Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jan 24, 2013
4,894
4,701
Johannesburg, South Africa
So last weekend I was unfortunately the victim of the high crime rate we have here in Johannesburg, South Africa. A good night with my two cousins and some friends of celebrating our Birthdays turned rather sour when I was mugged by what was at least 5 people while trying to get to my Uber.

Part of what was taken from me was my iPhone XS Max 256GB Space Grey. Had to go through the whole process of putting it in Lost Mode, doing an Erase request and removing from my iCloud account. I also got my network to Blackist the phone and block the SIM card.

Over the last week I have been getting endless Phishing texts to try get me to give up my iCloud details (this is obviously the syndicatate that got hold of my iPhone), anyway have not fallen for any of it, I reported the crime and sent the Phishing emails to Apples email address that deals with Phishing.

Luckily I had fully insured my XS Max, and today my insurance approved the claim for replacing my XS Max 256GB with an 11 Pro Max 256GB. Unfortunately most shops are out of stock due to Coronavirus and so I spent at least 1 hour trying to find a place that had it in stock and luckily I found a small shop near my old workplace that had mistakenly ordered too many units, they are now one of the only ones selling iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Just picked it up this afternoon after work and I am happy.

First impressions:
- Definitely noticeably heavier than the XS Max, if you are a big phone lover be aware thr 11 Pro Max is very heavy! I love it but I can already tell that this weight will not be for everyone.

- Screen in great, I'm still going to give it a fair bit of use before saying if it's a huge jump from XS Max but off the bat it looks about the same as XS Max which was already great!

Lesson of the dat: Comprehensively Insure your iPhone! It will make everything less painful

Already got a case on it
050501dc19c75d44ef4df6fea86ddbff.jpg
c5e2d92f15ecbc1a1eb341bf3d63cd1b.jpg
4c98d3e8914bc9ee6de3a4e76a729603.jpg
 
Looks really good. Enjoy your new phone. That’s midnight green is a awesome color. I wonder just how heavy the iPhone 12 Pro Max is gonna be. It seems to get heavier every year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Sorry about what happened. Must have been an awful experience. However I hope you enjoy your new 11 pro max. It really is a great phone.

Also I agree always insure your phone. I remember back in the day even before smartphones I always had insurance and never used it. I initially got insurance for my iPhone 4 and then decided to cancel it after a few months as I’d never used insurance. Big mistake. In 2012 it was stolen whilst I was on the tube. I learnt important lessons that day. Always insure your phone. Second lesson was have a screen lock on your phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaPhox and Tsepz
Looks really good. Enjoy your new phone. That’s midnight green is a awesome color. I wonder just how heavy the iPhone 12 Pro Max is gonna be. It seems to get heavier every year.

LOL, 12 Pro Max may be pretty insane in weight or Apple may have to compromise on battery and make it slightly smaller.
Sorry about what happened. Must have been an awful experience. However I hope you enjoy your new 11 pro max. It really is a great phone.

Also I agree always insure your phone. I remember back in the day even before smartphones I always had insurance and never used it. I initially got insurance for my iPhone 4 and then decided to cancel it after a few months as I’d never used insurance. Big mistake. In 2012 it was stolen whilst I was on the tube. I learnt important lessons that day. Always insure your phone. Second lesson was have a screen lock on your phone.
Thanks, it was really crap going through that but coming away alive is what matters!

Oh wow, that must have been awful for you, sorry to hear that, a friend of mine went through the same thing with his Galaxy Note5 and also learnt the hard way.
 
Sounds scary as hell. Glad you're ok and got a great phone out of it!

I always got Applecare insurance but now that I can have it include theft/loss for $4 a month more that was an easy decision for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Glad you’re ok! It’s a cliche but phones are replaceable... I know someone who got robbed, not only their phone but also got their atm and force them to withdraw money. And they beat him up. Poor guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Glad you’re ok! It’s a cliche but phones are replaceable... I know someone who got robbed, not only their phone but also got their atm and force them to withdraw money. And they beat him up. Poor guy.

Indeed, this happens, A LOT, especially with hijackings here. People get put into the boot of the car, taken to an ATM, cash withdrawn, then the hijackers also rob them of their phone, wallet and car and then leave them somewhere remote, very scary stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rui no onna
Glad you’re ok! It’s a cliche but phones are replaceable... I know someone who got robbed, not only their phone but also got their atm and force them to withdraw money. And they beat him up. Poor guy.
Phones are replaceable but the personal memories inside it are not. If you don't backup regularly you're effed up.
 
Agree with your statements on weight, I have the pro max bought by work, started with work 6s plus (nice and light relatively) , 7 plus (getting porky but better camera made it worth it) and now the jump to 11 pro max which I refer to as my work brick. Great camera but I think it’s only left the house twice due to weight. It’s not for me.
We gave the 7plus ones back so I went and bought a second SE as a daily work phone
(Random fact, the pro max weight is virtually identical to the weight of two iPhone SEs (According to scales, not specs))
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaPhox and Tsepz
Holy hell, sorry to hear, that's awful. Glad you're alright, hopefully the same for your cousins too. I have to agree with you the Pro Max is heavy, so heavy that I traded my original in on the Pro. While I liked the weight of the Pro I just couldn't get used to the size of the screen. Needless to say the Pro only lasted 3 days and I was back to the Max. Yes it's heavy, but it's amazing. Good luck with yours and stay safe!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Indeed, this happens, A LOT, especially with hijackings here. People get put into the boot of the car, taken to an ATM, cash withdrawn, then the hijackers also rob them of their phone, wallet and car and then leave them somewhere remote, very scary stuff.
Glad you're okay. Yeah, some parts of the world, it's pretty crazy.

That happened to my aunt's husband's nephew a couple of years ago but the sad part is they cut off his head so he couldn't easily be identified. Even now, his family still hasn't recovered his head.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: 1rottenapple
Holy hell, sorry to hear, that's awful. Glad you're alright, hopefully the same for your cousins too. I have to agree with you the Pro Max is heavy, so heavy that I traded my original in on the Pro. While I liked the weight of the Pro I just couldn't get used to the size of the screen. Needless to say the Pro only lasted 3 days and I was back to the Max. Yes it's heavy, but it's amazing. Good luck with yours and stay safe!

Thanks a lot, they are fine, they were more worried about me, so we are all good, crime is high here so incidents like this do happen, it’s the first time it has happened to me and in such a brazen manner to but I’ve always heard stories from friends who always say: “if it happens, don’t fight them, just let them take what they want and get out with your life” or something to that effect, it is what it is.

Haha, yeah it’s hard to leave this large beautiful screen.

Glad you're okay. Yeah, some parts of the world, it's pretty crazy.

That happened to my aunt's husband's nephew a couple of years ago but the sad part is they cut off his head so he couldn't easily be identified. Even now, his family still hasn't recovered his head.

Oh my word that is horrible, no family can ever recover from that, truly traumatic! There are some seriously sick people in this world
And the worst part is many of us live as if such a thing can ever happen to us, until it does, life is so fragile.
 
Thanks a lot, they are fine, they were more worried about me, so we are all good, crime is high here so incidents like this do happen, it’s the first time it has happened to me and in such a brazen manner to but I’ve always heard stories from friends who always say: “if it happens, don’t fight them, just let them take what they want and get out with your life” or something to that effect, it is what it is.

Haha, yeah it’s hard to leave this large beautiful screen.



Oh my word that is horrible, no family can ever recover from that, truly traumatic! There are some seriously sick people in this world
And the worst part is many of us live as if such a thing can ever happen to us, until it does, life is so fragile.
I know that is horrible!
 
Oh my word that is horrible, no family can ever recover from that, truly traumatic! There are some seriously sick people in this world
And the worst part is many of us live as if such a thing can ever happen to us, until it does, life is so fragile.
Ah, sadly, it's the modus operandi of a powerful gang. I don't think it's so much that they're crazy but that it makes identifying the bodies difficult.

The family found out who did it but the perpetrators threatened the wife and kids so they're too afraid to prosecute and I believe some of the law enforcement is under their pay.
 
Ah, sadly, it's the modus operandi of a powerful gang. I don't think it's so much that they're crazy but that it makes identifying the bodies difficult.

The family found out who did it but the perpetrators threatened the wife and kids so they're too afraid to prosecute and I believe some of the law enforcement is under their pay.
I can forsee that happening. Scary what some people are capable of.
 
I accidentally left my pro max on the bus the other week when it fell out of my pocket. No one ever turned it in and now find my shows it somewhere far away. I ended up replacing with a standard 11 and so far so good tbh. The max is better but this phone is a really nice size.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
I accidentally left my pro max on the bus the other week when it fell out of my pocket. No one ever turned it in and now find my shows it somewhere far away. I ended up replacing with a standard 11 and so far so good tbh. The max is better but this phone is a really nice size.

That’s really unfortunate. There’s not much criminals can do with a stolen iPhone today. There’s too many security protocols, aside from using the phone for Parts. As long as your iPhone with security locked, it’s essentially a ‘brick’ to anyone else.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
I accidentally left my pro max on the bus the other week when it fell out of my pocket. No one ever turned it in and now find my shows it somewhere far away. I ended up replacing with a standard 11 and so far so good tbh. The max is better but this phone is a really nice size.

I am so sorry to hear that, that is an awful feeling to realize you have left your phone somewhere, I’ve done it before but in my own car and so find it sitting in the little crack between the center console and the drivers seat. Cannot imagine how bad it must have felt to leave it on the bus though.

Did you at least lock the phone with Lost Mode, erase it and remove it from you iCloud account?

As Rentless said, a stolen iPhone is useless, that’s why the criminals then try sending Phishing texts to try and get you to give up your iCloud details

That’s really unfortunate. There’s not much criminals can do with a stolen iPhone today. There’s too many security protocols, aside from using the phone for Parts. As long as your iPhone with security locked, it’s essentially a ‘brick’ to anyone else.

Indeed, I love that they cannot get into it no matter what. When I started getting the Phishing texts I realized the idiots are probably losing their minds trying to get into what is essentially a $1000 brick at this point. My phone was locked with FaceID and Passcodes, even my WhatsApp had FaceID lock and my SIM Card was also pin locked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 44267547
Sorry about your experience Bro... I'll miss having my Xs Max Bro, but I'm sure the 11 Pro Max will treat you just fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Sorry about your experience Bro... I'll miss having my Xs Max Bro, but I'm sure the 11 Pro Max will treat you just fine.

Thanks bro! Haha, yeah was planning to have that XS Max for quite a long time,it was serving me so damn well that I even asked insurance if I could just replace it with a XS Max 512GB but unfortunately there was no stock of any XS Max in the country at all :/

I was certainly not complaining when they said I can replace it with an 11 Pro Max though

So I’ll be keeping my 11 Pro Max probably until late 2022, when 5G infrastructure is properly laid out in my country and I can have a true upgrade.
 
Sorry to hear about what happened. Theft is never a fun thing to deal with.

Midnight green is a nice color. I was tempted for a while to get a Pro, but I resisted. I really don't need it yet. Depending on what comes out later this year I might get a Pro on discount.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Thanks bro! Haha, yeah was planning to have that XS Max for quite a long time,it was serving me so damn well that I even asked insurance if I could just replace it with a XS Max 512GB but unfortunately there was no stock of any XS Max in the country at all :/

I was certainly not complaining when they said I can replace it with an 11 Pro Max though

So I’ll be keeping my 11 Pro Max probably until late 2022, when 5G infrastructure is properly laid out in my country and I can have a true upgrade.

Nah, we never turn down a free upgrade 🤣.

Glad all is well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tsepz
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.