Because I'm pretty sure, and I may be wrong, that the person I sold it to would report that.....
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iPhone stolen: Apple useless
- Thread starter nataliamck
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Because I'm pretty sure, and I may be wrong, that the person I sold it to would report that.....
Are you serious?
I'm sure that if I tried to takes someone's money they would report that I sold them a phone then reported it as stolen to get it back.
Not going to happen. Apple would not have the authority to seize a phone that was flagged as stolen in their database. So what are they going to do? Call the police and hope the person voluntarily sticks around until the police show up? The police are actually going to be bothered to show up at a store when a possibly stolen phone shows up? No way. Apple can't and should not get involved in this - it has way to many possible negative side-effects. The idea that their 'service does not match the price of their products' because they won't do this is ridiculous. Apple has an excellent reputation for customer service for good reason, but you can never please everyone. Again, I ask, what do you think other companies would do for you in this case? Do you think the Sony store is going to take the serial number of your stolen tv?
I'm saying.
Scenario 1.
Legitimate person gets his phone stolen. He tell's Apple/Police that he got his phone stolen, thief tell's Apple/Police he bought the phone.
Scenario 2.
Scammer sells a phone. He tell's Apple/Police that he got his phone stolen, buyer tell's Apple/Police he bought the phone.
How do prove who is telling the truth? There is a reason apple is "useless" as you say.
Well, no - they offer a subscription service for tracking your phone. It's probably of limited value, but they don't offer nothing. In fact they offer more than most companies - they just don't offer what you want at this point - and for good reason.
Third - and perhaps most likely scenario. Thief sells the phone on Craigslist. An honest person buys it - Craigslist is a legitimate marketplace for iPhones - brings it in for something and Apple confiscates it - now the honest person - through no fault of their own - is out their money and their phone.
WTH are you even trying to say? Since when does "flagging" something as lost mean that it is automatically disposed of? It's the same concept as with stolen cars that has, well, been around for decades.
Good so that's it then. I don't see what you expect Apple to do.
You can't expect a retailer to monitor stolen goods. Would you expect your TV manufacturer to monitor their TV's if yours was stolen from your house?
Or the Car manufacturer to do the same if your car was stolen? Or even the dealership that sold you the car?
Ok people, calm down. While I realise the implications of having such a system set up, one can only dream. The OP is not really at fault here, likely just a bit angered at the fact that nothing can be done now and wishes there could have been something else to help at the time. I had a friend go through the same thing, he's normally really careful, doesn't leave his iPhone lying around. Yet one day, while he was on the subway, he was using the iPhone one minute, and it was gone the next. It was only too late when he realised the busy commuting period prompted one passer by (thief) to "accidentally" bump into him while walking up the escalators, and made a very sneaky steal right from his pocket at the same time. The only lesson to learn here really is to make sure you have insurance. But having a more technological way of protecting it other than the norm would just be awesome.
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Sorry to hear that it got stolen, that person will get what they deserve some day. Just make sure that you add the isurance on the new one.
Sorry to hear that it got stolen, that person will get what they deserve some day. Just make sure that you add the isurance on the new one.
Thank you.
I am researching which insurance is the best for UK users. Any advice would be helpful. I would hate to have it insured only for them to turn round and say "Sorry, because it was stolen in a certain place it's not covered by our policy".
too bad its in europe..
cause European police..are prolly push overs..
Now if you had .. mobile me.. and the location thingie.. i woulda just called up some boys.. and located the iphone.. and when i saw the iphone in the guys hand when he came out of his house.. i would beat his asss and steal it back.
cause European police..are prolly push overs..
Now if you had .. mobile me.. and the location thingie.. i woulda just called up some boys.. and located the iphone.. and when i saw the iphone in the guys hand when he came out of his house.. i would beat his asss and steal it back.
LOL! That sounds like a flawless plan. Too bad I only got mobileme after my "incident". Next time though, I'm going with your plan
Natailamck I think it is totally reasonable to hope for Apple to do something in this scenario. It is too bad they chose to punt on this one....
I would also check with local carriers that can activate the iphone and see if your IMEI number has been activated or see if those wireless companies will black list or try to locate that number.
Had you bought apple care or mobile me, you would be able to track the phone from what I know, but I do wish you sincere luck in finding your phone. People really suck when they take what isn't theirs.
I would also check with local carriers that can activate the iphone and see if your IMEI number has been activated or see if those wireless companies will black list or try to locate that number.
Had you bought apple care or mobile me, you would be able to track the phone from what I know, but I do wish you sincere luck in finding your phone. People really suck when they take what isn't theirs.
exactly this is a company, not city hall .. When a car get's stolen you go to the police NOT your car dealership. Why does everyone always think that Apple should be the ONE AND ONLY company that has to spend time and money in flagging/tracking down stolen merchandise, when no other company does this.
I've had an iPhone stolen it the past, it's happened to a lot of us. Just buy a new phone and move on.
Thanks for the advice.
I'll phone my network again later but I fear that apart from blocking the sim and phone there's little else they can do. I'm happily enjoying my new iPhone though, I was without a phone for less than 12 hours so I can't complain
I'm not advocating this solution. But you could have the same system you have in regards to cars. In other words - you register the phone when you buy it and you have to sign over that registration to a new owner and fill out a form registering the sale. Then the new owner registers the phone under their own information.
I don't think Apple wants to worry/deal with that paperwork, any legal ramifications of keeping such a system, etc.
It would also make ebay sales much harder as there would need to be some back and forth.
I don't think Apple wants to worry/deal with that paperwork, any legal ramifications of keeping such a system, etc.
It would also make ebay sales much harder as there would need to be some back and forth.
Just like with any insurance, if it were stolen you would be required to report it to the police. If you report it stolen and it really is not stolen then you have committed 2 crimes (filing a false police report & insurance fraud) and you could go to jail.
Also, MANY will carriers blacklist an IMEI for a lost or stolen phone making it unusable for anyone else. AT&T doesn't though.
