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Is it possible to reset a lost iPhone that the police gave me?
- Thread starter SarahKirschbaum
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The only thing to do,is to leave it to recycling. In some countries,however,you could have a phone like that unlocked by Apple if the police help you,but that would cost some money. Would be easier and cheaper to get an unlocked used iPhone 6 from some sell site like eBay or similar.
Even if you find the owner - if someone found my lost phone and asked me for the login because they want to keep and use it, I certainly would not help them.
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Probably the health app's optional lock screen display of medical information.
Keep us updated. I'd be interested to know if you get this back to its original owner. I know I would be thrilled if I lost my phone and someone took the time and energy to make sure it got returned.
I looked around and saw nothing. In "Email" app, there are only a couple of old welcome emails from Apple dated more than a year ago. Nothing in text or call logs. Nothing in Safari or Maps. In fact, there were no user added apps at all.
Whoever had this before used "First Last" as his or her name when setting up this phone.
It only has 16gb. Based on the model number shown in settings, I believe this was originally sold in the UK, by a company called Vodaphone. When I Googled the model number, Vodaphone kept coming up in the results. (although, according to Siri, the country where I found this phone was more than 6000 miles away from the UK)
Then I went in to reset the phone to factory default. It went fine and I created a new Apple ID(didn't want to have this phone linked to my existing Apple ID). Now everything seems to work fine. It even updated to the latest iOS without any issues.
I tried both my T-Mobile and Tracfone prepaid SIM cards. Voice and text both work fine. Can't get data to work with T-Mobile SIM card. Using Tracfone SIM card, it picked up AT&T 4G LTE just fine and I got speeds of almost 20mbps, which is normal for inside my house. Tried Verizon SIM card, didn't work(obviously
).There is one little issue.. the speaker seems kind of muffled/squeeky.(compared side-by-side next to my iPhone 7 and iPhone SE, playing the same YouTube clips). I've never had an iPhone 6, so I don't know if that's normal or not. It reminds me of when I dropped my Samsung Galaxy S6 in the water a couple of years ago.
Anyway.. now that I completely wiped it clean back to factory default, if I started using it, there is zero chance that the previous user can see what I'm doing, right? (just want to be double sure)
. ..
[doublepost=1492365647][/doublepost]Edit: just realized the vibrator inside this iPhone 6 is not working. tried everything, but no go.
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Expect a phone call soon. Follow all instructions. We have been waiting.
OK, let me rephrase. You found an iPhone in a country you did not mention, with a very uncommon law according to lost and found stuff. The iPhone was locked with a unlock code. The previous owner wrote down the unlock code into the only accessible area without needing the unlock code which an iPhone has. The previous owner was not afraid to wrote down the unlock code of his phone in this area, but his real name was apparently too personal. After you unlocked the phone, it was completely empty, except from his e-mail (what was the e-mailadress? I guess something like: "guesswho@gmail.com"?). It was not even setup with an iCloud-account, because you managed to reset the phone. An iPhone always asks for the iCloud credentials before a reset. In your case it did not, so the phone was not connected to an iCloud-account.
So, according to this story, there are a couple of options. The first one; this story is made up. +1 for the details and your creativity. It was a nice story to read. The second option; this is a cryptogram. You were patient, and you already found the unlock code. My educated guess: the next instruction is in his e-mail. You really should look at it again! You never know what is at stake... The third option; this is a setup. You are following the exact plan of the previous owner. You should look over your shoulder the rest of your life, if you do not throw the phone away. But if you throw the phone away, you will never know who was trying to set you up. A though choice.
Nevertheless, good luck with the iPhone. Take care!
So, according to this story, there are a couple of options. The first one; this story is made up. +1 for the details and your creativity. It was a nice story to read. The second option; this is a cryptogram. You were patient, and you already found the unlock code. My educated guess: the next instruction is in his e-mail. You really should look at it again! You never know what is at stake... The third option; this is a setup. You are following the exact plan of the previous owner. You should look over your shoulder the rest of your life, if you do not throw the phone away. But if you throw the phone away, you will never know who was trying to set you up. A though choice.
Nevertheless, good luck with the iPhone. Take care!
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well, not that I've got it unlocked and reset, no more need to keep it "vague"(your word)...
I was visiting Taiwan on business and it was found in the airport parking lot where my friend picked me up.
The more I thought about it, I am going to guess that the phone was lost by a Brit who was visiting Taiwan.(or a Taiwanese who bought the phone in the UK?) This is because the phone was obviously sold by Vodaphone UK. Whoever lost it didn't bother to report it to the local police... not really my problem, right?
According to my co-worker who was originally from Hong Kong(like Taiwan, another Chinese territory), the laws in Hong Kong and Macau are the same way. Except that over there, the lost property becomes the finder's after just 3 months!
(assuming nobody comes forward to claim it)
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It's not that rare.
"In England and Wales, as well as in most other countries across the world, the onus is on the finder to take what the law describes as "reasonable steps" to track down the loser, [...] a finder may eventually earn the right to keep discovered property if they take the correct steps to find whoever lost it. [...] If you find something in the street, the law says you have more right to it than everyone else - except the owner. If the true owner doesn't turn up, you can take ownership."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8129534.stm
MISSOURI (USA)
§ 570.060 Finder not guilty of stealing property unless it was found under circumstances which gave finder knowledge or means of inquiry as to true owner; felony or misdemeanor if finder liable for stealing under 570.030 §§ 447.010 to 447.060 $10+ give affidavit to judge within 10 days of finding, judge appoints 3 people to appraise, notice posted on courthouse and 4 other public places; if $20+ then after 40 days must publish notice for 3 weeks; after 180 days vests in finder; owner has 1 year to reclaim
http://www.encyclopedia.com/law/leg...ost-abandoned-and-unclaimed-personal-property
Goods handed over to the police (UK)
The usual police practice is that the finder can have the goods back and keep them if they are not claimed within six weeks. However, the police may want more time if there are special circumstances and they want to investigate. Once the property has been returned to the finder by the police, the original owner cannot usually then claim the goods.
http://www.themix.org.uk/crime-and-safety/your-rights/lost-property-9126.html
thanks for that info! I'll be in the UK next month. Will be sure to keep my eyes open and look for lost property everywhere...