My iPhone was stolen, I can see the address it is at on Find My iPhone but Lost Mode is pending. What is the thief doing?

Question

My iPhone was stolen, I can see the address it is at on Find My iPhone but Lost Mode is pending. What is the thief doing?

Hi there,

My phone was stolen last week and it is currently at the thief’s address which I can see in “Find My”.

I tried to put it into Lost Mode as soon as it was stolen however this said “pending” and it still does.

This means that the thief cannot see my Lost Mode message nor can I play a sound as this is pending too.

Has the thief put my phone into recovery mode as soon as it was stolen ? What will the thief be able to do with my phone?

It is strange as I can see the location of my stolen phone (it has moved a few times and I have been able to see where it is). So it is clearly still linked to my iCloud but I thought Lost mode would activate as soon as it connected (the same way as the Find My does?)

Thanks for any help,

An infuriated iPhone user.

iPhone 13

Posted on Dec 17, 2022 2:33 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Rudegar

Level 10

174,498 points

Dec 17, 2022 3:08 PM in response to LauraChelsea123

This is a user forum, you are not addressing apple here just fellow users

doubt any of us users are going to man up and go knock on your thiefs door, noor do I think apple will

the whole find my iphone thing is to enable users to do what apple legally can't do as in track equipment they sell to customers after purchase.

you can try contacting apple Support -> Get Support (apple.com)

and or give them feedback -> Product Feedback - Apple

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 17, 2022 3:12 PM in response to Rudegar

What I’m asking is does anyone know how it is possible that the Lost Mode is still pending (I.e that it has not yet connected to WiFi or cellular data) but I can receive updates as to the location of the phone.

I don’t understand how logistically that is possible?

Reply

Answer 3

Sue1912

Level 1

13 points

Dec 20, 2022 8:34 AM in response to LauraChelsea123

Hi Laura, I've had exactly the same thing happen to me. It was stolen yesterday at a train station in London and I can see the exact address but the erase iphone is pending and I'm concerned the same as you what exactly they can do with the phone.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 20, 2022 10:15 AM in response to Sue1912

Hello!

I was also in London. Police haven’t been helpful I’m afraid.

Mine stayed this way for 1 week (location changed 3 times).

it doesn’t appear they can access anything as nothing has changed, all of my banks are secure etc.

I think it’s possible that they put it into recovery mode straight away.

Whereabouts in London were you?

sorry for your loss!

Reply

Answer 5

Sue1912

Level 1

13 points

Dec 20, 2022 10:19 AM in response to LauraChelsea123

It was taken out of my pocket at Limehouse DLR. I paid on my phone at the turnstiles and went to go up the stairs to the DLR and felt my pocket and it was gone. It was only 5pm! Am so furious. Glad to hear you've had no problems with banks etc.

Reply