Thursday, April 11, 2024

What To Do If iPhone Is Stolen

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How Do I Delete Data From My Lost iPhone

Lost or Stolen iPhone – What to Do? I Survival School #2

Once you confirm that your iPhone was stolen, wipe your iPhone data. While it may not seem like all the data is too important, keep in mind that photos and messages can contain details of your location. Also, many users save their credit cards with Apple Pay to make shopping easier. Erasing all data on your lost iPhone is an important step that you should not skip.

  • Sign in to the Find my app. You can use a friend’s phone or other device to do this, just make sure you sign in with your Apple ID.
  • Go to the Devices tab.
  • Select the device that has been stolen or is missing.
  • Swipe up to access the full menu and select Delete this device near the bottom
  • Details about the device will appear and you will have to select Continue at the bottom of the screen.
  • To erase the device, you will be asked to verify your Apple ID password.
  • Enter a phone number in case someone finds your iPhone, then touch Next.
  • You will then have the opportunity to enter a message that will be displayed on your device when someone recovers it.
  • Finally select Delete.
  • You will need to sign in with your Apple ID password one last time to confirm.
  • If iPhone was turned off when it was lost or stolen, all data will be erased once the phone is turned on and online.

    Enable Mark As Lost To Lock iPhone

    In the Find My app or iCloud, you can choose to turn on mode for a lost iPhone. When you do that, it locks your iPhone – giving you the option to create a passcode if you haven’t already used it – and lets you type a message on the screen for whoever finds your lost device.

    To protect your data, you must turn on on your iPhone to lock it whether or not you think someone stole it. Doing so makes it difficult for anyone to resell your iPhone and makes it impossible for them to access sensitive services like Apple Pay.

    You may notice another option to erase your lost iPhone. Don’t use it yet.

    Sim Card Stolen: What Can Someone Do With Your Sim Card

    Heres what someone can do with your SIM card:

    They can cause you a lot of problems.

    A stolen or hacked SIM card can be used to run up a phone bill, steal personal information, hack online accounts, steal your identity and even commit fraud.

    A stolen SIM card gives someone complete access to your phone line, which comes with many concerns.

    If you want to learn all about what someone can do with your SIM card, then this article is for you.

    Lets jump right in!

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    Enable Activation Lock On Your iPhone

    The Activation Lock is enabled together with the activation of the Find My feature. Set up and enable Find My on your iPhone to find friends, families, your phone, or other peoples iPhones. The Find My feature is the ultimate security feature for your iPhone. To enable Find My on your iPhone Settings > Your iPhone Name > Find My and tap on the switch to enable Find My on your iPhone.

    How To Prevent A Lost Or Stolen iPhone From Being Used

    Stolen iPhone Handsets

    If you can’t get your phone back, there are some precautions you should take to ensure your data stays safe. If you don’t already have one, use the Find My app or the iCloud website to enable And create a secure passcode to lock your iPhone.

    You may also want to take additional steps to completely wipe the device or revoke access to certain accounts.

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    Was Your iPhone Lost Or Stolen Here’s What To Do

    iOSDzTech

    Lost iPhones And it’s stolen every day, but luckily Apple has powerful tools built into iOS that will keep your data safe and your device unusable if it’s misplaced or stolen by a thief.

    using Find My You can identify lost devices, disable them, and even erase their entire data, but unless you’re in a situation where you need these services, you might not know exactly how they work, what they do, or what information anyone can access when they own your device.

    where if Lost your iPhone or if it was stolen from some corrupt thief the panic that followed makes it hard to know what to do next. Where should you start your search? Do you need to alert the police? How do you use IMEI number Your to block your iPhone?

    Don’t worry: we’ll explain everything you need to know about reporting a stolen iPhone and how to get it back. We will also show you how to lock a lost iPhone so that no one else can use it.

    Without further ado, here’s what to do when the unthinkable happens.

  • How to avoid losing your iPhone in the future
  • Lock Your Stolen iPhone

    Once your iPhone is lost or stolen, the first thing you need to do is protect your personal data at all costs. Since most of us have passwords set to our phones already, this is not an issue.

    If you dont, fret not! You can still protect your data by setting up a password using Find My or remotely deleting your phones data.

    To set the password using Find My app,

  • Login to iCloud.com on your Mac and click Find My.
  • In Find My iPhone, click All Devices, and look for your lost device.
  • Click Lost Mode for your lost iPhone.
  • You will be asked to create a passcode now if your phone does not have one.
  • Set up a passcode and lock your iPhone.
  • Note: Deleting your data remotely should be the last resort since you cannot restore them once you retrieve your iPhone unless you have a backup.

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    Activation Lock Still Protects Erased iPhone

    If you already have a backup of your iPhone and you’re convinced you’ll never get it back, you might want to wipe it remotely with Find app or the iCloud website. You can’t track your iPhone after wiping it, so only use this option if you’ve lost hope of getting it back again.

    To do this, select your iPhone in the Find My app or on iCloud and use the scan this device.

    Thanks to Activation Lock, even if you erase your iPhone, no one can set it up without your Apple ID and password. Thus, there is still a chance that your iPhone will be handed over to the police and returned to you even after it has been erased.

    Designed “Activation lockTo keep your device and information safe in the event your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, or Mac is ever lost or stolen. If you erase your device without signing out of iCloud first, it may still be protected by Activation Lock. Whether you erased your own device or purchased a device from someone else, you can turn off Activation lockBy entering the correct Apple ID and password only.

    Tracking System Information For Stolen iPhone

    How to track a lost or stolen iPhone

    Through the Find My Phone tracking system, I was able to see the last time the iPhone was active, and its location as well. I took a screenshot to show the police.

    As I was attending a university program in Montpellier, I was surprised to see that the location of my stolen iPhone was a five minute walk from the campus. .

    Curious if someone just tossed the iPhone from a car window when they realized they could not get the data from it, I walked to the address.

    It was a middle class apartment complex, with several different apartments.

    I took a few pictures of the apartment complex, again for the police.

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    Lock Your Phone & Change Passwords

    If your cell phone can’t be located quickly, use your phone’s find my phone feature to remotely lock your phone from any location. Also, be sure to take this opportunity to change the passwords on any accounts you regularly accessed or had an app for on yourâespecially financial accounts, email, and social media, just in case.

    Contact Your Mobile Carrier

    If you’ve had no luck locating your device, after erasing and locking it remotely, reach out to the carrier for your consumer cellular plan. They can disable service to your phone, and can typically mark the phone itself as unusable, even with a new SIM card or new carrier. This not only helps protect you, but someone who may unknowingly purchase a used phone that’s been stolen.

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    How Can You Protect Against Sim Card Attacks

    So far, this all sounds terrifying, and the potential of SIM card attacks really is frightening.

    But, you dont hear about endless attacks and everyone losing all of their money and accounts to these kinds of attacks. Why is that?

    Well, its not all hopeless.

    First, the institutions that run all of those accounts have a lot of security investments that protect you more often than not.

    Also, there are things you can do to increase your own digital security. If you know the tricks of the trade, then a stolen or hacked SIM card can be mitigated and controlled quickly.

    Because of all of this, SIM attacks have mixed success. They represent a serious threat, but one that can be managed.

    Here is what you can personally do to help your own cause and defend against these attacks.

    What Happens When A Lost iPhone Is Wiped

    How to turn on Lost Mode for your iPhone or iPad

    Lost Mode locks down the iPhone and prevents it from being accessed in iTunes when plugged into a computer, but it can’t stop someone from wiping an iPhone via iTunes using recovery mode or DFU mode.

    Even if your iPhone is fully erased, the person who has it can’t use it. Activation Lock stays on and there is no way to bypass it. As soon as the iPhone boots up, it asks for an Apple ID and password and it won’t go past the activation screen without the information. As of iOS 15, an erased iPhone can still be located using Find My.

    Beware of Phishing AttemptsYour iPhone is essentially useless without your Apple ID and password. Some thieves may make an attempt to get that information through phishing attempts like fake emails or messages, so it’s best to be aware of this possibility should your iPhone be stolen.

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    What If The Seller Wont Share The Imei Number

    Its not unusual for a seller to feel uncomfortable sharing the IMEI number with you. After all, you are a stranger on the Internet to them.

    That said, you shouldnt agree to buy the iPhone until you can use the IMEI number to make sure it isnt stolen or blacklisted.

    Ask the seller to check the IMEI number for you using the websites listed below. Then ask them to send you a screenshot of the iPhone settings and the scan results showing a partially blurred IMEI number in both.

    Just make sure they leave enough of the IMEI number visible that you can make sure it matches across the settings and the scan results.

    If Find My Is Not Enabled On Your Device:

    You can only track your iPhone when Find My is enabled. If you have not set up Find My on your device, then theres no other way that you can track or find your lost iPhone. However, you can still do some damage control to protect yourself and your identity:

    Change your Apple ID password especially if you have shared it with other people.

    Change all of your passwords emails, social media sites, and other websites.

    Log out of your social media accounts. Some social media accounts keep you logged into your account even if you have changed the password. Depending on the social media account, you may need to ask the app to log you out of other devices. Twitter, for one, has a feature to .

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    Play Audio From Your Lost Phone

    The Find My app only provides an approximate location on the map. This means that you may still struggle to find your lost iPhone, even if you know it is somewhere in the house. Fortunately, you can use the . option Play Sound In the Find My app or on iCloud to make your iPhone play the ringtone.

    This works even if your iPhone is in silent mode with the volume completely reduced.

    Summary: Activation Lock & Lost Or Stolen iPhones

    How to Check if iPhone is Stolen

    If you find an iPhone, check if the owner has activated lost mode or entered medical information. If not, try using Siri to contact someone, have the carrier check the IMEI, and take a photo of your contact info.

    Once you exhausted all efforts to find the owner on the device, check with the police to see if it has been reported stolen or is needed for evidence. If all is clear with the authorities, you do have the option of selling it or even unlocking it and using it yourself. If you do decide to sell it, you can find the best offers right here on BankMyCell.

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    What To Do iPhone Stolen

    If your iPhone is stolen, you need to start protecting yourself right away. These tips help you do that and might help you get the phone back, too Report your lost or stolen device to local law enforcement. Law enforcement might request the serial number of your device. Find your device serial number. If your missing device is covered by AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, you can file a claim for your lost or stolen iPhone. Skip to step 7 below. Erase your device

    Report Your Stolen iPhone To Your Insurance Company

    If you insured your iPhone against loss or theft, it’s time to talk to your insurance company about claiming a replacement device. Make sure you provide them with as much information as possible, including a copy of the police report and a list of all the steps you tried to take to get your iPhone back.

    Even if you don’t have hardware insurance, you may be able to claim your iPhone with your home insurance or even with your credit card company.

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    Is The Phone In Lost Mode

    Action:Look for a message and make contact using any details provided.

    Someone else’s iPhone is useless to anyone other than the owner, provided Find My iPhone is enabled. Activation Lock prevents the iPhone from being used even after a software reset, and the same feature lets the rightful owner track down lost devices.

    If the iPhone has been put into Lost Mode, it means the owner has logged in to iCloud.com and marked the device as lost. You should see a message informing you of this, along with a message left by the owner. This should include a contact number or email address you can use to track down the owner.

    If the phone connects to the internet, it will send its location to the owner via iCloud.

    With that in mind, you should certainly enable Find My iPhone on your own device under Settings > > Find My, if you have an iPhone. Make sure to take a closer look at our explanation of the Find My app and everything you need to know about it.

    Follow These Instructions If Your iPhone iPad Ipod Touch Gets Lost Or Stolen

    How my iPhone got stolen â twice

    If your iPhone gets misplaced or gets stolen by someone, you should immediately use mark as lost option in the Find My application. This feature is available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. When you mark as lost, it will lock your screen with a passcode. It lets you display a custom message with your phone number in order to get it back. You can choose to remotely erase your device if required. Your custom message will continue to display even after the device is clear.

    The activation lock works in the background making it even difficult for somebody to make use of or sell your stolen or missing device. At the same time, lost mode clearly gives an indication to anyone who finds your device, that it still belongs to you and cannot be reactivated without your password.

    See how to mark a device as lost:

    Step 1: Sign in to icloud.com/find.

    use the Find My app:

    Step 2: Open the Find My app on your device.

    Step 3: Press the devices tab, and then select a device from the list.

    Step 4: Press activate under mark as lost and follow the on-screen instructions.

    You can go to Apple Support If you still face the issue.

    • If your iPhone gets covered by AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, then

    Theft and loss coverage needs you to have Find My iPhone enabled on your device at the time it’s lost or stolen.

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    What To Do When You Cannot Recover Your iPhone

    If you’re unable to recover your phone, your best bet is to remotely wipe it by following the steps below. This will erase all your data from iPhone. However, you will not be able to track it through Find My iPhone after 24 hours.

    Also, make sure your iPhone is still linked to your Apple ID and password. Without the correct password, no one will be able to use the stolen iPhone. delete requires Find my iphone Be active.

  • Follow steps 1 to 4 of the Use Find My iPhone to track it sectionabove.
  • Selecione Delete iPhone.
  • 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.

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