Ipod Touch Stolen - Called Apple... is what they told me true?

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Level 1

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Ipod Touch Stolen - Called Apple... is what they told me true?

Yesterday I unfortunately had my Ipod Touch stolen after it had fallen out of my purse. Whoever took it had the nerve to leave the case on the curb. Anyway, I filed a police report, and then today I called Apple. It was a woman with a really thick accent who kept talking over me and seemed to try to get me off of the phone as soon as possible. Anyway, she took down my serial number and created a case, and said she would have it flagged as stolen. She said if someone else were now to try to register that ipod, that it would not allow them to. Is that really true? The only reason I ask this is because the woman did not sound like she knew what she was talking about and was really rushing me off of the call. Thanks!

Posted on Sep 3, 2009 7:27 AM

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Answer 1

biikman

Level 3

585 points

Sep 3, 2009 7:52 AM in response to kintara

Unfortunately all they need to do is restore it and they can use the ipod as their own. Apple does not track #'s through itunes so they would have no problem downloading, synching etc.. I don't know what apple would do if the thief takes it in for service and it is flagged as stolen... One would hope they would hold it and take further action but I don't know myself.

Message was edited by: biikman

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Answer 2

kintara Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 3, 2009 8:54 AM in response to biikman

Hmm, if serial numbers of your ipods were not tracked in iTunes, how is it that you can get your ipod's serial number from within iTunes? Also, the only thing I had to do was give the Apple rep my serial number and she could see that it was linked to my Apple ID. I seriously hope Apple comes up with a theft deterrent. I am out $400 for this ipod, and hate that I'll probably be giving them another $400 of my hard-earned money to replace it. I just don't want my old one to work for the person who took it.

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Answer 3

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Sep 3, 2009 11:43 AM in response to kintara

She said if someone else were now to try to register that ipod, that it would not allow them to. Is that really true?

Sorry, but it's almost certainly not correct. Apple cannot take the word of someone who just calls in and asks Apple to block registration. Apple's policy is normally that they will (and in general can) only take action if an authorized law enforcement agency contacts them.

if serial numbers of your ipods were not tracked in iTunes, how is it that you can get your ipod's serial number from within iTunes?

iTunes will track the serial number, but those are not reported from iTunes to Apple.

I just don't want my old one to work for the person who took it.

Sorry, but there's no way anyone, not even Apple, can prevent it.

Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

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Answer 4

Sep 3, 2009 5:28 PM in response to kintara

Hi,

I'm sorry that you had your iPod stolen, but, really? You want the company who made the product to prevent the thief from using the product? So, if, say, my Honda was stolen, I should ask Honda to prevent the thief from using the car? Of course I don't want the thief to use my car, I want my car back. It is not Honda's fault that I need to get a new car.

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Answer 5

Sep 3, 2009 6:30 PM in response to kintara

FAIL, THEY CANT REPLACE THAT, srry

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Answer 6

PT

Level 7

20,888 points

Sep 4, 2009 6:25 AM in response to Hitheringwaters

Hitheringwaters wrote:
I'm sorry that you had your iPod stolen,

Technically the iPod was not stolen. She lost it when it dropped out of her purse then someone found it. It would be nice if that person made a point to try and return it. But I it isn't like the person pick pocketed out of her purse directly.
Patrick

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Answer 7

darnesey

Level 1

5 points

Sep 4, 2009 9:26 PM in response to kintara

did you happen to have your ipod password-protected?
the beauty with that is that in order for someone to use it, let alone sell it, they would need to know the password. when plugging the itouch into the computer it will prompt you to unlock the ipod before you can edit the stuff you have on it.

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Answer 8

biikman

Level 3

585 points

Sep 4, 2009 10:28 PM in response to darnesey

true, that will prevent the person from viewing any personal info and listening music you have had it, but with simple restore they can put their own music on it, or sell it.

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Answer 9

darnesey

Level 1

5 points

Sep 7, 2009 4:02 PM in response to biikman

but before they can restore the ipod they need to unlock it. there's a prompt that tells you to do that before you can do anything to the ipod

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Answer 10

biikman

Level 3

585 points

Sep 7, 2009 4:50 PM in response to darnesey

Yes, you are correct for restoring...but..all they need to do is put it in DFU mode, which does not require a password.

Message was edited by: biikman

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Answer 11

Sep 7, 2009 4:52 PM in response to darnesey

It can be restored without unlocking by putting it in recovery mode. DFU mode is not required.
To answer the question, no this is not true:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526

Message was edited by: Davy Jones

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Answer 12

kintara Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 16, 2009 9:11 AM in response to Davy Jones

Thanks for the help folks. That last link does indeed answer my question. I called Apple support again today and got someone from the US, and he told me what the original rep told me was untrue (call center in the Philippines). I hope one day Apple can come up with something better than "motion-based" theft detection to help deter thieves. Yes, it could just be as simple as making sure my iPod doesn't fall out of my purse, but I am disgusted with the idea that Apple can only benefit from me losing anything I buy from them. It's baffling that none of their eggheads can come up with a deterrent that doesn't break privacy laws. Oh well, guess this was just in time for the 3Gs to come out. 64GB, here I come...and this time I am going to put all sorts of protections on my iPod--not that any of them will prevent someone from taking it. Thanks again!

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Answer 13

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Sep 16, 2009 9:54 AM in response to kintara

It benefits the company anytime something of theirs is stolen.

If your car is stolen, you buy a new one.

If your shoes are stolen you buy more.

This is not an Apple phenomenon.

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Answer 14

darnesey

Level 1

5 points

Sep 21, 2009 5:14 PM in response to Davy Jones

Davy Jones wrote:
It can be restored without unlocking by putting it in recovery mode. DFU mode is not required.
To answer the question, no this is not true:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526

Message was edited by: Davy Jones

And how do you put the ipod in recovery mode?

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Answer 15

Sep 22, 2009 6:35 PM in response to darnesey

Follow the steps in this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1808

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