You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Stolen iPhone 12, currently offline, find my iPhone is on and giving location updates

If my IPhone 12 was stolen last night and I put in lost mode this morning, can the thief just replace my SIM card and now use it as their own?

iPhone 12

Posted on Jun 21, 2021 3:19 PM

Reply
14 replies

Jun 21, 2021 5:18 PM in response to Mrokarcedz

A word of warning: If you get a message from “Apple” saying your phone has been found, DO NOT click on a link in it. The message is from the criminal that has your phone, and wants you to log in to a fake website and thus give away your Apple ID and password so the activation lock can be removed.


See this support article→If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

Jun 21, 2021 4:15 PM in response to Mrokarcedz

Mrokarcedz wrote:

Thank you. That’s reassuring. A follow up question...

the “mark as lost” is still showing pending. Is that because they powered it down and have yet to turn back on yet?

if it’s off, how am I still getting location updates every 20 - 30 minutes?

Yes phone needs to be connected to wifi or cellular data in order for the marked as lost to work.


I don't know why you're getting updated location, if your device is powered off.


[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

Jun 21, 2021 5:06 PM in response to Mrokarcedz

I suspect that the behavior you’re observing is caused by your phone being “powered on” but NOT on a network where it can communicate “out”

by itself …


… but it IS near other Apple devices which CAN communicate. (e.g. via WiFi)


Apple terms this offline finding and it uses Bluetooth and the networked “cloud” of millions of Apple devices to relay the the location of off-network (but still

”on”) devices.


(It’s also how AirTags are “found” when they’re not near your own devices)



Stolen iPhone 12, currently offline, find my iPhone is on and giving location updates

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.