mehdi184
Level 1 (4 points)
iCloud

Q: How come my lost iPhone disappeared from iCloud?

HI everyone,

I was in holidays and I lost my iPhone 6s (iOS 9.3.1)

Few hours after I lost it, i used "Find my iPhone" on my iPad: the iPad was connected but not the iPhone, because it wasn't connected to internet (foreign country so 4G not activated). I activated the "lost iPhone" option with a message.

Nothing happened during 2 days and yesterday I received an email stating that my iPhone has been located with a link. But when I tried the link, it says that there is an issue with Google Maps (why aren't they using Plans?).

So i tried "Find my iPhone" on the iPad, and that's when the weird thing started : my iPhone simply disappeared from the devices list as if I never got the iPhone !!! And the "activation lock"  with the imei says that the iPhone can be activated with a new user !!!

I don't understand how this happened !!!

I know that my device is now definitely lost but can anyone explain this to me please?

Thanks for your help.

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 9:53 AM

by Drew Reece,Solvedanswer
Drew Reece Drew Reece
Level 5 (7,451 points)
Notebooks
A:

There are many cases of fraudulent emails sent to owners of lost devices (phishing scams). If you follow the link & enter your iCloud password fraudsters may gain access to your iCloud account.

 

I'd suggest you go to iCloud.com & confirm that your account is correct - consider resetting your account password.

I would also review the email that informed you about the found device - if the link was not to an Apple owned site it may be fraudulent.

 

The 'Google maps' issue suggests you were not looking at an Apple page, but one created by someone else.

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 2:34 PM

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mehdi184

Q: How come my lost iPhone disappeared from iCloud?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 6, 2016 9:54 AM in response to mehdi184
    Level 9 (50,016 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 9:54 AM in response to mehdi184

    Maybe the battery went flat.

  • by mehdi184,

    mehdi184 mehdi184 Sep 6, 2016 10:54 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 6, 2016 10:54 AM in response to Csound1

    Thanks for your answer, but even if the battery went flat, "Find my iPhone" will not state that the device doesn't belong to me anymore, right?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 6, 2016 10:55 AM in response to mehdi184
    Level 9 (50,016 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 10:55 AM in response to mehdi184

    Why don't you tell us exactly what it does say rather than this whatif game.

  • by Drew Reece,Solvedanswer

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Sep 6, 2016 2:34 PM in response to mehdi184
    Level 5 (7,451 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 6, 2016 2:34 PM in response to mehdi184

    There are many cases of fraudulent emails sent to owners of lost devices (phishing scams). If you follow the link & enter your iCloud password fraudsters may gain access to your iCloud account.

     

    I'd suggest you go to iCloud.com & confirm that your account is correct - consider resetting your account password.

    I would also review the email that informed you about the found device - if the link was not to an Apple owned site it may be fraudulent.

     

    The 'Google maps' issue suggests you were not looking at an Apple page, but one created by someone else.

  • by mehdi184,

    mehdi184 mehdi184 Sep 6, 2016 12:44 PM in response to mehdi184
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 6, 2016 12:44 PM in response to mehdi184

    @ Csound1: Sorry if things has not been clearly explained before. I hope I'll be more clear:

    - Before receiving the email, when I was looking to the "Find my iPhone" app on iPad, there was a list at the left where are listed all the devices declared with my Apple account, and my iPhone was on that list.

    - After receiving the email, and that I tried the link, when I came back to the "Find my iPhone" app on iPad, my iPhone wasn't on that list anymore, as if the iPhone wasn't connected to my Apple account.

     

    @ Drew Reece: what you explain seems coherent because I remember that I gave my password. I don't remember well at what moment I did because I was trying different things, but I did it.

    And now I feel idiot !!!

    The mail was in French, because I'm in the French AppStore, was coming from "support@app-find-lc.website", and the link was directing to "apple-sms.eu".

    And after reading it again, I see mistakes in the sentences, and that they are talking about an iPhone Plus, and that the links at the end of the mail for "Apple / Support / Terms and conditions / Privacy Policy" are just written in blue and are not working at all.

    I feel so idiot !!!

    I receive so many mails like this one and always avoided them, but failed for this one. Probably because I was in a hurry to know about my iPhone localisation. It seems that I made it by myself.

    I'll check my iCloud account and password.

     

    @ Csound1: Drew Reece seems to be right, but I don't want to change the first message at your attention cause it can help somebody else with the same issue.

     

    Thank you for your help.

  • by Drew Reece,Helpful

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Sep 6, 2016 2:34 PM in response to mehdi184
    Level 5 (7,451 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 6, 2016 2:34 PM in response to mehdi184

    You should be able to find other posts on this topic here.

     

    I'm afraid it seems to be quite common that these mails are fraudulent, you may want to print a copy of the message & consult help at an Apple store if you want a second opinion but the addresses you mention seem incorrect to me.

     

    I have to wonder if Apple can work out how the fraudsters are targeting users, it seems possible that the thieves have your phone & now the Apple ID somehow before they send the phishing mail, it may just be coincidence but it keeps happening.