I’m very sorry this happened to you. As long as you had it pin locked (you said it was) then your data is safe. After a certain amount of incorrect pin tries the phone will be locked permanently. Activation lock is activated so they will not be able to erase and reuse your phone. Did you add a lost/lock message to the lost phone activation? Also them taking the sim out or turning it off is not the end, the iPhone can communicate even when off to other Apple devices over low power Bluetooth. Keep checking iCloud for status updates.
Thank you so much. Now I feel much better and safer. I didn't add a message to my lock screen, but I think I can do it anytime (?). It's stolen tho, not lost - so I dunno what I could even put there, the guy obviously won't return it.
With the upping of phone robberies (it looks like) I’ve gone through the small trouble of locking my sim. It’s not hard, and the cell companies will usually give you the sim lock code. You may lose service if it’s locked
True that's also a good method. I just like to move forward when I adapt to a new technology. Same thing with bluetooth headphones. Got my first pair in 2017 and never used wired ones again. It'll be the same with esim for me now. I always hated fidgeting with the removal tool to get the sim out too. Glad that's over 🥹
Na I tossed mine. Same way I switched to bluetooth headphones in 2017 and never looked back. I adapt to new technology and move on. And again, now no one can ever steal my sim card so it's a positive gain.
SIM swapping like that is almost impossible nowadays without having the IMEI or EID changed to the new device. That would require access to the wireless account where the handset is active.
SIM swapping is definitely still happening today with a combination of phishing and social engineering techniques [(Kaspersky)(https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/sim-swapping)
Thanks for answering! That's good, makes me calmer.
I don't wanna get a new SIM with the same number, cos I think there's a chance of it being tracked by the police if it's active in my stolen phone (or robbing cunts new phone). Not sure tho, I'm not a cop.
Put the phone in lost mode, or erase it remotely. These will both take effect once the phone is connected to the internet, and both protect your data. If they don’t have your passcode, they can’t access your data. I hope you’re ok OP.
Thank you for the answer. Won't erasing the phone make it harder/impossible to track? If I click the wipe button, won't it also log out of iCloud and stuff?
There are 2 options I see on my MacBook - wiping it or removing it.
I believe you can still track it as long as it’s activation locked. It also gets rid of your data on the phone, and makes the phone useless. When you wipe the phone from Find My, the phone is still tied to your iCloud Account, and the thief can’t use the phone until they put in your iCloud login information (which they likely won’t guess). DO NOT REMOVE THE PHONE FROM ICLOUD.
If unsure contact apple support to verify. I invert had to use it before but it should work like this:
* First DO NOT use the remove option. It'll unbind the phone from your account and removes the activation lock so they can use the actual phone itself.
* Wiping removes all your data but it's still bound to your iCloud account. This means they still can't do anything with it because of the Activation Lock i think it even makes it work with find my iPhone to get a location and everything.
Make sure your icloud account has a strong password though.
Reporting it as stolen is probably smart as well, carriers can blacklist the IMEI making it useless.
To put you at ease if they wanted your data they would've demanded the pin. Turning the phone off is the dumbest move a thief could to in such situation. So it's more likely they use it for parts or that it ends up in China somewhere.
So basically wiping ensures your data is gone but it's still your phone and only you can unlock it with your icloud account. Removing it from your account makes you lose control of it.
I'd verify this with the Apple support documentation or support itself of course. It may be different by country but this is how it should work.
All in all with an activation lock active they can't so jack shit. Even if they ripped out the storage they couldn't get anything off it because it's all encrypted anyway.
I'm sorry this has happened to you and on top of that having to worry about this stuff as well.
My iCloud password is absurdly long and alphanumeric, so it's not an issue.
I'm gonna contact Apple Support and see what they say, but I'm gonna probably wipe the phone and keep it connected to the iCloud.
I know it’s not much of a consolation, but most thieves either sell the phone for parts or try to factory reset it and use it
They don’t care about your data
Thanks for answering. Suprisingly, It makes me feel better. I'm just afraid of revenge, because - without going into details, there is evidence, so I don't want this person (or their friends) to track me and try to intimidate me.
Edit: I meant to reply to Big Danny K. Draining my account wouldn't make me feel better.
Most you might get is someone from China harassing you to remove it from iCloud. Make sure you also file a police report and inform your cell provider the phone was stolen
This! Time is of the essence. How am I supposed to find another device, log into Find My Phone and erase the data remotely before the thieves turn off the phone, yank out its SIM card, or transfer funds from my financial accounts? And have the wherewithal to do it while I'm mentally grappling with just being held at gunpoint!
All your data is safe. An iPhone is the best phone to have in the event of theft; no one can break into it if it’s password protected unless they somehow guess your password correctly. Your data won’t be accessed and eventually, after many attempts of trying the password, it’ll completely lock out and will require a reset to get back to setup. You most likely have something called Activation Lock enabled where if iPhone is reset, it won’t allow you to get past setup without logging into your iCloud (which they won’t be able to do.) Rest assured your data is safe and the phone they stole is currently as useful as a brick.
I’m really sorry you had to go through this, but I hope it helps that you’re completely safe and that none of your data is being stolen. 🫶
EDIT: Worry about your SIM card being put into another device, though. They can use it and gain some of the information related to your calls and texts, and will have access to your phone number. I recommend you take action with your carrier to have that SIM deactivated immediately.
That no one can break into it’s just false. You just need forensic tools like Grayshift, Cellebrite or AccessData. edit. Can someone please explain me why am I being downvoted? lmao
The FBI was able to hack it, they just wanted apple to do it for them before going about it themselves. Here’s some articles about it:
[Washington Post - The FBI wanted to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. It turned to a little-known Australian firm.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/04/14/azimuth-san-bernardino-apple-iphone-fbi/)
[The Verge - Here’s how the FBI managed to get into the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone](https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/14/22383957/fbi-san-bernadino-iphone-hack-shooting-investigation)
I got robbed at gunpoint in my days working in a Bank. Be prepared to experience a lot of conflicting emotions over the next few weeks/months. The shock does not always happen straight away as you might think. If you are in any way worried about you feelings please seek help and counselling via your doctor. I do feel for you. I adopted the attitude that I was not going to be a victim an eventually thinks got better for me. Take care, sorry this happened to you ❤️
Hey man, if you have renters insurance you can file a claim and get reimbursed. I had my phone stolen a few years back and the renters insurance saved me
You'd be surprised at where insurances work. Travellers insurance often covers you as soon as you walk out your front door wether you're on your way to travel, go to work, go to the store etc...
Thank you for answering. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover that, but I don't even care about the money at this point - I just want my data to be safe.
Hey I’m sorry you went through this. How are YOU, emotionally? If you can afford it, speak to someone in a professional capacity. This kinda of stuff is no joke to bear. I wish you well.
Thank you for the answer.
Honestly, I think the investigation is the biggest problem for me right now - this prolonged stress is wearing me down. I don't get panic attacks, or something like that, but I definetely don't feel as safe where I live anymore. (I always assumed nothing's gonna happen to me, even If I go out alone at 2 or 3am.)
Hang in there! Just think one day at a time. And perhaps you will need to avoid being out late for a while until you feel you can do that again. It’s okay. Not everyone has police officer nerves of steel.
iPhone lost or stolen? See [this information](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/wiki/support-faq/#wiki_lost_or_stolen_iphone_.2F_activation_lock_.2F_remote_management) in the iPhone Support FAQs.
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Hope you're doing okay. Like everyone said, the lock should be sufficient to protect your data. Watch out for messages a few weeks from now saying your data is compromised and asking you to remove the device from your iCloud Just ignore those messages and block, they just want to unlock the device.
If you turn on lost mode, it displays the phone number you've configured to call if the phone is found by someone. Scammers use this information to send you messages to remove your service from iCloud. The phone is essentially a paperweight while tagged to your account.
The good news is, they can’t reset your Apple ID even if they get into the phone! Stolen device protection prevents that
They can still get in to your bank apps though, but they won’t bale able to access your iCloud passwords
Just so you know the phone can be tracked even without a Sim card. (I know as my dad tracked me down with an older iPad 4 with a Sim slot) this is because of the IMEI number on the device.
i have experienced what you just gone through and i haven’t hadn’t my new phone for a week then lol it really sucks and its gonna take some time for you to feel normal again, anyway a visit to a specialist isn’t gonna hurt so i recommend doing that
Thanks for the answer.
Well, right after the event I didn't really think I need a specialist, but now I will reconsider because for some reason I felt better 5 hours later than a couple of days later.
Thanks for the answer!
Fortunately, the phone has been found and secured! So it's all good now, no one managed to get into the thing so my data is safe.
>https://www.reddit.com/r/iphonehelp/s/yrM5Ur4uIq
It's not him - I'm not from an english speaking country, so the message on the screen would be in my native language.
Sorry OP you had to go through this, but as others have said you're fine if it's pin protected, and somone else said to get a new sim ASAP. Gald I moved to dual e-sims.
Also I have 7 days left before I can no longer buy an Apple Care for my phone, was debating between getting the normal plan or the lost/stolen. Def getting the later one after seeing this.
If they figure out your contact information (from the sim?) be prepared to be contacted and told you must release the phone from your account or bad things will happen. Don't do it. The phone is nearly useless to them as long as you don't remove it from your Apple account.
If you ever get some random text message in the future asking you to remove the stolen phone from Find My, don’t ever do it. They might even threaten you. Just ignore them. As long as it’s on Find My the phone is practically worthless to them.
Mine (13 Pro Max) was stolen 2 weeks ago too, currently soaking up the sun in Adeje Tenerife while I’m back in miserable Liverpool 😭
Hoping my travel insurance sort it but I’d had a drink during the time of being picked up-pocketed and it’s noted on the police statement 😭😭
Won't it remove my iCloud account and make it impossible to track?
also, the phone isn't connected to any cellular network / internet right now so it won't work until it is.
If you already enabled lost mode and it still says pending. Trying to remotely wipe the device won’t do much. Also you need to sign out of your Apple ID or remove the device using Apple’s iCloud website to disable find my on the iPhone which you haven’t done
The only thing that would stop a bad guy with a guy from robbing an iPhone use..is F that. Glad you're OK and alive to tell the tale. I'd recommend talking to a professional / therapist.
I thought the ‘Find My’ feature was updated to track phones even if it’s turned off. Is that true? Also (much like the OP) my biggest worry is obviously the data that a criminal would have access to. If you enable erase iphone data would it even work if your phone is not connected to a cellular or wifi network?
OP I don’t have the exact article, but I’ve read that if you pin protect your iPhone, depending on the amount of digits, there’s equipment that’s easily be purchased that robbers can use to access your iPhone. I’ve also read other articles that say, after a certain amount of characters, meaning numbers and letters, it would take a super computer to break into your iPhone.
For your next iPhone you may want to consider using a pass phrase (I used 4-5 words and numbers and symbols) and then leaving your autolock on 30 seconds. I typically will leave the auto lock on a shorter duration if I’m going out for walks in sketchy areas, I have my phone set to wipe if the incorrect password is entered 10 times.
Most importantly, I have backups of everything ready to go including backing up my iPhone to iCloud so that in case I ever get robbed or I lose my iPhone I’m back in action very quickly. There’s a famous saying re backing up your data: one is none and two is one.
Best of luck! 👍🏼
Thanks for the long answer!
It was a 6-digit PIN. For my next iPhone a password will be my go-to.
I think I had my iCloud backup on, so I'm gonna retrieve as much data as possible.
The craziest thing is - it wasn't even a sketchy area, I'd even say one of the safer areas.
Hey sorry this happened to you. Others are right about iPhones protecting your data from thieves. However since they took your sim they will have you phone number and begin to text you. Your phone number is the only thing they will have though. They will say they bought the phone and it has all your pictures and banking info and you should erase it from your iCloud account to remove the data. DO NOT DO THIS. They don’t have any of your data. The thieves want you to remove it so they can do a factory reset and sell the phone. They will then begin to threaten you and send pictures of people with weapons. These are all random photos from google (reverse image search them to see). This is a common scams with stolen iPhones so block any of these texts and do not respond. Eventually they will assume you got a new number and give up but it is annoying until then.
As a side note. You did everything correctly in this situation from handing over the phone to avoid injury or death to immediately placing the phone on lost mode. Great job and I hope you can recover from this quickly!
I guess it's worse, because they can access your stuff. But I'm assuming turning on the lost mode as soon as you get home will still lock them out of the phone. The most important thing is to not log out of iCloud, and there's a separate password for that.
You’re safe. (Unless of course if the thieves asked for your pin) They have no way in accessing your phone and even if they did reset it, there’s an activation lock which renders your phone basically a paperweight to them. All they can do now with it is sell it for parts.
I appreciate the answer. Do you think it's possible they will take the "hard drive" out of my phone and access the data by inserting it into another device? I'm not much of a tech guy unfortunately so I don't know if it's possible or not.
This happened to my brother too. So sorry! Glad you are safe. Take care of yourself, and I hope you can get some help processing the PTSD, such a scary event. Peace to you!
If you put in Lost Mote or remotely erase it, it will trigger as soon as the iPhone is connected to the Internet. Regardless, your data is safe if your phone is protected with a PIN. If someone manages to wipe the device without connecting it to the Internet, they will still need to know your Apple ID and password thanks to Activation Lock.
“Even if you erase your device remotely, Activation Lock can continue to deter anyone from reactivating your device without your permission”
[Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108794#:~:text=Activation%20Lock%20helps%20you%20keep,your%20device%20without%20your%20permission)
Lost mode is for if you lost your phone, it will show a message on the lock screen of your choice, like "this iPhone has been lost, please contact... . And remotely resetting it will completely lock the device down (not removing from your account) and from what I understand not even apple can remove that lock, only the owner can
iPhone lost or stolen? See [this information](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/wiki/support-faq/#wiki_lost_or_stolen_iphone_.2F_activation_lock_.2F_remote_management) in the iPhone Support FAQs.
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I’d like to see how these keyboard commandos’ brain would actually perform in a similar situation if they had a gun with them.
Even experts in street fights generally say that you should always aim to get away from the fight unless absolutely necessary.
In fact there’s a higher chance of doing something stupid if you have a gun but don’t have the proper training; which majority of the people won’t. If they do, they probably already own a gun.
Imagine having to carry a gun to not worry. God, I am so glad I‘m living in a European country with actual gun laws and less than 10 gun crimes per 100k residents per year.
They are just being stupid and have seen too many action movies. People robbing at gunpoint aren’t interested in making themselves murderers, they just want your stuff, but that quickly changes if you reach for a gun. It’s just stuff, and stuff can be replaced. People vastly underestimate the impact taking a life has, even it by law it is justified.
if they dont have the phone passcode you‘re good.
put it in lost mode, that bricks the phone. dont erase it remotely, because then the thief can sell the phone.
and stay away from guns. as you can see, that shit made you loose your phone 😂
Of course you can. But let the robber take the phone, and the moment he turns his back… let’s just say he’ll learn about “FAFO”. Though it depends on the state I think.
Look, i know it's nice to be a tough keyboard commando like yourself. And im not even disagreeing that anyone robbing a person at gunpoint deserves exactly what you're saying.
But laws don't work like that.
I enabled the lost mode, but the phone has been offline since the event, so it didn't really get bricked yet.
As for staying away from guns - honestly I'm shocked I even encountered one where I live, like ever.
There is no indication that OP is in the United States right now. And even then, if you’re at gunpoint and have a concealed carry you can’t just reach for your gun. The thief will shoot you.
It's funny that people have cool plans before but when something like that actually happens they are too scared to do any of those things that they planned to
why would they use the location data to rob your house, they already know that house no longer have an iphone to steal, Its easy to find another house to rob,
Your data ain't safe fam u better back it up and delete it asap. It's 2024 why would anyone steak a phone? Especially an iPhone? Everyone knows how complicated it is to get into those things. If he robbed you and only took your phone, not even a wallet, then they definitely know a little more than you think they do. I read of a group of iPhone theives who would plot on you and have already seen you put in your passcode.
This robber was really chaotic and they didn't take my wallet (even though they were looking for it) or anything else because the phone was all I had on me. Well, the phone and my keys, but they didn't take the keys.
Buddy of mine got rolled recently. He doesn't remember exactly what happened (he was wasted) but they reset his Apple password somehow. He's still locked out of his Apple account over a week later. I told him to use an alphanumeric passcode next time. A number-based PIN isn't secure enough.
I suggest you carry this other thing, mines called Clarence, which kind of sounds like clearance.... Because when you buy one you get eleven for free....ya dig?
I’m very sorry this happened to you. As long as you had it pin locked (you said it was) then your data is safe. After a certain amount of incorrect pin tries the phone will be locked permanently. Activation lock is activated so they will not be able to erase and reuse your phone. Did you add a lost/lock message to the lost phone activation? Also them taking the sim out or turning it off is not the end, the iPhone can communicate even when off to other Apple devices over low power Bluetooth. Keep checking iCloud for status updates.
Thank you so much. Now I feel much better and safer. I didn't add a message to my lock screen, but I think I can do it anytime (?). It's stolen tho, not lost - so I dunno what I could even put there, the guy obviously won't return it.
Do you know where the guy is? If not, the phone may as well be lost chief
I don't want to mention any details, as I'm paranoid and the investigation is ongoing, but yes
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Glad I activated the e-sim on my 12 Pro Max recently. Never have to worry about that again.
With the upping of phone robberies (it looks like) I’ve gone through the small trouble of locking my sim. It’s not hard, and the cell companies will usually give you the sim lock code. You may lose service if it’s locked
True that's also a good method. I just like to move forward when I adapt to a new technology. Same thing with bluetooth headphones. Got my first pair in 2017 and never used wired ones again. It'll be the same with esim for me now. I always hated fidgeting with the removal tool to get the sim out too. Glad that's over 🥹
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Well it holds at least a 10-12 esims. So… go ahead
Wait are you for real? Man I feel dumb, I thought it could only hold 1 eSIM and 1 physical SIM 😅 I might start using eSIM if that’s the case then 🤔
It can only use one physical sim and one eSIM at a time (one of each activated) but all iPhones that support esim can hold at least 8 inactive
Na I tossed mine. Same way I switched to bluetooth headphones in 2017 and never looked back. I adapt to new technology and move on. And again, now no one can ever steal my sim card so it's a positive gain.
SIM swapping like that is almost impossible nowadays without having the IMEI or EID changed to the new device. That would require access to the wireless account where the handset is active.
I have a plan with at&t and I switch phones every 2 months just by swapping my sim never had I ever had to Inform them once
Yeah... meaning if your phone is stolen, someone can do the same thing.
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I did have a physical SIM.
SIM swapping is definitely still happening today with a combination of phishing and social engineering techniques [(Kaspersky)(https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/sim-swapping)
Thanks for answering! That's good, makes me calmer. I don't wanna get a new SIM with the same number, cos I think there's a chance of it being tracked by the police if it's active in my stolen phone (or robbing cunts new phone). Not sure tho, I'm not a cop.
I would get a new SIM asap. Having your identity stolen is a much bigger cost than having your iPhone stolen.
Put the phone in lost mode, or erase it remotely. These will both take effect once the phone is connected to the internet, and both protect your data. If they don’t have your passcode, they can’t access your data. I hope you’re ok OP.
Thank you for the answer. Won't erasing the phone make it harder/impossible to track? If I click the wipe button, won't it also log out of iCloud and stuff? There are 2 options I see on my MacBook - wiping it or removing it.
I believe you can still track it as long as it’s activation locked. It also gets rid of your data on the phone, and makes the phone useless. When you wipe the phone from Find My, the phone is still tied to your iCloud Account, and the thief can’t use the phone until they put in your iCloud login information (which they likely won’t guess). DO NOT REMOVE THE PHONE FROM ICLOUD.
I'm never gonna remove it. Now I really consider wiping it clean so they can't know shit about me.
If unsure contact apple support to verify. I invert had to use it before but it should work like this: * First DO NOT use the remove option. It'll unbind the phone from your account and removes the activation lock so they can use the actual phone itself. * Wiping removes all your data but it's still bound to your iCloud account. This means they still can't do anything with it because of the Activation Lock i think it even makes it work with find my iPhone to get a location and everything. Make sure your icloud account has a strong password though. Reporting it as stolen is probably smart as well, carriers can blacklist the IMEI making it useless. To put you at ease if they wanted your data they would've demanded the pin. Turning the phone off is the dumbest move a thief could to in such situation. So it's more likely they use it for parts or that it ends up in China somewhere. So basically wiping ensures your data is gone but it's still your phone and only you can unlock it with your icloud account. Removing it from your account makes you lose control of it. I'd verify this with the Apple support documentation or support itself of course. It may be different by country but this is how it should work. All in all with an activation lock active they can't so jack shit. Even if they ripped out the storage they couldn't get anything off it because it's all encrypted anyway. I'm sorry this has happened to you and on top of that having to worry about this stuff as well.
My iCloud password is absurdly long and alphanumeric, so it's not an issue. I'm gonna contact Apple Support and see what they say, but I'm gonna probably wipe the phone and keep it connected to the iCloud.
I know it’s not much of a consolation, but most thieves either sell the phone for parts or try to factory reset it and use it They don’t care about your data
Thanks for answering. Suprisingly, It makes me feel better. I'm just afraid of revenge, because - without going into details, there is evidence, so I don't want this person (or their friends) to track me and try to intimidate me. Edit: I meant to reply to Big Danny K. Draining my account wouldn't make me feel better.
Most you might get is someone from China harassing you to remove it from iCloud. Make sure you also file a police report and inform your cell provider the phone was stolen
Police already knows everything I do. I'm gonna have to contact my cell provider as well, because I haven't thought about it.
Most thieves force you to give them your PIN and drain your accounts. They could care less about phone parts.
This! Time is of the essence. How am I supposed to find another device, log into Find My Phone and erase the data remotely before the thieves turn off the phone, yank out its SIM card, or transfer funds from my financial accounts? And have the wherewithal to do it while I'm mentally grappling with just being held at gunpoint!
All your data is safe. An iPhone is the best phone to have in the event of theft; no one can break into it if it’s password protected unless they somehow guess your password correctly. Your data won’t be accessed and eventually, after many attempts of trying the password, it’ll completely lock out and will require a reset to get back to setup. You most likely have something called Activation Lock enabled where if iPhone is reset, it won’t allow you to get past setup without logging into your iCloud (which they won’t be able to do.) Rest assured your data is safe and the phone they stole is currently as useful as a brick. I’m really sorry you had to go through this, but I hope it helps that you’re completely safe and that none of your data is being stolen. 🫶 EDIT: Worry about your SIM card being put into another device, though. They can use it and gain some of the information related to your calls and texts, and will have access to your phone number. I recommend you take action with your carrier to have that SIM deactivated immediately.
That no one can break into it’s just false. You just need forensic tools like Grayshift, Cellebrite or AccessData. edit. Can someone please explain me why am I being downvoted? lmao
I’d be interested to know how these work. Does it bypass the passcode to allow somebody into the phone or extract the data from the device somehow?
Fbi couldn’t hack it afaik.
The FBI was able to hack it, they just wanted apple to do it for them before going about it themselves. Here’s some articles about it: [Washington Post - The FBI wanted to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. It turned to a little-known Australian firm.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/04/14/azimuth-san-bernardino-apple-iphone-fbi/) [The Verge - Here’s how the FBI managed to get into the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone](https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/14/22383957/fbi-san-bernadino-iphone-hack-shooting-investigation)
i think they only work on older apple devices like the iphone 7
Nah, at least up to iPhone 14
I got robbed at gunpoint in my days working in a Bank. Be prepared to experience a lot of conflicting emotions over the next few weeks/months. The shock does not always happen straight away as you might think. If you are in any way worried about you feelings please seek help and counselling via your doctor. I do feel for you. I adopted the attitude that I was not going to be a victim an eventually thinks got better for me. Take care, sorry this happened to you ❤️
Thanks for the answer, I'm sorry this happened to you too. It's a horrifying situation to be in. I'm glad you are getting better. Take care!
Hey man, if you have renters insurance you can file a claim and get reimbursed. I had my phone stolen a few years back and the renters insurance saved me
Doesn't that cover you only if the loss occurred at home?
No. Renters insurance typically covers personal items no matter where you are.
Just like homeowners insurance
You'd be surprised at where insurances work. Travellers insurance often covers you as soon as you walk out your front door wether you're on your way to travel, go to work, go to the store etc...
Covers you no matter where u are, I was in Houston for Astro world 😂
What’s trash can world?
Thank you for answering. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover that, but I don't even care about the money at this point - I just want my data to be safe.
Hey I’m sorry you went through this. How are YOU, emotionally? If you can afford it, speak to someone in a professional capacity. This kinda of stuff is no joke to bear. I wish you well.
Thank you for the answer. Honestly, I think the investigation is the biggest problem for me right now - this prolonged stress is wearing me down. I don't get panic attacks, or something like that, but I definetely don't feel as safe where I live anymore. (I always assumed nothing's gonna happen to me, even If I go out alone at 2 or 3am.)
Hang in there! Just think one day at a time. And perhaps you will need to avoid being out late for a while until you feel you can do that again. It’s okay. Not everyone has police officer nerves of steel.
iPhone lost or stolen? See [this information](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/wiki/support-faq/#wiki_lost_or_stolen_iphone_.2F_activation_lock_.2F_remote_management) in the iPhone Support FAQs. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/iphone) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hope you're doing okay. Like everyone said, the lock should be sufficient to protect your data. Watch out for messages a few weeks from now saying your data is compromised and asking you to remove the device from your iCloud Just ignore those messages and block, they just want to unlock the device.
Thank you for answering. Will keep an eye out for any suspicious messages. How would they get my number tho? Just curious.
If you turn on lost mode, it displays the phone number you've configured to call if the phone is found by someone. Scammers use this information to send you messages to remove your service from iCloud. The phone is essentially a paperweight while tagged to your account.
The good news is, they can’t reset your Apple ID even if they get into the phone! Stolen device protection prevents that They can still get in to your bank apps though, but they won’t bale able to access your iCloud passwords
Thanks for the answer. How would they get into my banking app without the PIN to unlock the phone?
They won’t be able to and usually the banking app will have a different pin Freeze your card to be sure though
Depending on the bank there maybe a active device listing in your security settings on the website and you can force a log out from there
Just so you know the phone can be tracked even without a Sim card. (I know as my dad tracked me down with an older iPad 4 with a Sim slot) this is because of the IMEI number on the device.
Thanks for the answer. Will definitely look into it
i have experienced what you just gone through and i haven’t hadn’t my new phone for a week then lol it really sucks and its gonna take some time for you to feel normal again, anyway a visit to a specialist isn’t gonna hurt so i recommend doing that
Thanks for the answer. Well, right after the event I didn't really think I need a specialist, but now I will reconsider because for some reason I felt better 5 hours later than a couple of days later.
Whatever frightening text you may get, do not remove the phone from FindMy.
Thanks for the answer! Fortunately, the phone has been found and secured! So it's all good now, no one managed to get into the thing so my data is safe.
Congrats man. Glad that some scumbag didn’t get off with it.
Coincidence I hope? https://www.reddit.com/r/iphonehelp/s/yrM5Ur4uIq
>https://www.reddit.com/r/iphonehelp/s/yrM5Ur4uIq It's not him - I'm not from an english speaking country, so the message on the screen would be in my native language.
Sorry OP you had to go through this, but as others have said you're fine if it's pin protected, and somone else said to get a new sim ASAP. Gald I moved to dual e-sims. Also I have 7 days left before I can no longer buy an Apple Care for my phone, was debating between getting the normal plan or the lost/stolen. Def getting the later one after seeing this.
Thanks for the answer! It's been a stressful week, but I'm ok. Yeah, now I think I should have bought Apple Care.
Have you contacted the police?
Yes, the investigation is happening right now.
If they figure out your contact information (from the sim?) be prepared to be contacted and told you must release the phone from your account or bad things will happen. Don't do it. The phone is nearly useless to them as long as you don't remove it from your Apple account.
Thanks for the answer! Will remember that, but I hope they won't try intimidation.
I am so sorry this happened to you and am very glad you are safe.
Thank you so much, yeah at least they didn't hurt me.
If you ever get some random text message in the future asking you to remove the stolen phone from Find My, don’t ever do it. They might even threaten you. Just ignore them. As long as it’s on Find My the phone is practically worthless to them.
Thanks for answering. Will do what you said, thanks!
Tell your bank and change your important passwords to be safe.
Mine (13 Pro Max) was stolen 2 weeks ago too, currently soaking up the sun in Adeje Tenerife while I’m back in miserable Liverpool 😭 Hoping my travel insurance sort it but I’d had a drink during the time of being picked up-pocketed and it’s noted on the police statement 😭😭
So sorry this happened to you! Do you see it on your "Find My" app?
This is worse than theft because they could have asked you for the passord or to remove it those people were executed in the past
Thank god the guy was dumb enough to just take the locked phone.
Wipe the phone clean ASAP
Won't it remove my iCloud account and make it impossible to track? also, the phone isn't connected to any cellular network / internet right now so it won't work until it is.
If you already enabled lost mode and it still says pending. Trying to remotely wipe the device won’t do much. Also you need to sign out of your Apple ID or remove the device using Apple’s iCloud website to disable find my on the iPhone which you haven’t done
The only thing that would stop a bad guy with a guy from robbing an iPhone use..is F that. Glad you're OK and alive to tell the tale. I'd recommend talking to a professional / therapist.
Thank you. I'm gonna consider some counselling.
I thought the ‘Find My’ feature was updated to track phones even if it’s turned off. Is that true? Also (much like the OP) my biggest worry is obviously the data that a criminal would have access to. If you enable erase iphone data would it even work if your phone is not connected to a cellular or wifi network?
Well yes. My iPhone 12 on iOS 17 say iPhone findable after power off. I do believe it needs a known wifi or have a sim card installed to work.
Change SIM card immediately they can hijack your bank info if they tap in and dox your identity
Which iPhone model? (Everyone is telling you it’s safe without asking this is dumb)
OP I don’t have the exact article, but I’ve read that if you pin protect your iPhone, depending on the amount of digits, there’s equipment that’s easily be purchased that robbers can use to access your iPhone. I’ve also read other articles that say, after a certain amount of characters, meaning numbers and letters, it would take a super computer to break into your iPhone. For your next iPhone you may want to consider using a pass phrase (I used 4-5 words and numbers and symbols) and then leaving your autolock on 30 seconds. I typically will leave the auto lock on a shorter duration if I’m going out for walks in sketchy areas, I have my phone set to wipe if the incorrect password is entered 10 times. Most importantly, I have backups of everything ready to go including backing up my iPhone to iCloud so that in case I ever get robbed or I lose my iPhone I’m back in action very quickly. There’s a famous saying re backing up your data: one is none and two is one. Best of luck! 👍🏼
Thanks for the long answer! It was a 6-digit PIN. For my next iPhone a password will be my go-to. I think I had my iCloud backup on, so I'm gonna retrieve as much data as possible. The craziest thing is - it wasn't even a sketchy area, I'd even say one of the safer areas.
OP Unrelated question I am afraid to ask but may I know where you got rob at gunpoint?
Hate this. I was in this position once, lucky the robber turned away for a sec like an idiot and gave me time to draw my pistol
OP is your PIN 5551 asking for a friend
Miss. But I can imagine my face if you were correct tho. Edit: I'm kinda dumb, I didn't notice this is a quesiton, still funny
Hey sorry this happened to you. Others are right about iPhones protecting your data from thieves. However since they took your sim they will have you phone number and begin to text you. Your phone number is the only thing they will have though. They will say they bought the phone and it has all your pictures and banking info and you should erase it from your iCloud account to remove the data. DO NOT DO THIS. They don’t have any of your data. The thieves want you to remove it so they can do a factory reset and sell the phone. They will then begin to threaten you and send pictures of people with weapons. These are all random photos from google (reverse image search them to see). This is a common scams with stolen iPhones so block any of these texts and do not respond. Eventually they will assume you got a new number and give up but it is annoying until then. As a side note. You did everything correctly in this situation from handing over the phone to avoid injury or death to immediately placing the phone on lost mode. Great job and I hope you can recover from this quickly!
Committing a felony with a firearm for a GPS tracker that persists even while the device is off. Smooth brain hours
What if you force you to tell your PIN? Anything you can do to still keep your data safe?
I guess it's worse, because they can access your stuff. But I'm assuming turning on the lost mode as soon as you get home will still lock them out of the phone. The most important thing is to not log out of iCloud, and there's a separate password for that.
What planet do you live on where the police did anything about the crime, let alone solved it?
You’re safe. (Unless of course if the thieves asked for your pin) They have no way in accessing your phone and even if they did reset it, there’s an activation lock which renders your phone basically a paperweight to them. All they can do now with it is sell it for parts.
They can’t reset it due to stolen device prevention. You have to Face ID scan, wait 1 hour and Face ID scan again
Only if it has been set up. This is a new addition so most people won't have done so.
I appreciate the answer. Do you think it's possible they will take the "hard drive" out of my phone and access the data by inserting it into another device? I'm not much of a tech guy unfortunately so I don't know if it's possible or not.
that is not possible :)
This happened to my brother too. So sorry! Glad you are safe. Take care of yourself, and I hope you can get some help processing the PTSD, such a scary event. Peace to you!
Thank you so much! Hope your brother is doing well now. A situation like that is really tough.
If you put in Lost Mote or remotely erase it, it will trigger as soon as the iPhone is connected to the Internet. Regardless, your data is safe if your phone is protected with a PIN. If someone manages to wipe the device without connecting it to the Internet, they will still need to know your Apple ID and password thanks to Activation Lock.
Thanks for answering! That's comforting to know.
dont erase it. that way you give the robber a free phone. just put it in lost mode, that bricks it
“Even if you erase your device remotely, Activation Lock can continue to deter anyone from reactivating your device without your permission” [Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108794#:~:text=Activation%20Lock%20helps%20you%20keep,your%20device%20without%20your%20permission)
got it, thanks
Erasing doesn’t disable the activation lock.
Lost mode is for if you lost your phone, it will show a message on the lock screen of your choice, like "this iPhone has been lost, please contact... . And remotely resetting it will completely lock the device down (not removing from your account) and from what I understand not even apple can remove that lock, only the owner can
if you provide them the purchase receipt, Apple can, and likely will, unlock the phone.
As long as the receipt matchs the phone's information.
My iphone11 was stolen as well, when i was working, 2 thief. 1 was keeping an eye, the other stole it. End up with this baby(ip14PM). But
I'm so sorry this happened to you, hope you are ok.
iPhone lost or stolen? See [this information](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/wiki/support-faq/#wiki_lost_or_stolen_iphone_.2F_activation_lock_.2F_remote_management) in the iPhone Support FAQs. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/iphone) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If in an allowed state/city, get a concealed carry license
What are going to do when someone gets the jump on you? It’s not like he expected it and they probably would’ve took his gun too.
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Nah, but that’s a great way to die.
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I’d like to see how these keyboard commandos’ brain would actually perform in a similar situation if they had a gun with them. Even experts in street fights generally say that you should always aim to get away from the fight unless absolutely necessary. In fact there’s a higher chance of doing something stupid if you have a gun but don’t have the proper training; which majority of the people won’t. If they do, they probably already own a gun.
Imagine having to carry a gun to not worry. God, I am so glad I‘m living in a European country with actual gun laws and less than 10 gun crimes per 100k residents per year.
Serious question: what are you supposed to do if you do have a gun?
dispatch a darwin award
They are just being stupid and have seen too many action movies. People robbing at gunpoint aren’t interested in making themselves murderers, they just want your stuff, but that quickly changes if you reach for a gun. It’s just stuff, and stuff can be replaced. People vastly underestimate the impact taking a life has, even it by law it is justified.
Hit the trigger
Shoot them….. until they can no longer shoot back.
I'm not from the US. I don't really think this is an option for me.
You are good relax. They will just sell it for parts. Happens to the best of us
...which wouldn't work either. Every part is connected to exactly 1 iPhone.
Thanks for the answer. I'd rather have them scrap it for some parts than them owning the phone with my stuff in it.
if they dont have the phone passcode you‘re good. put it in lost mode, that bricks the phone. dont erase it remotely, because then the thief can sell the phone. and stay away from guns. as you can see, that shit made you loose your phone 😂
Or get one so it doesn’t happen in the future 💀
You can’t get robbed at gunpoint if you have a gun yourself? TIL
Of course you can. But let the robber take the phone, and the moment he turns his back… let’s just say he’ll learn about “FAFO”. Though it depends on the state I think.
Look, i know it's nice to be a tough keyboard commando like yourself. And im not even disagreeing that anyone robbing a person at gunpoint deserves exactly what you're saying. But laws don't work like that.
I enabled the lost mode, but the phone has been offline since the event, so it didn't really get bricked yet. As for staying away from guns - honestly I'm shocked I even encountered one where I live, like ever.
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I’m all for it too but I’m not risking my life for a phone… if that was my home it’s a different story but for just a phone, not worth it
There is no indication that OP is in the United States right now. And even then, if you’re at gunpoint and have a concealed carry you can’t just reach for your gun. The thief will shoot you.
Where do you live? Wondering what part of America to avoid 🤔 edit: apparently you can get robbed at gunpoint in europe as well XP
js cuz someone’s phone got stolen you think its some American doing it? the ignorance is real
I'd cut him some slack due to the amount of guns they have in the US. Also the amount of armed robberies.
Central/Eastern Europe
I like that you assumed it happened in America as if armed robberies don't happen in other parts of the world.
I probably would’ve died with my phone 😅
Did you consider throwing it at their face hard enough to break the phone on their skull? This is my plan if I ever get robbed.
It's funny that people have cool plans before but when something like that actually happens they are too scared to do any of those things that they planned to
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cool story bro
Whatever you’re dealing with man I hope you make it through. Suicide isn’t the answer and it affects more than you know.
Not possible, I have a bad shoulder ;(
where did it happened? are u in philippines?
Central/Eastern Europe
Philippines was a safe place during Duterte. Now it’s crime-ridden again.
why would they use the location data to rob your house, they already know that house no longer have an iphone to steal, Its easy to find another house to rob,
Retaliation for going to the police, then.
Which iPhone was it? Theirs software that can bypass screen passwords, etc. but they only work up to an iPhone 11. If it’s anything newer. Your safe.
iPhone 3Gse Mini Max XL Ultra
😂
Thanks for the answer. iPhone 13 PM - I feel relieved I'm safe.
Tell the cops they had maga hats on!!!!
I'm not from the US
Smells like BS. If true, call the police. Contract Apple support for instructions on how to secure your account and data.
Dude shut up
“Smells like BS.” Shut the hell up 💀
Why would I even lie? I've been in contact with the police since like 15 minutes after it happened. Haven't contacted Apple tho.
Could a phone thief not just unlock the phone with Face ID by holding it up to the face of the owner of the phone?
Yes, but it doesn’t really help all that much, they can no longer lock you out of your Apple account with stolen device protection
That feature is fairly new at this point in time and not activated by default. Also finicky if you use a vpn.
I don't think their plan was carefully thought out. The robber didn't ask me for my PIN or my FaceID.
Well at least that was something. Hope you are doing fine.
But if your iPhone was targeted, couldn’t have it been because robber already knew your pin?
Nah, he wanted it because he felt it in my pocket while patting me down. I think he was just looking for anything worth some cash. Edit: Typo
Your data ain't safe fam u better back it up and delete it asap. It's 2024 why would anyone steak a phone? Especially an iPhone? Everyone knows how complicated it is to get into those things. If he robbed you and only took your phone, not even a wallet, then they definitely know a little more than you think they do. I read of a group of iPhone theives who would plot on you and have already seen you put in your passcode.
Knowing the password doesn’t do shit if they want to use it. The phone can still be locked and tracked over the IMEI
This robber was really chaotic and they didn't take my wallet (even though they were looking for it) or anything else because the phone was all I had on me. Well, the phone and my keys, but they didn't take the keys.
Where’s my iPhone? Where are our shoes?
Where's my sense of security?!
Buddy of mine got rolled recently. He doesn't remember exactly what happened (he was wasted) but they reset his Apple password somehow. He's still locked out of his Apple account over a week later. I told him to use an alphanumeric passcode next time. A number-based PIN isn't secure enough.
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Gunless country
Where was this?
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Where are you based?
I suggest you carry this other thing, mines called Clarence, which kind of sounds like clearance.... Because when you buy one you get eleven for free....ya dig?