Just Lost iPad!

[wrkactjob]

Left my iPad at the gym at work, I just located it using find iPhone app. It has all my bank details on so I used the erase option, now the device no longer shows up on find my iPhone?....eh?....does erasing data prevent it from transmitting its location?...obviously I wouldn't have done that if I had known!

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

Left my iPad at the gym at work, I just located it using find iPhone app. It has all my bank details on so I used the erase option, now the device no longer shows up on find my iPhone?....eh?....does erasing data prevent it from transmitting its location?...obviously I wouldn't have done that if I had known!

Yes, I'm afraid you are correct. Erasing all data and settings effectively restores the iPad to it's out-of-the-box configuration. Your iCloud account settings on the iPad, including using 'Find my iPhone', will have been deleted.

Apple's poor documentation claims another victim...

Hurry to where you last located it!

 

[HERO XXL]

Good luck--& remember, for future reference, you can lock the iPad by putting a passcode on it, through the Find My iPhone app rather than wiping it.

 

[vietalogy]

Well since you had your bank info on it wiping it was the best thing to do since the iPad is only worth $500 compared to what you can lose with your bank info.

 

[spinstorm]

You could have just locked it and gone and got it.

I hope you found it.

 

[wrkactjob]

The ipad was locked, but I just panicked and did what I thought would be a remote wipe...its now called Erase....I didn't realise in my rush that it would stop tracking the device....there was no warning of this....

And if remote wipe or erase just returns it to its out of the box state then someone has an early christmas present I guess....some nice Bose headphones too.

Damn.

 

[576316]

So, let me get this straight. If you "erase" using Find My iPhone, you effectively give a potential thief a good-as-new iPad of which they can take home and sync with little effort?

Seems a bit silly on Apple's part. Erase should render the iPad unusable. Like, it could release Apple created viruses which infect the OS causing major issues.

 

[MultiFinder17]

Just FYI, the iPhone app does indeed warn you about this when you go to erase a device.

 

[ActionableMango]

Left my iPad at the gym at work, I just located it using find iPhone app.

Well what was the location before you wiped it? Why are you sitting here posting questions on MacRumors instead of going to where it was?

 

[wrkactjob]

Well what was the location before you wiped it? Why are you sitting here posting questions on MacRumors instead of going to where it was?

It was stolen from my work by the cleaner, left it in the gym, I did just drive the 35 miles back to try and look for it.

If I hadn't erased it I would have been able to track it.

My mistake expensive lesson learnt.

 

[TheWheelMan]

So, let me get this straight. If you "erase" using Find My iPhone, you effectively give a potential thief a good-as-new iPad of which they can take home and sync with little effort?

Seems a bit silly on Apple's part. Erase should render the iPad unusable. Like, it could release Apple created viruses which infect the OS causing major issues.

But what if you did as the OP, panicked, erased, but then recovered the iPad, or maybe even realized that you left it under the bed or something? If you render it useless, then you yourself would have a $500 paperweight.

 

[ActionableMango]

It was stolen from my work by the cleaner, left it in the gym, I did just drive the 35 miles back to try and look for it.

If I hadn't erased it I would have been able to track it.

My mistake expensive lesson learnt.

Oh, it was stolen. I missed that part. Thought maybe it would just be in a locker or lost and found.

I guess my faith in humanity is a little too high.

 

[617aircav]

Originally Posted by ActionableMango
Well what was the location before you wiped it? Why are you sitting here posting questions on MacRumors instead of going to where it was?

It was stolen from my work by the cleaner, left it in the gym, I did just drive the 35 miles back to try and look for it.

If I hadn't erased it I would have been able to track it.

My mistake expensive lesson learnt.

Do you have proof that the cleaner took of you are just speculating?

 

[617aircav]

But what if you did as the OP, panicked, erased, but then recovered the iPad, or maybe even realized that you left it under the bed or something? If you render it useless, then you yourself would have a $500 paperweight.

Really, why can't it be restored.

 

[hkfan24]

Really, why can't it be restored.

Same thing I'm wondering

 

[kannesss]

thats horrible. I'm so sorry

 

[luke707]

If you have proof that it was the cleaner then get the police involved.

 

[sensorian]

If you have proof that it was the cleaner then get the police involved.

.....and if you don't then I'd be careful about where you post the accusation. Imagine how annoyed they will be when the log on to their favourite Mac forum and see what they are accused of......oh no hang on....

 

[thewitt]

Really, why can't it be restored.

It can be restored.

 

[iphoneclassic]

None of the iOS tracking features are fool proof. From a simple toggle to a restore can defeat its security. iPad WiFi and iPods are most vulnerable. Other devices have IMEI number for telecom carriers to track. I wish Apple has a restriction on restore. Talk to Apple Support.

 

[TheWheelMan]

Really, why can't it be restored.

If it can be restored in that case, then the thief could restore it too. In other words, what's the point of a "kill switch" if it really winds up with the same result, the thief getting a iPad "clean" iPad. The only thing disabling would do is make him work to get it functioning.

 

[Night Spring]

If it can be restored in that case, then the thief could restore it too. In other words, what's the point of a "kill switch" if it really winds up with the same result, the thief getting a iPad "clean" iPad. The only thing disabling would do is make him work to get it functioning.

The point of remote wipe is to prevent any data on the device from falling into other people's hands. Sure, losing a $500-$830 device is bad, but if other people got their hands on, say, your credit card info and social security #, that could be a lot worse.

 

[TheWheelMan]

The point of remote wipe is to prevent any data on the device from falling into other people's hands. Sure, losing a $500-$830 device is bad, but if other people got their hands on, say, your credit card info and social security #, that could be a lot worse.

My original comment wasn't about remote wipe, as I'm well aware of the value in that. But someone suggested that remote wipe should totally disable the device instead of just restoring it to "factory new".

My point was that disabling the device either means that if I recover the device, it's no more than a paperweight for me too, OR, if there is a way to get the iPad operational again, then the thief could get the iPad working again too, thus making the idea of disabling it remotely a moot point.

 

[citivolus]

OP that sucks, sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[Russiaone]

Sorry for your loss, but you might wanna contact the airline you use.