concert!

Its likely that the thief was near/around you and saw you enter the pin into the phone. I see this on the train/subway daily. That is all one would need to enter and wipe the phone.

 

[lyceumHQ]

Its likely that the thief was near/around you and saw you enter the pin into the phone. I see this on the train/subway daily. That is all one would need to enter and wipe the phone.

When you try and restore an iPhone it tells you you must turn off find my phone first. You can't do this without knowing the Apple ID password.

So catching his pin over his shoulder isn't all you need to wipe the phone. The thief would also have had to have the OP's password for their Apple ID.

 

[Cergman]

Did you receive any messages claiming to be from Apple? I've heard of that scam quite frequently on the forums here lately. Theif gets the phone number from the phones SIM and sends an iMessage telling a user their phone was found and to login through a fake website to track it.

 

[iThingsGurl]

Its likely that the thief was near/around you and saw you enter the pin into the phone. I see this on the train/subway daily. That is all one would need to enter and wipe the phone.

It'd be such a tedious task for OP to unlock their iPhone by entering a 6 digit pin, when they have Touch ID at their disposal. Especially at a concert.
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And how on earth did he manage to get the device removed from my iCloud devices list?

I think you must contact Apple since this issue involves Apple ID. I'm sure they will be able to help.

 

[rijc99]

It'd be such a tedious task for OP to unlock their iPhone by entering a 6 digit pin, when they have Touch ID at their disposal. Especially at a concert./QUOTE]

Sometimes Touch ID fails and you have to enter the password/pin.