User profile for user: Bhain93
Bhain93 Author
User level: Level 1
11 points

iPhone stolen, find my iPhone disabled

My iPhone 15 pro max was stolen out of my hand while in an uber in Rio and when I went to use my Girlfriends iPhone to use find my iPhone the location tracking was disabled right away. The phone was hooked to a network in Brazil and I never had issues prior connecting to the network here. The iPhone appeared on find my iPhone one last time 2 days later but then gone.

I thought apples new phones and updates made location services available and active even with the phone turned off. Why or how did it fail to update after it was stollen?

iPhone 15 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Oct 13, 2024 7:59 PM

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User profile for user: lobsterghost1
lobsterghost1
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User level: Level 10
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Posted on Oct 13, 2024 8:12 PM

Yes, sort of. The phone can broadcast its location even powered off ONLY IF it comes close to another iPhone. The reality is thieves are cunning and your phone was likely powered off and/or placed in a Faraday bag, making it completely isolated from being tracked. The other sad reality is very very very few phones are ever retrieved, especially if they are stolen by cunning thieves.


You will most likely never see your phone again.


Also, be aware that Apple doesn't get involved in lost or stolen devices. If you receive a message your phone has been found and it appears to come from Apple, it DID NOT come from Apple. Thieves often send scam messages to get you to enter your iPhone credentials and if you fall for it, you'll give them exactly what they need to wipe your phone. They even resort to sending threatening messages purporting to know where you are and to cause you harm. They don't know where you are. Ignore any such messages and do NOT interact with them in any way.


Here is a link from Apple on what you need to do if your phone is stolen. The first thing you should do is contact your carrier and ask them to blacklist it, so it can never be connected to a network again --> If your iPhone or iPad was stolen - Apple Support


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User profile for user: lobsterghost1
lobsterghost1
Community+ 2026
User level: Level 10
203,980 points

Oct 13, 2024 8:12 PM in response to Bhain93

Yes, sort of. The phone can broadcast its location even powered off ONLY IF it comes close to another iPhone. The reality is thieves are cunning and your phone was likely powered off and/or placed in a Faraday bag, making it completely isolated from being tracked. The other sad reality is very very very few phones are ever retrieved, especially if they are stolen by cunning thieves.


You will most likely never see your phone again.


Also, be aware that Apple doesn't get involved in lost or stolen devices. If you receive a message your phone has been found and it appears to come from Apple, it DID NOT come from Apple. Thieves often send scam messages to get you to enter your iPhone credentials and if you fall for it, you'll give them exactly what they need to wipe your phone. They even resort to sending threatening messages purporting to know where you are and to cause you harm. They don't know where you are. Ignore any such messages and do NOT interact with them in any way.


Here is a link from Apple on what you need to do if your phone is stolen. The first thing you should do is contact your carrier and ask them to blacklist it, so it can never be connected to a network again --> If your iPhone or iPad was stolen - Apple Support


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User profile for user: CristianoShungo93
CristianoShungo93
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 14, 2024 5:26 AM in response to Bhain93

Usando outro dispositivo Apple:


1. Abra o aplicativo Buscar (Find My) em outro iPhone, iPad ou Mac.

2. Faça login com o seu ID Apple.

3. Na lista de dispositivos, selecione o iPhone que deseja localizar.

4. O mapa mostrará a localização aproximada do iPhone. Se estiver próximo, você pode tocar em Reproduzir Som para localizá-lo mais facilmente.


Usando um navegador web:


1. Acesse iCloud.com.

2. Faça login com o seu ID Apple.

3. Clique em Buscar iPhone.

4. Na lista de dispositivos, selecione o iPhone perdido.

5. O mapa exibirá a localização aproximada.


Recursos adicionais:


• Modo Perdido: Permite bloquear o iPhone com um código e exibir uma mensagem de contato na tela.

• Apagar iPhone: Se você achar que o iPhone foi roubado e não será recuperado, pode apagar todos os dados remotamente.


Certifique-se de que o iPhone tenha o recurso Buscar iPhone ativado e esteja conectado à internet para que ele possa ser localizado.

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User profile for user: Bhain93
Bhain93 Author
User level: Level 1
11 points

Oct 14, 2024 5:20 AM in response to lobsterghost1

Thanks for the info! The probably did put it in a Faraday bag. I have lost iPhones before but this was something new where it totally stopped broadcasting its location.

You are exactly right about the phone calls. My fiancée received over 100 calls from a number speaking Portuguese claiming to be apple and asking for my phone password to locate the phone. (Her phone number was listed on the iPhone when I marked it as lost on iCloud)

Thanks again for the info!


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iPhone stolen, find my iPhone disabled

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