Stolen iPhone scammer.

[geezer]

My wife's iPhone was stolen from her handbag yesterday when we were out shopping.

The phone was blocked at MTN after we discovered that it was stolen. I also her phone was marked as being lost from my iPhone and set up my phone number should it be found. Last night I received this message, informing me that the phone has been found, but from a cleverly disguised fake website, namely "icloud-inc.com". not the legit "iCloud.com".

This then takes you to a site where it tries to get your Apple ID username and password so that they can wipe the phone and remove it from your Apple ID in order to possible use it themselves or sell it.

I have subsequently set up her stolen phone to be remotely erased when it is switched on again. Luckily, I could restore her previous old phone with a very recent iCloud backup, so nothing (photos, contacts etc.) was lost with the phone being stolen.

Bloody thieves!

 

[gregmcc]

Report the site to Apple.

• To report a suspicious SMS text message that looks like it's supposed to be from Apple, take a screenshot of the message and email the screenshot to [email protected].

 

[Rndmness]

Similar thing happenned to us when the wifes iPhone was stolen a few years ago. These phishing messages were sent in multiple different ways.

 

[kolaval]

These guys are more competent that the local muni.

 

[AfricanTech]

The bastards will keep trying to trick you into getting the phone unlocked. Eventually they give up and the phone is broken up for parts

 

[TheJman]

My wife's iPhone was stolen from her handbag yesterday when we were out shopping.

The phone was blocked at MTN after we discovered that it was stolen. I also her phone was marked as being lost from my iPhone and set up my phone number should it be found. Last night I received this message, informing me that the phone has been found, but from a cleverly disguised fake website, namely "icloud-inc.com". not the legit "iCloud.com".
View attachment 1741903
This then takes you to a site where it tries to get your Apple ID username and password so that they can wipe the phone and remove it from your Apple ID in order to possible use it themselves or sell it.
View attachment 1741907
I have subsequently set up her stolen phone to be remotely erased when it is switched on again. Luckily, I could restore her previous old phone with a very recent iCloud backup, so nothing (photos, contacts etc.) was lost with the phone being stolen.

Bloody thieves!

Sadly - this is their MO, they've been doing this for a while to people and have caught most people out because of the "excitement" of thinking you can get your phone back - these criminals are crafty I tell you!

Just make sure you change all passwords to EVERYTHING - believe or not, they have a way to get into the phone...

 

[SauRoNZA]

The bastards will keep trying to trick you into getting the phone unlocked. Eventually they give up and the phone is broken up for parts

Just goes to show every time someone claims it’s so easy to unlock an iPhone that they are just talking kak.

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Just goes to show every time someone claims it’s so easy to unlock an iPhone that they are just talking kak.

I had an iPhone X snatched in 2020. I was still getting emails from random people as far out as India offering money for the password as recently as last year.

 

[TheJman]

I had an iPhone X snatched in 2020. I was still getting emails from random people as far out as India offering money for the password as recently as last year.

Tell me - with an Iphone, can you still turn the phone off without having to put in as password?

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Tell me - with an Iphone, can you still turn the phone off without having to put in as password?

You can, yes. If you try to do so while the phone is unlocked and cancel turning off, it locks and Face ID is disabled. If you do it while locked and cancel, it goes back to the lock screen with Face ID disabled. Alternatively, you can switch off entirely, and Face ID is disabled on startup.

 

[geezer]

Tell me - with an Iphone, can you still turn the phone off without having to put in as password?

Unfortunately, yes. My brother-in-law discussed that yesterday with me saying that should definitely be added in IOS. That will prevent the thief from immediately switching the phone off, which then make the phone untraceable using the "Find My" feature. The moment we discovered that her phone was missing, I tried to locate it, but could not do so, assuming the phone was switched off by the thief.

 

[TheJman]

You can, yes. If you try to do so while the phone is unlocked and cancel turning off, it locks and Face ID is disabled. If you do it while locked and cancel, it goes back to the lock screen with Face ID disabled. Alternatively, you can switch off entirely, and Face ID is disabled on startup.

Interesting - on my Samsung, I don't think it's possible to turn it off without putting in password / fingerprint / faceID.

AFAIK - can't turn off Wifi, Bluetooth or Network, without password / fingerprint / faceID.

Means if it's stolen, they can't turn it off and I can continue to track it.

Wonder why Iphone hasn't moved to this.

 

[PaulGherkin]

I had an iPhone X snatched in 2020. I was still getting emails from random people as far out as India offering money for the password as recently as last year.

Device stolen out of my house in 2015 while I was at work. Was still getting password unlock requests into lockdown (2020), then it stopped. That device traveled far and wide, all over JHB last I saw it was in PE somewhere. Likely being resold over and over

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Interesting - on my Samsung, I don't think it's possible to turn it off without putting in password / fingerprint / faceID.

AFAIK - can't turn off Wifi, Bluetooth or Network, without password / fingerprint / faceID.

Means if it's stolen, they can't turn it off and I can continue to track it.

Wonder why Iphone hasn't moved to this.

My daughter's Samsung can do all of the above without being unlocked.

 

[TheJman]

My daughter's Samsung can do all of the above without being unlocked.

Which Samsung is it?

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Which Samsung is it?

One with a notch around the camera

No clue, she got it this year.

 

[backstreetboy]

Does Android have the equivalent of lockdown mode yet?

Yes on Pixels https://grapheneos.org/

 

[sand_man]

My OnePlus 12 has a 'require password to turn off phone' setting, very handy...

 

[RudderVator]

My wife's iPhone was stolen from her handbag yesterday when we were out shopping.

The phone was blocked at MTN after we discovered that it was stolen. I also her phone was marked as being lost from my iPhone and set up my phone number should it be found. Last night I received this message, informing me that the phone has been found, but from a cleverly disguised fake website, namely "icloud-inc.com". not the legit "iCloud.com".
View attachment 1741903
This then takes you to a site where it tries to get your Apple ID username and password so that they can wipe the phone and remove it from your Apple ID in order to possible use it themselves or sell it.
View attachment 1741907
I have subsequently set up her stolen phone to be remotely erased when it is switched on again. Luckily, I could restore her previous old phone with a very recent iCloud backup, so nothing (photos, contacts etc.) was lost with the phone being stolen.

Bloody thieves!

Yup a classic. Stole SO iPhone in 2018 and they did exactly the same. Never provide the login details. Just gave them a bunch of fake apple id info to waste their time.

Phone last picked up in Joburg CBD in some foreign-owned cell phone shop.

 

[TheJman]

One with a notch around the camera

No clue, she got it this year.

Sure she has a password on it??

I don't remember selecting anything specific. Thought it was just a standard setting.