Found an iPhone 6s+ that's been remotely wiped... Not really sure what to do with it

[bufffilm]

"I did. A friend of mine who also drives uber drove 25 miles to return a phone a passenger left in his car. She promised him $40 for his efforts and when he got there she sent her BF down to pick it up, without the money. He wasted his gas and time. I was not willing to risk that."

Should have been the other way around. Have them drive 25 miles to pick it up.

Exactly...if the owner is not willing to drive to me to get it, then tough! No skin off my back!

That friend who drove 25 miles was a chump. Maybe the thought of getting a reward clouded his judgment.

 

[GoneOutside]

Hi all. I'm currently visiting home from school for MDW, and my parents tell me that some time during this week, they've found an iPhone 6S+ at the beach, randomly in the sand, while having a walk along the shore.

They waited a bit to see if the owner would either come back or give the phone a call, but nothing happens. So they take it home and wait for me to return the following weekend to see if I can figure out who the phone belongs to (my parents aren't the best with technology; didn't think to ask Siri). But it seems as if the owner has remotely wiped it.. as it is stuck at the activation screen now. So naturally I'm unable to ask Siri questions about the owner.

I've left it on for the past couple days to see if the owner would eventually put the device in "Lost" mode with contact instructions, but still nothing. (Can the phone even get into "Lost" mode while unactivated? idk)

Anyone have any idea what to do? Trying to be a good samaritan here but it's almost like the owner doesn't want his/her phone back.. :/

Check for a SIM card. If it has a SIM card take the phone to the service provider shown on the SIM and see if they can contact the owner who the SIM is issued to.

 

[RetiredInFl]

The carrier will more than likely do nothing except laugh at you on the way out. They have no interest and they don't care. That I can say from personal experience with AT&BLAH. As for Apple, from what I have read (NOT experienced) they won't either based on "privacy" issues. Maybe things have changed since it's been a couple years but I doubt it. DO NOT LEAVE IT WITH ANYONE (other than the police - but still make sure you get a receipt) because they (carriers- NOT police) will probably just keep it for themselves and sell it on eBay for parts.

 

[BeeGood]

I did. A friend of mine who also drives uber drove 25 miles to return a phone a passenger left in his car. She promised him $40 for his efforts and when he got there she sent her BF down to pick it up, without the money. He wasted his gas and time. I was not willing to risk that.

There are several courses of action between hand-delivering a lost phone for free and callously chucking someone's expensive device onto the pavement and hoping someone does something that you could have done yourself.