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Summersun212

Q: My phone just got stolen. Firstly, I notified my network provider before selecting the 'erase my data' option in iCloud/find my phone, even though I may have recently deleted the app. I really want to make sure no one can access my photos & texts-Pls

My phone just got stolen. Firstly, I notified my network provider before selecting the 'erase my data' option in iCloud/find my phone, even though I may have recently deleted the app. I really want to make sure no one can access my photos & texts-Pls help?

iPhone 6, iOS 8.3

Posted on Apr 10, 2015 3:26 PM

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Q: My phone just got stolen. Firstly, I notified my network provider before selecting the 'erase my data' option in iCloud/find my ph ... more

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  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Apr 10, 2015 3:30 PM in response to Summersun212
    Level 9 (58,708 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 10, 2015 3:30 PM in response to Summersun212

    You do not need to have an app on your iPhone for Find My iPhone to work. The app is only used for tracking other iOS devices. Log into www.icloud.com on your computer and go to Find My iPhone. Select your device. However, if when you called your network provider you told them to disable the device, you will not be able to use the erase command, unless the device connects to Wi-Fi. If there is a passcode on the device, they will not be able to access your photos and texts. Did you have the latest iOS loaded on the device? If so, then Activation Lock will prevent them from restoring and using the phone.

  • by Boreas90,

    Boreas90 Boreas90 Apr 10, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Summersun212
    Level 1 (85 points)
    Apr 10, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Summersun212

    No one can access your data as long as they do not your Apple ID and password. Besides, if you have passcode, that's also another tool to protect your device.

     

    Go to www.iCloud.com and then sign in. Click in Find my iPhone and find your device and click on lost mode.. even you can erase your data..

     

    - If the device has activation lock they cannot access your data. In case, the person who stole the device, try to update or restore.. device will require the Apple ID and password and locked. No way to use the device without knowing affected apple ID and password.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Apr 10, 2015 3:48 PM in response to Boreas90
    Level 9 (58,708 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 10, 2015 3:48 PM in response to Boreas90

    Boreas90 wrote:

     

    No one can access your data as long as they do not your Apple ID and password.

    That is not completely true. If the OP did not have a passcode on the device, it is completely accessible by whomever has the device in their hands. Your next statement about the passcode is correct, where that would protect the OP's data.

  • by Summersun212,

    Summersun212 Summersun212 Apr 10, 2015 3:56 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2015 3:56 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    Hi ChrisJ4203,

    Thank you for replying. Unfortunately I told my network provider to deactivate the phone before I logged onto iCloud as I was unaware of this, but I do have the latest software upgrade.

     

    I imagine the thief will somehow illegally unlock it & sell it on. Do you know how this is possible & whether my data will still be on the phone once reactivated or will they have to do some sort of hard reset deleting everything as they don't know my passcode?

     

    Kind regards

  • by Summersun212,

    Summersun212 Summersun212 Apr 10, 2015 4:01 PM in response to Boreas90
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2015 4:01 PM in response to Boreas90

    Hi Boreas90

     

    Thank you for replying. Does it matter that I got my network provider to disable my phone before I logged into iCloud lost my phone.

     

    I imagine the thief will somehow illegally unlock it & sell it on. Do you know how this is possible & whether my data will still be on the phone once reactivated or will they have to do some sort of hard reset deleting everything as they don't know my passcode?

     

    There must be away to reactive it illegally, otherwise they wouldn't be able to sell a useless phone & it wouldn't be such a common crime. They must be making money

     

    Kind regards

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Apr 10, 2015 4:52 PM in response to Summersun212
    Level 9 (58,708 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 10, 2015 4:52 PM in response to Summersun212

    If you got the provider to deactivate the SIM, then the only way for you to locate the device now is if they connect to Wi-Fi. You did not say, did you have a passcode on the device? I provided information about that earlier.

     

    With Activation Lock, they will not be able to activate the device, and if there is a passcode they will not be able to see your data. They will not be able to unlock it. They will probably try to restore the device, which will delete your data, but when they attempt to activate it, they will need your Apple ID and passcode to activate it, so that would not be possible. If you did not have a passcode on the device, then immediately change the passwords on any accounts you had on the device; mail, bank, Apple ID, iCloud ID, etc.