loc1395

Q: Stolen iPhone and Conflicting Information

Hey Guys!

 

Basically, I left my iPhone 6 (passcode locked, potentially not logged into Find My iPhone) in the back of an uber pool and it got stolen. I didn't realize it was gone until about 6 hours later, so I marked it lost on Find My iPhone then. It never came up as being online again, but according to AT&T someone was using the number to text, make calls, and use data about 24 hours after I lost it. How could this be possible?

iPhone 6

Posted on Jul 25, 2016 3:30 PM

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Q: Stolen iPhone and Conflicting Information

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  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Jul 25, 2016 3:36 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 10 (122,650 points)
    Apple Music
    Jul 25, 2016 3:36 PM in response to loc1395

    Since you had passcode setup, it's doubtful anyone could have made calls from the iPhone.

    What if your iOS device is off or offline?

    If your missing device is off or offline, you can still put it in Lost Mode, lock it, or remotely erase it. The next time your device is online, these actions will take effect. If you remove the device from your account while it's offline, any pending actions for the device will be cancelled.

     

    Information above is from this support article >  If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

  • by loc1395,

    loc1395 loc1395 Jul 25, 2016 3:43 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 25, 2016 3:43 PM in response to loc1395

    Okay, cool. Mostly, I'm worried about them having accessed any of the information/photos/etc. on my phone

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Jul 25, 2016 3:58 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 25, 2016 3:58 PM in response to loc1395

    loc1395 wrote:

    Basically, I left my iPhone 6 (passcode locked, potentially not logged into Find My iPhone) in the back of an uber pool and it got stolen. I didn't realize it was gone until about 6 hours later, so I marked it lost on Find My iPhone then. It never came up as being online again, but according to AT&T someone was using the number to text, make calls, and use data about 24 hours after I lost it. How could this be possible?

     

    If your iPhone was locked with a passcode, the only way anyone can gain access to it is IF they guessed your passcode. Did you have a strong code not easy to guess? The iPhone would only allow 10 tries and after 6 tries each additional try takes longer and longer. Further IF you had Find my iPhone enabled, no one will be able to erase it unless they guess your Apple ID password. If Find my iPhone was not ON, the thief will still have to get through the passcode. Only you know how strong your passcode was.

     

    If AT&T is sure that the thief was using your phone then it means they got passed your passcode and they would have had access to your photos and data. Further if Find my iPhone was not ON they can erase it.

  • by loc1395,

    loc1395 loc1395 Jul 25, 2016 3:57 PM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 25, 2016 3:57 PM in response to elcpu

    passcode was 6 digits, random string of numbers one wouldn't guess. nobody accessed any of my social media accounts, or seemingly, my email accounts either.

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Jul 25, 2016 3:59 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 25, 2016 3:59 PM in response to loc1395

    Then one of two things happened. They guessed your 6 digit random string code (very unlikely) or AT&T is wrong.

  • by loc1395,

    loc1395 loc1395 Jul 25, 2016 5:30 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 25, 2016 5:30 PM in response to loc1395

    Okay, so lets assume that my phone did not have Find My iPhone turned on when I lost it. I set it to erase all of my data when it was next online, but after I had done that there was activity with my phone line (texts, calls, etc.) and the phone never came online again. Any idea what could have happened?

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Jul 25, 2016 5:37 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 25, 2016 5:37 PM in response to loc1395

    If your phone did not have Find my iPhone enabled how did you set it to erase all data when next online? My understanding is that you can only erase it if you have Find my iPhone on and this can only be turned ON on the phone itself. Look at the section entitled "If Find My iPhone isn't enabled on your missing device"

    If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

     

    Again, either they guessed your passcode or AT&T is wrong.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Jul 25, 2016 5:54 PM in response to loc1395
    Level 7 (27,681 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 25, 2016 5:54 PM in response to loc1395

    One other option no one has mentioned and would indeed prove AT&T right, is whoever took your iPhone simply took out the sim card and placed it in another phone.

     

    In that way, placing calls from a different device, but the same number, yours, which is what AT&T would be able to track usage of.

     

    With that said, If you had not enabled Find My iPhone, then you would not have been able to  set to Lost mode or set it to erase itself from the Find My iPhone app or iCloud.com.