Scam emergency contacts

Question

Scam emergency contacts

My iPhone 14pro got stolen on 8th July in London and 5 days later my two emergency contacts received a message that my phone got connected to iCloud and location was found. I sensed it was a scam but the idea that the criminals logged in my Apple ID took over and I let my friend login. By doing this they were able to deactivate find my hence all good to go for them. My questions are: how did they manage to get the emergency contacts? Probably within the time I needed to activate the lost mode ? Also how did they manage to send a message from the Apple sender? I am very disappointed by the level of low security then in this case because it seems Apple is not secure as it claims! Lastly why when clicking on the page of How to activate Find My in the related articles you don’t add the one you sent me only after I got scammed? It is probably the most clicked page considering how many iPhone get stolen every day and Apple doesn’t worry to educate all its clients at all? I have not an IT master degree and chose Apple for its practicality and finding out that this phishing technique is on since 2019 but there is no much information around about it …. It’s just scary and disappointing. Lastly, if criminals deactivated find my why have I not received a notification? If anyone can let me know about my questions please I appreciate. Thank you

iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16

Posted on Jul 16, 2023 4:34 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 16, 2023 5:05 PM in response to lorenafromgirifalco

Sorry to hear that you’ve been put thru this. It sounds like you might have encountered some fairly sophisticated criminals. 🙁

I suspect that they might have accessed your emergency contacts thru your Medical ID.

This can be made available even while the phone is locked to provide critical info to 1st responders and hospital personnel.

Make an emergency call from a locked iPhone – Apple Support (AU)

Is that your only basis for suspecting that the criminals “logged in to your AppleID” ?

Also, it’s not clear what you meant about “Message from Apple Sender” Apple NEVER sends messages about “lost” or “found” phones ….

… If you received one, it was from the criminals attempting to phish your AppleID credentisls.

If you received such a message … did you provide ANY info in response ?

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Answer 2

Jul 16, 2023 5:22 PM in response to lorenafromgirifalco

On 3rd re-read of your post…

”… and I let my friend login …”

It sounds like the phishing message went to your friend … and against your own better instincts, you provided your credentials to your friend … who then answered the phishing message … thereby giving away your credentials to the criminals.

Is this a generally accurate recap of events ?

If so … go here:

If you think your Apple ID has been compromised - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Jul 17, 2023 7:25 AM in response to lorenafromgirifalco

These phishes intentionally feed on people’s anxiety and all-too-often “lack of planning and preparation.”

They usually appear VERY convincing.

One has to train him/her self to “just ignore the noise” and follow-thru with one’s pre-planned AND regularly practiced “Lost Phone Drill.”

In the spirit of “learning from mistakes,” I’m already making some ”tweaks” to my own plan based on your “Emergency Contacts”

experience.

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Answer 4

Jul 17, 2023 5:42 AM in response to lorenafromgirifalco

Thanks Chattanoogan!

yes a nightmare because too many things were not adding up and of course the emotional component didn’t work in my favor this time but while I get that the emergency contacts could be have taken when still not set as lost - why did I not receive a notification that find my was deactivated as it usually does? Also note the page the link opens is identical to what you get when in iCloud - I just don’t believe that Apple can be this master in security system and allow all this to happen since years! I wished they could at least let us know when the phone is stolen … do you know what I mean?

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Answer 5

Jul 17, 2023 7:46 AM in response to Chattanoogan

Thanks C. I get that But the point is whose responsibility is to train her/his self? Apple knows and is doing nothing to educate us - a community do you think the solution? No because it goes against the principle of optimizing your life time - what Apple should do is to inform customers that this is a risk we can all encounter and they should do it exactly in the moment I declare the phone got stolen! If not when I buy it but of course they cannot otherwise who would buy it?!

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Answer 6

Jul 17, 2023 5:37 AM in response to Chattanoogan

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Answer 7

Jul 17, 2023 5:37 AM in response to lorenafromgirifalco

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Scam emergency contacts

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