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Stolen iPhone 6+

NedFlanders

NedFlanders

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 6, 2011
79
5
So my wife came home the other day in a panic cause she could not find her iPhone.

I logged into Find My iPhone and it was 'Off Line'. I knew right away it had been stolen. The person obviously knew enough to pull the SIM out hot before powering it off to avoid the last location from being logged.

I have flagged it as lost or stolen in Find My iPhone, suspended the service with the carrier and let them know the phone has been stolen (it was locked - but that's just an inconvenience for the average user it will not stop the thief).

I assume it will either be sold to some sucker locally or shipped to some other country where the carriers are less picky about blacklisting devices.

She had Apple Pay and some personal info on the phone but I assume it's doubtful thief is interested in the data just the phone for sale in hole or for parts.

Am I missing anything?

fortunately I had already ordered an iPhone 8+ for myself so she can have my 6s+

Thanks
 
NedFlanders said:
So my wife came home the other day in a panic cause she could not find her iPhone.

I logged into Find My iPhone and it was 'Off Line'. I knew right away it had been stolen. The person obviously knew enough to pull the SIM out hot before powering it off to avoid the last location from being logged.

I have flagged it as lost or stolen in Find My iPhone, suspended the service with the carrier and let them know the phone has been stolen (it was locked - but that's just an inconvenience for the average user it will not stop the thief).

I assume it will either be sold to some sucker locally or shipped to some other country where the carriers are less picky about blacklisting devices.

She had Apple Pay and some personal info on the phone but I assume it's doubtful thief is interested in the data just the phone for sale in hole or for parts.

Am I missing anything?

fortunately I had already ordered an iPhone 8+ for myself so she can have my 6s+

Thanks
Click to expand...
Unless their some next level hacker, they won't be able to access her Apple Pay information. It probably was sold on the street to some poor child for a couple hundreds. Sorry to hear this man.
 
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TechNismo said:
Unless their some next level hacker, they won't be able to access her Apple Pay information. It probably was sold on the street to some poor child for a couple hundreds. Sorry to hear this man.
Click to expand...
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Activation Lock make the phone useless to whoever it's sold to?
 
NedFlanders said:
So my wife came home the other day in a panic cause she could not find her iPhone.

I logged into Find My iPhone and it was 'Off Line'. I knew right away it had been stolen. The person obviously knew enough to pull the SIM out hot before powering it off to avoid the last location from being logged.

I have flagged it as lost or stolen in Find My iPhone, suspended the service with the carrier and let them know the phone has been stolen (it was locked - but that's just an inconvenience for the average user it will not stop the thief).

I assume it will either be sold to some sucker locally or shipped to some other country where the carriers are less picky about blacklisting devices.

She had Apple Pay and some personal info on the phone but I assume it's doubtful thief is interested in the data just the phone for sale in hole or for parts.

Am I missing anything?

fortunately I had already ordered an iPhone 8+ for myself so she can have my 6s+

Thanks
Click to expand...
Not sure if this helps https://www.iphonelife.com/blog/31961/tip-day-find-your-lost-iphone-even-if-battery-has-died

Also report to Police get crime reference number, consider Insurance claim?

Sorry about the loss and I hope they catch the low life scumbags.
 
There is activation lock on the phone.
I don't think the thief will be able to use the phone without your Apple ID/password.
 
1981d said:
Maybe whoever buys it will give it back to you.
Click to expand...

My hope is they will accidentally get it to connect to an open wifi and get the lost message. I was hoping to give this phone to my Dad so I would be happy to wipe his 5 clean and give it to the poor sucker as a consolation (it just needs a new battery).
[doublepost=1512071967][/doublepost]
deany said:
Not sure if this helps https://www.iphonelife.com/blog/31961/tip-day-find-your-lost-iphone-even-if-battery-has-died
...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately if the thief knows enough to pull the SIM out when the phone is still on the phone will not make the last ping to 'find My iPhone' so the link you provided does not really help.

My wife knew the last location she had her phone and already re-traced her steps.

EDIT: Fortunately I got a UPS delivery notice that my new iPhone 8+ will arrive tomorrow so her wait for a replacement phone will be short.
 
Last edited:
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citivolus said:
Does a remote wipe make the phone usable again to a thief?
Click to expand...

... but unfortunately the phone has to connect to WiFi to receive the wipe command. I am going to assume if the FBI could not get in to an iPhone without farming the job out the few personal details on her phone are safe. If I wipe it I lose the slim chance that a buyer might see the lost my iPhone text message if it connects to WiFi for a few seconds.
 
I’m still confused. Does Remote Wipe set up the phone to be used as new again and remove the Activation Lock?
 
citivolus said:
I’m still confused. Does Remote Wipe set up the phone to be used as new again and remove the Activation Lock?
Click to expand...

It doesn't, no-whoever is unlucky enough to purchase the stolen device would have to enter the password for the linked iCloud account.

In terms of Apple Pay if you mark a phone as lost/stolen it removes the cards from Apple Pay even if it's offline.
 
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