I lost my iPhone 2 days ago. I have marked it as ‘Lost’. Then, tonight i got an sms claiming as Apple and informed me that my iPhone has been found. There is a hyperlink in the sms, i.e., I am not sure if this is really coming from Apple. Has anyone in the community ever had the same experience?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 15 Plus, iOS 18
The message is not from Apple.
It is from a criminal or other dishonest person who wants to trick you into doing one or more of the following:
Apple does not get involved with lost or stolen iPhones – unless, perhaps, you left yours on the counter at an Apple Store, and an honest employee was trying to return it – so the claim that the message is from Apple is one giveaway that this is a "phishing" scam.
Do not respond to the "phishing" message, click on any link in it, or take any action based on its recommendations.
The message is not from Apple.
It is from a criminal or other dishonest person who wants to trick you into doing one or more of the following:
Apple does not get involved with lost or stolen iPhones – unless, perhaps, you left yours on the counter at an Apple Store, and an honest employee was trying to return it – so the claim that the message is from Apple is one giveaway that this is a "phishing" scam.
Do not respond to the "phishing" message, click on any link in it, or take any action based on its recommendations.
I think you can be ABSOLUTELY sure that this SMS did NOT come from apple or a partner. The URL find.device-map.info is being flagged as malicious due to phishing by a concerningly amount of vendors of VirusTotal (I looked it up), while it is questionable where that fake „apple“ knew that you’ve lost your iPhone. Possibly do they want to get you to unlocking your iPhone so they can sell it?
QUICK SUMMARY: DEFINITELY NOT APPLE
edit: your hyperlink got removed somehow
The message is not from Apple, instead it is from someone that has your phone and hoping to obtain your login credentials.
If from Apple it would at least be an iMessage. Imagine Apple using SMS
In addition to all the great advice you've been given, DON'T be surprised if the thieves don't resort to threatening you. They may tell you they know where you live and will come to you. They can threaten all sorts of things. But they are only threats. They don't know where you live. They can't do anything to you.
Noted, thanks for your response.
Thanks for letting me know that the URL is malicious.
On the hyperlink, perhaps it was removed by the moderator when he/she re-titled my query.
Suspicious SMS after marking iPhone as 'Lost'
