iPhone Just Stolen - Phone is off

[akescpt]

If one can switch off the phone while it's locked, find my iPhone becomes useless

I can do that. Pretty retarded.

 

[supersunbird]

If one can switch off the phone while it's locked, find my iPhone becomes useless

I don't know if one install Prey in iPhone, but for any device with an integrated battery, its great, cause they cant switch the phone/tablet off if the screen is locked (obviously not swipe lock), giving you time to track it till the battery dies.

 

[Stokstert]

It's strange that not more phones and wallets get stolen taking into account how many people leave them lying openly on tables of restaurants, especially on outside ones. I have a few times told some guys to rather put them out of sight only to get told to mind my own business.
The same goes for women's handbags lying on open chairs or even the floor.

 

[bwana]

If you've got Find My iPhone enabled the phone should be pretty much useless to a thief.

 

[LizGroen]

If you've got Find My iPhone enabled the phone should be pretty much useless to a thief.

I do and have great trust in it.

Just wanted to make sure that I don't need to wipe it just yet. He's due for an upgrade in 6 weeks and the phone is insured. Did Oscar wipe his phone, or just 'forgot the password'? That whole saga really impressed me with Apple's privacy policy.

 

[sand_man]

I take it he wasn't using the fingerprint sensor to unlock?

The phone is basically a brick to the thieves that stole it.

There's no way to factory restore the phone without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

There's no way to do a recovery mode firmware restore via a pc/mac without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

One can do a dfu mode restore via a pc/mac but there is no way to activate the freshly restored iphone without entering the apple id and password of the account to which the iphone is linked.

If the security tools baked into iOS8 are activated by the device owner (basically find my iphone), the device is useless to anyone other than the rightful owner.

 

[reactor_sa]

I take it he wasn't using the fingerprint sensor to unlock?

The phone is basically a brick to the thieves that stole it.

There's no way to factory restore the phone without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

There's no way to do a recovery mode firmware restore via a pc/mac without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

One can do a dfu mode restore via a pc/mac but there is no way to activate the freshly restored iphone without entering the apple id and password of the account to which the iphone is linked.

If the security tools baked into iOS8 are activated by the device owner (basically find my iphone), the device is useless to anyone other than the rightful owner.

Damn, that's a great reason to own an iPhone.

 

[LizGroen]

I take it he wasn't using the fingerprint sensor to unlock?

The phone is basically a brick to the thieves that stole it.

There's no way to factory restore the phone without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

There's no way to do a recovery mode firmware restore via a pc/mac without turning find my iphone off and that requires apple id and password.

One can do a dfu mode restore via a pc/mac but there is no way to activate the freshly restored iphone without entering the apple id and password of the account to which the iphone is linked.

If the security tools baked into iOS8 are activated by the device owner (basically find my iphone), the device is useless to anyone other than the rightful owner.

No, he didn't use the fingerprint sensor - he uses a thick rubber case that hides the home button as he had numerous drops and broken screens on his iPhone 5 - he's dropped it in a bucket of water, and 'blown' it dry with air con refrigerant (not realising that the pipes had some oil in), left it out in the rain, lost it a few other times (and recovered it thanks to Find my iPhone) - those phones can handle a lot more than what people give it credit. When he finally took it out of its cover to pass it down to someone else in the family at upgrade time, it looked brand spanking new. Same with his 4 and 4S.

I don't think he's capable of handling an iPhone 6, given his history (he 'broke' our Prado - engine seized), and he says he doesn't want another expensive phone as 'what good is it when it can be stolen' - but he will never manage with another phone again.

Thanks for the heads-up though - that was just the affirmation that I needed.

 

[ponder]

Damn, that's a great reason to own an iPhone.

Yet they still get stolen.

 

[sand_man]

Yet they still get stolen.

Remember all those cell phone shops that were being hit? All that stock was blacklisted and completely redundant in the hands of the end user. I'm sure unsuspecting individuals were caught out IE sold a brand new sealed iPhone doorstop.

But I wonder where the vast majority of those devices ended up?

One would expect well informed criminals would realize that the risks involved with stealing iDevices is not worth it. There stacks for sale on OLX and Gumtree but try get a serial number out of those sellers and you met with radio silence...

 

[Shellyb1]

Remember all those cell phone shops that were being hit? All that stock was blacklisted and completely redundant in the hands of the end user. I'm sure unsuspecting individuals were caught out IE sold a brand new sealed iPhone doorstop.

But I wonder where the vast majority of those devices ended up?

One would expect well informed criminals would realize that the risks involved with stealing iDevices is not worth it. There stacks for sale on OLX and Gumtree but try get a serial number out of those sellers and you met with radio silence...

Parts man. Cables, back covers, screens. Someone will have a use for them.

 

[Venomous]

Remember all those cell phone shops that were being hit? All that stock was blacklisted and completely redundant in the hands of the end user. I'm sure unsuspecting individuals were caught out IE sold a brand new sealed iPhone doorstop.

But I wonder where the vast majority of those devices ended up?

One would expect well informed criminals would realize that the risks involved with stealing iDevices is not worth it. There stacks for sale on OLX and Gumtree but try get a serial number out of those sellers and you met with radio silence...

lol,

as a whole it might be useless, in pieces it can fix many phones?!

 

[Spotja]

Remember all those cell phone shops that were being hit? All that stock was blacklisted and completely redundant in the hands of the end user. I'm sure unsuspecting individuals were caught out IE sold a brand new sealed iPhone doorstop.

But I wonder where the vast majority of those devices ended up?

One would expect well informed criminals would realize that the risks involved with stealing iDevices is not worth it. There stacks for sale on OLX and Gumtree but try get a serial number out of those sellers and you met with radio silence...

Parts man. Cables, back covers, screens. Someone will have a use for them.

lol,

as a whole it might be useless, in pieces it can fix many phones?!

I highly doubt. I'd like to think that the average iPhone owner don't have the technical ability (for lack of a better word) to i.e replace their phones screen or change a battery. If their iPhone breaks, it's a short trip to iFix-it or a nearby iStore.

 

[Shellyb1]

I highly doubt. I'd like to think that the average iPhone owner don't have the technical ability (for lack of a better word) to i.e replace their phones screen or change a battery. If their iPhone breaks, it's a short trip to iFix-it or a nearby iStore.

Have you not seen the amount of repairs done at China Mall or even one of those cell repair shops in Fordsburg or town?

Doesn't also need to be in SA.

 

[Wasabee!]

The Paki's love stolen phones. Cheap OEM parts to sell to phone repairs.

"I give you wery good price"

 

[PostmanPot]

I highly doubt. I'd like to think that the average iPhone owner don't have the technical ability (for lack of a better word) to i.e replace their phones screen or change a battery. If their iPhone breaks, it's a short trip to iFix-it or a nearby iStore.

It's all about parts.

And no, iStore do not repair or handle anything out of warranty. They only process warranty claims for goods bought through them (Core).

iStore =/= Apple Store.

 

[R13...]

But aren't stolen new phones usable outside the country. I imagine the blacklisting is at network level and not Apple server activation inhibition. There were conflicting reports regarding whether Apple will bar that stock from their servers. And then all those reports of the stock appearing in Nigerian stores.

The other day I heard in a consumer assistance radio report someone complaining that Core would not repair his iPad mini and Core responded that the item was found to be part of stolen stock.

 

[Lindiswa]

my iphone 5 64GB was stolen 3months ago.. i have been trying to locate it "find my iphone" just tells me that its offline cannot not locate device. i know they wont be able to use that phone!! its like a brick a now! if i cant have it u cannot use

 

[Indigogirl]

Rather remotely lock it with a passcode. I see that Apple have changed it to "Lost Mode" on iCloud.com. If you remotely wipe the phone, does that mean it clears the iCloud details, and thus Find my iPhone becomes unusable? I've never tried it.

It will definitely broadcast the GPS co-ord's when the phone comes online. (Which it has to at some point.) Hopefully with a 3G signal.

iMcJaz - did you ever find out whether this is the case? If you remotely wipe the phone does it render Find my iPhone useless?

Anyone else have an answer?

 

[Tim_vb]

watch out for phishing SMS asking you to login to see the phone location

then report them to reportphishing@apple.com