What To Do When iPhone Is Stolen

What To Do When Your iPhone Is Lost Or Stolen

If you have lost your iPhone and think it may be stolen, it is natural to panic or feel helpless. After all, it is an expensive affair. Undoubtedly, your priority should be to get the iPhone back. But you do not want to risk losing personal data to the thief either.

Apple has ensured a dozen ways to minimize the risk and even get the stolen iPhone back. In this guide, we have listed all the possible steps that you can take when your iPhone is lost or stolen.

Note: You must have Apples Find My service activated on your iPhone for most of the steps mentioned here. Check out our guide to learn how to use Find My.

Lock Your iPhone And Delete Its Data

The first thing you need to do is protect your personal information. If you have a passcode set on your iPhone, you’re pretty safe. But if you don’t, or want extra security, use Find My iPhone to lock your phone and add a passcode. That step will at least prevent the thief from using your phone.

If you can’t get the iPhone back or it has sensitive information on it, delete the phone’s data remotely. Deleting data may not prevent the thief from using your iPhone, but at least he won’t have access to your personal data after that.

If your iPhone was issued to you by your employer, your IT department may be able to remotely delete the data, too. Contact your company’s helpdesk to learn about your options.

Make Your iPhone Sound Even In Silent Mode

Does iCloud show you that your iPhone is only in your house but you still cant find it? Then the third step in the DUMPER method can help you find your lost iPhone. You can make your iPhone ring even when it is set to silent. Heres how to do it:

1.Login to iCloud.com/find using your Apple ID. Alternatively, if you have access to another iPhone, you can use the Find My app on it by logging in with your Apple ID.

2. After logging into Find My iPhone, click on the All Device button to display the list of devices related to the logged Apple ID.

3. Click on the name of the device that you want to ring.

4. Click on the Play Sound button.

5. Your iPhone will now ring and vibrate even when it is set to silent or Do Not Disturb.

You May Like: How To Connect iPhone To Samsung Tv With Cable

File Your Insurance Claim

If you have insured your phone, whether from the phone or insurance company, get in touch with the provider. While claiming the insurance, having a lost iPhone police report will be of great help.

Reporting this to your insurance company will escalate the procedure to replace your phone if you cannot get your old one back.

Filing A Police Report For A Stolen iPhone

For my particular insurance with AT& T, it turned out I did not need to file an insurance claim.

Yet I didnt realize that until later, so I made what turned out to be a 4 hour visit to the police station.

The station was fairly new, and the international crowd was there to file a report, mostly for stolen iPhones.

Two police officers asked me a variety of questions, so be certain to have all the information you need before you visit.

1. The IMEI number for your phone. This is crucial.

You will see in the checklist at the end of the article the first thing you must do is keep your phones IMEI number with you in a place other than your phone.It took several calls for me to get my IMEI number (note: Apple wont have it, but your service provider, in my case AT& T, will have it.

2. The exact time and place where your phone was stolen.

3. A physical description of the thieves.

In addition to giving the police the time, place, and description of the thieves, I also showed them the screenshot of the last place the phone was located. I asked the police if they would be able to just go to the apartment complex and interview the suspects. They said that if it had been a private home, they could do this. But because it was an apartment complex, it would not be possible.Looking back at the theft, I now realize how it could have been prevented.

1. Guard your iPhone like a wad of cash.

2. Resist the temptation to buy a bright red phone cover.

Stolen iPhone: After the Theft

Read Also: How To Hard Reset iPhone 6s

Anyunlock iPhone Password Unlocker

Getting an iPhone locked is pretty common these days. If youve ever forgotten your iPhone passcode, Apple ID, for example, then that can also get your device locked. That is when an app like AnyUnlock can help you. All you need to do is connect your iPhone to your computer, click on an option, and the iPhone screen passcode can be reset, or you can remove Apple ID from your device.

• Unlock iPhone screen / Apple ID / / iTunes backup password / Screen Time passcode.
• Simple to use and no tech knowledge requested.
• AnyUnlock is for both Windows and Mac. Supports iOS 15 and iPhone 13.

To unlock a locked iPhone with AnyUnlock:

Step 1. > Connect locked iPhone via USB cable > Click Unlock Screen Passcode. If you need to remove Apple ID, click Unlock Apple ID.

Step 2. Download a matched firmware before unlocking.

Step 3. Once the firmware is downloaded, click Unlock Now to start the unlocking process.

Tap on Unlock Now to Remove Screen Passcode

Step 4. Wait for a minute, and the screen passcode was removed successfully.

Screen Passcode Removed Successfully

If the Find My iPhone has been enabled, the Activation lock will be activated once someone factory reset the locked iPhone. And you can check some detailed steps about how to bypass the activation lock on iPhone or iPad.

Does It Have A Passcode Lock

Action: Check for a passcode, but don’t try to brute-force it. Check the call log and registered Apple ID for contact details if you can access them.

Once the iPhone starts up, you’ll see a lock screen. Pressing the Home button or swiping up from the bottom of the screendepending on which iPhone model you’ve foundwill likely prompt you for a passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.

But there’s a small chance the phone will unlock. This means the owner didn’t set a passcode, which is something all smartphone owners should do. If there’s a passcode, don’t stress over trying to unlock the lost iPhone.

Image Gallery

If the phone does unlock, you have two options to get more information. The first is to open the Settings app and select the user’s name at the top of the page to see their registered Apple ID email address and mobile number. You can then send an email or call the owner, informing them that you have their device.

The second is to head to Phone > Recents and check the call log. You should be able to deduce a suitable contact to call to inform them that you’ve found this iPhone. You should also be able to find the owner’s name listed at the top of the Contacts list in the Phone app.

You May Like: When I Take A Picture On My iPhone It Flips

How To Unlock iPhone By Guessing Screen Password

When someone steals your iPhone, the first thing that they are going to do is guess your screen passcode so they can access the phone. They will most likely start with a simple passcode such as 000, 1234, 6666, 8888, and so on. This is the most basic thing they will do to get into your phone.

In case they succeed in entering the correct passcode, they should have access to your iPhone and all the contents stored on it. However, if they fail to enter the correct passcode, your iPhone will remain unlocked.

Your iPhone only offers a certain number of attempts for entering the incorrect passcode. If the thief exceeds this limit, your iPhone will get disabled. A disabled iPhone requires even further steps and certain verifications for it to be unlocked. This is something they will not be able to do without the help of the original owner.

What that basically tells you is that you should always keep a complex passcode as your iPhones screen passcode. This way, if anyone ever steals your device, they will not be able to guess the passcode and as a result, they will not be able to use your iPhone.

Ensure That Your Find My Phone Or The Equivalent For An Android Device Is Active

With my iPhone gone, I was able to turn off and erase my phone with the find my phone program that was on my ipad and Macbook computer. Yet even if you didnt have another Apple device with you, it is possible to use any computer to log into your iCloud account and erase sensitive financial information on your stolen phone.

Also Check: Restore Messages iPhone

Look At The Medical Id For More Information

Image Gallery

Action: Access the Medical ID feature, even with a locked iPhone.

If you’re still looking for the owner of a lost iPhone, try the Medical ID feature. While its main purpose is to provide important medical information to first responders in case of an emergency, it can also give you more clues about the owner’s identity.

To access the Medical ID function, access the lock screen on any iPhone and select Emergency on the bottom-left side of the screen. You’ll then see a number pad on the screen. At the bottom-left of that screen, select Medical ID.

If the owner has set up the feature, you’ll see their name and more information about them. Hopefully, that will help you track down the owner.

If My Phone Is Missing For Several Days Before I Notice It’s Missing How Will I Be Able To Show That The Person Using It Wasn’t Authorized To Do So

We’ll take all facts and circumstances into consideration. In addition, we’ll review your account, and compare the usage during the time that the phone was missing to the time when the phone was in your possession. If the phone was used to contact entirely different phone numbers, this may indicate to us that the phone was being used by someone not authorized to do so.We’ll consider all relevant information when deciding your claim, including any documentation you can provide that shows the phone wasn’t in your possession at the time of the calls.

You May Like: How To Airdrop On iPhone Xr

What To Do Before iPhone Is Stolen Or Lost

It is better to put in stern measures and evade problems before they occur. For one reason or another, your iPhone can get lost or stolen at the most unexpected time. Activation Lock is a new security measure that Apple has added to help users have a full control of their phones whether present or stolen.

Step 1. Start by creating your Apple ID and iCloud account directly from your iPhone. The Initial Setup process also gives a good leeway for you to create these accounts on any new iPhone.

Step 2. Go to the Settings at iCloud account. Ensure you have signed in with your Apple ID.

Step 3. Tap on “Find My iPhone” icon to turn it on. Click on “OK” to enable the icons features.

Step 4. This ties your iPhone to your Apple ID and iCloud account. Once done, your iPhone can only be accessed by keying in your Apple ID.

What If My Bill Shows Unauthorized Charges Because My Device Was Lost Or Stolen

If your bill shows charges to your device after it was lost but before you reported it, and you want a credit for those charges, contact us and we’ll investigate your account activity.You don’t have to pay the charges in question while they’re being investigated. Also, we’ll give you a courtesy suspension of recurring monthly fees for up to 30 days, if you haven’t received one within the prior year.Further information regarding the theft or loss may be required.

Don’t Miss: How To Copy And Forward Text On iPhone

Contact The Carrier With The Imei

Outside of your Apple ID, every device has a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity number that can help a carrier find the iPhones owner. Just type *#06# to get the IMEI and call the carrier.

The SIM card carriers name will be on the upper left-hand side of the lock screen display. If you cant find the carriers name on the phone, you can also often look up the carrier using an IMEI lookup website.

The carrier likely wont provide you with any private information but will help you connect with the owner of the lost or stolen iPhone.

When Asked For A Serial Number

When reporting a lost iPhone, the Police may request proof of ownership and the serial number. Heres how to find your iPhones serial number even if your iPhone is not with you:

Find the serial number on the box of your iPhone.

Check for your iPhones serial number on your Apple account. Simply log in to appleid.apple.com with your Apple ID credentials.

Don’t Miss: How To Power Down iPhone X

Ensuring Your Information Is Adequately Backed Up

Whether you just bought your iPhone or Mac, or if you have been a long time user, it is never too early or too late to get yourself prepared for a possible lost or stolen device. The main aspects of preparation includes ensuring that you have adequate tracking, and that your information is adequately backed up. We will cover how to do both in the steps below:

1. You just bought your Mac or iOS devicecongratulations! Now its time to protect it with AppleCare. Despite not protecting against theft or loss, it can work in your favor in the event that your recovered device turns out to be damaged. For iOS devices, AppleCare+ protects against two damage incidents with a fee. Below is info on how to purchase it.

• For iPhone Users: For iPad Users: .
• When purchasing AppleCare+, you are required to have a device checkup to ensure you are not purchasing AppleCare+ for a device thats already broken.
• Keep all information handy and in a safe place .
• Found your lost iOS device or stolen device and its broken? Go to your local Apple Store and pay $49 for a repair.

Warn Relatives And Friends

Your second call should be to a friend or relative. Explain that your phone was stolen, and ask them to warn mutual contacts that they might get calls or messages from your number with requests for money or maybe some questions, all of which they should ignore. You might want to ask them to post a warning on social media if you share many friends there.

Also Check: iPhone Keeps Loading

Get Owner Details From The iPhone’s Medical Id

If the used iPhone has power, youve confirmed its locked, and lost mode is not active, your next step is to check if the owner set up a medical ID.

Apples medical ID system is designed to provide first responders with vital medical information associated with their Apple ID, but it could also tell you whose phone you have.

First, go to the lock screen on the phone. Then, select the emergency option on the bottom left of the screen. You should see a number pad now. Below the pad on the left, it should say Medical ID. Unfortunately, not everyone fills out their medical ID. If the owner of the iPhone you found didnt fill in their Apple ID info, move on to option three.

Mark Your iPhone As Lost

Find My allows you to put your phone in lost mode when it cannot be accessed by Wi-Fi or LTE. This ensures that no one can unlock your iPhone without the passcode.

When you Activate Lost Mode, all your bank cards connected with Apple Pay will be disabled immediately. It will also enable Low Power Mode for maximum battery life and make Siri inaccessible.

To enable Lost Mode,

Note: If you cant find your device in the list, you probably didnt enable Find My on it.

Your phone status will be delivered to you at your email address. Just turn the Toggle Mode off if you dont want to receive updates via email.

Read Also: Can I Screen Mirror iPhone To Samsung Tv

How To Lock Stolen iPhone

You can use Apple Lost Mode to lock a stolen iPhone if you lost iPhone and want to lock it to avoid privacy loss. Lost Mode allows you to lock your device and others cant access your personal information. The thief has no access to any features on your iPhone.

To turn on Lost Mode:

What Does Private Browsing Do

When activated, Private Browsing on Safari prevents your browsing history from being kept in the history tab of the application. Along with this, it doesnt autofill information that you have saved in the browser. In this mode, you essentially become incognito and any references of previous use is essentially hidden when you are in private mode.

For example: if you are on Facebook or filling out a form and some information or your login is already filled in in the spaces provided, this is called autofill. Its activated by simply clicking Safari next to the Apple symbol in the menubar and selecting Private Browsing, then clicking OK to the prompt.

The reasons behind private mode differ for each individual. While we wont go into all of those reasons, one thing that is important to remember is that private browsing doesnt forget the websites you visit. As we will see later on, Macs keep a second copy of the websites you visit in either mode. If you are in frantic mode looking for a solution to this, look no further.

Don’t Miss: How To Get Pool On Imessage