Lost iPhone erased from findmy

Question

Level 1

8 points

Lost iPhone erased from findmy

I lost my iPhone last year and recently it was switched back on. Since lost it has always shown up in my apple devices which I have kept in lost mode. The other day I received an email saying it’s location had been found (Romania, I’m in the UK). Then today I received a text saying again it had connected to the internet but by the time I had checked the link, the phone was missing from my devices. I’d like to know how or why this could of happened when the only reason I bought an iPhone was because this isn’t supposed to happen. Now I fear someone has my phone in Romania and it no longer is iCloud locked. Does this mean they also have access to all of my files, pictures and so on? I would never of deleted my device so how could they of done this!? Can anyone please answer the above and also tell me if there’s a way to recover a deleted device in FindMy without physically having the device in hand, maybe with the IME number. I feel completely let down by apple who have found my phone and then allowed it to be deleted from my account and given to its new owners.

iPhone 8 Plus

Posted on Nov 28, 2020 12:30 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

KiltedTim

Level 10

224,334 points

Nov 28, 2020 5:57 PM in response to Savi_G

The message you got was a phishing attempt sent by the thief who has your phone. When you click the link you were taken to a bogus login page. You gave the thief your iCloud credentials, allowing them to remove the activation lock.

You need to change your password. NOW!

Reply

Answer 2

Savi_G Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2020 4:10 AM in response to tygb

I didn’t remove anything, but the people who had access to my iCloud DID delete the device from my devices, hence why I can no longer see it in my findMy app and it no longer shows in my devices under settings. But I’ve been on the phone to apple and they are going to reapply the IMEI number to my account so the now active phone with a new iCloud and sim account will be reregistered to my account and be able to be tracked again.

Reply

Answer 3

zinacef

Level 10

88,720 points

Nov 28, 2020 5:52 PM in response to Savi_G

Once your device is powered on and connected to either WiFi or a cellular network would you then see its location. Other than that, you will not see its location.

Savi_G wrote:

Now I fear someone has my phone in Romania and it no longer is iCloud locked.

Your device is still locked, what would make you think it wasn't?

Does this mean they also have access to all of my files, pictures and so on?

No, your data is and should still be safely stored in iCloud.

Can anyone please answer the above and also tell me if there’s a way to recover a deleted device in FindMy without physically having the device in hand, maybe with the IME number.

No.

Reply

Answer 4

KiltedTim

Level 10

224,334 points

Nov 29, 2020 5:35 AM in response to Savi_G

No That is not Apple's Job. Your carrier can blacklist the device, making it unusable on any network.

If you haven't changed your iCloud password, they potentially have access to all the data you have saved there.

Reply

Answer 5

tygb

Level 9

64,998 points

Nov 29, 2020 5:39 AM in response to Savi_G

If you had turned on find my iPhone before the device was lost the activation lock will be automatically turned as on so the person who is now having possession of it can't open it https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201365

The device location can be found https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/locate-a-device-mmfc0f2442/icloud

Make sure you don't remove the device from the account .

It will again appear when its online connected to network , the battery should be sufficiently charged details explained in the article https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204233

Suppose you had revealed the password to them they still can't access the iCloud.com account as if ever it is signed in the security answers and questions are asked , the person can't access without knowing them , or can reset the Apple ID password as he/ she doesn't know your rescue mail address and password .

Now it depends upon you what to do locate the device and take help from cops , and need your device back , as the device will be located easily you can see in the map just zoom in .

Reply

Answer 6

Savi_G Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 29, 2020 10:59 AM in response to tygb

That’s a great answer thanks but unfortunately because of the scam site and me entering my iCloud email and password, the device is now missing from my devices which makes me think they have factory reset the phone giving them a clean slate. Which at least would mean that they don’t have access to my data now I’ve changed my iCloud account password.

Reply

Answer 7

tygb

Level 9

64,998 points

Nov 29, 2020 4:10 PM in response to Savi_G

You have only changed the password for Apple ID address and not removed permanently the device from the account see the section - Remove a device from the list

From the article https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT205064

Reply

Answer 8

tygb

Level 9

64,998 points

Nov 30, 2020 10:39 PM in response to Savi_G

How did they knew your mail address ? activation lock is like a screen lock how can they view your screen , they can take out the sim and if insert their sim that phone is no of use to them , in the discussion you mentioned that Apple ID and password is revealed to them ? strange you were innocent revealed the password to them , I am puzzled if activation lock was enabled they can't access the screen .

Reply

Answer 9

zinacef

Level 10

88,720 points

Nov 28, 2020 6:13 PM in response to KiltedTim

Hadn't known this was a scam KiltedTim, thanks for this....always learning something new everyday.

Reply

Answer 10

KiltedTim

Level 10

224,334 points

Nov 30, 2020 10:06 AM in response to Savi_G

Yes, technically, the carriers can track any device using the IMEI. They will not do so, however, without a court order.

Reply

Answer 11

Savi_G Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 29, 2020 5:16 AM in response to zinacef

Yep, having opened the page again I can see that none of the page icon do anything other than reopen the same page asking for my iCloud login. Live and learn but i still fee it’s the job of apple to be able to clock a device using the IMEI number incase this ever happens. Now I’m going to have to call the police in Romania and just hope they can follow up the leads I’ve managed to produce off my own back. Can someone tell me though, if they had access to my iCloud login, then entered it into my lost phone, would I still be able to have access to it or is the fact I no longer have access to it mean that they have factory reset the device? My concern is that they have access to my pictures and files but if they did, I would also have access to my photos and files wouldn’t I?

Reply

Answer 12

tygb

Level 9

64,998 points

Nov 30, 2020 5:21 AM in response to Savi_G

As you wrote - But I’ve been on the phone to apple and they are going to reapply the IMEI number to my account so the now active phone with a new iCloud and sim account will be reregistered to my account and be able to be tracked again.

We are members in this forum and not as apple and don't know their techniques , but as per my knowledge this is not a way to track the iPhone .

As per this article https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT201472

Find My [device] is the only way that you can track or locate a lost or missing device. If Find My [device] isn't enabled on your device before it goes missing, there's no other Apple service that can find, track, or flag your device for you.

Read this article also https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204073

Reply

Answer 13

Savi_G Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2020 5:46 AM in response to tygb

Yes you’re correct, as a consumer they are the only services available to you at hand but your mobile carrier, the police and apple all have the ability to track and locate a device by its individual imei number.

Reply

Answer 14

tygb

Level 9

64,998 points

Nov 30, 2020 10:17 AM in response to Savi_G

If you visit police authorities not necessary they will file a first information report as the phone is not stolen , it is lost they will accept an application from you , it depends upon them to give a return report to file a case in court .

These case are handled by cops the iPhone is just misplaced , not sure about cellular services .

Reply

Answer 15

Savi_G Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2020 10:06 PM in response to tygb

If you go back and read the whole story you’ll see that the phone was far from misplaced. Lost mode was activated, contact details were provided on screen for its recovery, the SIM card card has been replaced. That’s all before we even get onto the subject of the scam email as a means to delete my information and passcodes from the phone. The phone has clearly been kept from me, I’ve had my own personal information used against me to further keep the phone from being returned and all efforts to have the phone returned have been ignored by the new keeper. It’s theft. Wether it was “found” or not, it’s finding with the intent to keep and they’ve used fraud as a means to do so. If anyone is having this nightmare, don’t be convinced by anyone else that you’re to blame...they are, insist that what is yours is returned to you. Especially when the powers that be have the means to track and recover it. These people weren’t idiots, the phone was never activated in the years it was missing until it had left the country (to bypass the carrier block which will only block in the original country it was registered to) and they only activated it in order to send a bogus recovery text with a fake site that then allowed them to gain access to my account.

Reply

Lost iPhone erased from findmy

Similar questions