Help Mac-gyver

Q: Stolen Apple device - Serial Number Issue

I have recently lost my iPod touch device through property theft. I had iCloud on and "find my iphone" as well. I have found that no apple device can track without the help of cellular of wifi, however though using the device I can track my movements on mapping apps without actually being connected to any particular wifi or cellular network. This form of tracking does NOT work over iCloud functions, so there is no way for me to track my iPod touch. I have been told by Police to obtain my serial number which is registered to my apple account. What concerns me is that according to other posts people can hook my iPod touch up to another computer and iTunes, wipe it clean and re-register so they can use it themselves. Now I remember that when using older Microsoft programs I had to enter a serial number and register it online to use the program, and if all "uses" had been used I could not register and use that program. Similar I should assume applies to apple with its sophisticated policies, that a stolen device has to be registered before syncing with another computer by way of serial number and that I should get an email to say that somebody is trying to re-register my device on another computer. The same prompt system used for apple password changes. My main issue is that the iPod touch is forever registered to me unless I remove it, but does Apple allow a thief to register the same device, the same serial number twice? If that were so, there are laws in most countrys that would classify this as an accessory to a criminal act, allowing and encouraging a black market of stolen apple goods. Apple puts up a front with its "find my iphone" app, but doesn't the world agree that serial number tracking of registrations should play a part. I can give my serial number to the Police, but only apple will know if somebody has tried to register my device a second time. In short, can my iPod touch be wiped? (it is locked). Does apple have a policy indemnifying them of criminal black market activities? Can apple notify me if somebody tries to re-register my property? Can apple block re-registration attempts?

iPod touch, iOS 6.1.6

Posted on May 9, 2014 1:46 PM

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Q: Stolen Apple device - Serial Number Issue

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  • by leeh123,

    leeh123 leeh123 Sep 6, 2014 5:03 PM in response to frankiec
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2014 5:03 PM in response to frankiec

    I had my ipad stolen last Dec (2013) and today, Sept 6, someone turned it on in a state far from here(unfortunately in a busy dentist office, not in a home where I could identify them), and apple sent me a message - with the specific address & time it was turned on. It is locked, and I guess unusable. I changed the on screen message to tell them to please call I will help them get money back if they bought on ebay (if owner files police report, ebay will refund the money to the purchaser). The serial number is still registered to my account, and nobody has gone into my apple account to change things.

    It is offline now, though, so I don't know what will happen.

    So your apple things may show up someday.

  • by JediMacMaster,

    JediMacMaster JediMacMaster Sep 15, 2014 1:02 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 15, 2014 1:02 PM in response to gail from maine

    Of course it's true that Apple is in business to sell computers, not to police stolen iPods. However I respectfully disagree about a locked device being "a brick". You can wipe a locked down iOS device; I have successfully done this myself when I pulled my old iPad 1 out of the closet and realized I'd forgotten my own password to it. I won't go into detail about how to unlock it as that wouldn't be appropriate here, but suffice it to say that it CAN be done. Apple won't do it for you because that would clearly make them an accessory if the device were in fact stolen. If it's your own and you're capable you can unlock it, load the OS, and use it.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Sep 15, 2014 1:05 PM in response to JediMacMaster
    Level 10 (187,759 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 15, 2014 1:05 PM in response to JediMacMaster
  • by JediMacMaster,

    JediMacMaster JediMacMaster Sep 15, 2014 1:13 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 15, 2014 1:13 PM in response to lllaass

    You are correct. I'd forgotten that my old iPad wasn't running iOS7.

     

    "Never mind." - Emily Latella

  • by cdubou12345,

    cdubou12345 cdubou12345 Nov 22, 2014 6:31 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2014 6:31 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver

    Team, it is NOT impossible to steal any of these devices.  Someone JUST stole my old iPhone 5 and "Find my iPhone" is on.  Whatever they did, they just registered their number to MY appleid.  Now i'm getting all of their iMessages and they probably can't figure out why.  His girl's photos are also coming to MY new apple device...  too funny!  I thought that if i sent out a "lost phone" signal from Find my iPhone that no one could use it but that is wrong.  All you have to do is "Brick" the phone.  When you plug it into iTunes it will force you to reinstall iOS. 

     

    I'm not sure how this guy got around my passcode but someone how my apple id remained in the phone but I'm pretty sure he's not aware of it as they were aspiring to sell weed last night and i was the one receiving the messages.  It even told me that the new number was registered for iMessage and FaceTime with my apple id.  I went to the police and they told me not to call the number but wait until an investigator calls me today to get some info and they may locate the individual.  I highly doubt it though.  I'll get my phone back - TRUST. 

  • by Swiftless,

    Swiftless Swiftless Jan 29, 2015 5:15 PM in response to Help Mac-gyver
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 29, 2015 5:15 PM in response to Help Mac-gyver

    This thread seems to be updated every now and then (few and far between) so I'm going to weigh in.

     

    In my case, it was a laptop stolen a week and a half ago. 2011 Macbook Pro. It has Find my Mac enabled, is password protected, guest account disabled and I *think* I turned on FileVault when I upgraded it to Yosemite. As far as I'm aware, you can't connect to a WiFi network unless you can log in (correct me if I'm wrong). Sure you can reset the admin password pretty easily but I doubt they will.

     

    My problem is that because it's so locked down, they're better off wiping it or replacing the hard drive. Either of these options I'm pretty sure will negate Find my Mac as well as cause me to lose all my data (I'm writing it off as gone already). My shock of which, I can't register my serial # as stolen with Apple?! Sure you can spoof these, but unless you're doing something dodgy, why would you? I have the original box it came in, I have the serial number, the serial number is printed on the case as well as accessible from OSX software. You would think it extremely easy to know if a device with a serial number matches a number in a list. WiFi tracking (pretty accurate) is great and complicated, but serial number tracking is so invariably simple for any device running OSX.

     

    Also, yes, I know that the serial number is not guaranteed to be available on Apple devices, a hardware change can cause it to lose the serial and there's no way to restore it. But for those that keep their serial, why not track it? Why not link it to the device attached to your Apple ID?

     

    My Mac may end up with a new hard drive and may even end up with Windows on it, but in general, serial number tracking of stolen devices would make a huge difference instead of relying solely on physical access to the device.

     

    There are a few places online where people can add to a database of stolen Apple device serial numbers, but even that requires the end recipient to check against these databases and I can guarantee they won't.

  • by Skeltek,

    Skeltek Skeltek Jul 20, 2015 11:18 PM in response to Help Mac-gyver
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2015 11:18 PM in response to Help Mac-gyver

    To thread opener:

    1. They dont have that policy, nor are they oblieged to actively go "hunting".

     

    2. They could notify you about re-registration attempts, that doesnt neccessarily mean they have to do it.

     

    3. It is technically possible to block re-registration attempts; wether they chose to implement that in their software is another issue.

     

     

    For example if you clicked "lost" on the "Find my iPhone" page but do not have "Find my iPhone" active on the device itself, it can not be traced.

    Basically the officiel page to check "wether an iPhone is stolen or not" does not tell you anything about wether the iPhone is stolen or not. All it tells you is wether the device is locked or not.

    For as far as I know, I had a pinlock on the device, entered my apple-data when I upgraded to iOS8 and everything else.

    After it got stolen, I entered "lost" mode on the "Find my iPhone" page.

    On https://www.icloud.com/activationlock/ though it tells me the device has no activation lock.

    Reading through different forums, I determined that Apple lets iPhones be re-registered, even if they are marked as "lost" on the internet page.

    Rly a shame considering the price of the devices.

    It should be made an option that Deactivating an iPhone requires a pincode too, so thiefs should not be able to turn them off and get rid of the tracking before they manage to open it and replace the IMEI.

     

    I also find it really doubtfull, that my local Gravis Store is buying old hardware for reselling to a salvaging company without prior checking of the IMEIs.

  • by keokaridge,

    keokaridge keokaridge Jan 17, 2016 10:46 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 10:46 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver

    I Lost my IPad 2 and the person who found it wanted me to pay them for its return, I declined and have never gotten my IPad returned.  I did get their telephone number and probably should have gone to the police.  With just a T-Mobile number, I don't know if they could locate it.  I had registered it and set it up with the find my phone app, but the phone is offline.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Jan 17, 2016 10:50 AM in response to keokaridge
    Level 9 (54,877 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 17, 2016 10:50 AM in response to keokaridge

    Yes. You should have gone to the police.

  • by lostmy6,

    lostmy6 lostmy6 Apr 1, 2016 12:24 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 1, 2016 12:24 AM in response to Help Mac-gyver

    Hi Sir/Madam, I lost my iphone on 2nd March 2016. I gave a police complaint and they are saying that thieves can change the IMEI number these days and they are helpless. I used to check 'FIND MY PHONE' via icloud. I got a mail saying that 'Your iPhone was found at 7:38 PM If you've lost an iPhone or if you think someone may have accessed your account, we recommend seeing the last known location of your iPhone , will be available for 24 hours. To see the location of your iPhone you must visit the link below http://www.icloud.com.1i.pm/view/site/********'. After connecting to this suddenly my device was removed from my account and now it is showing no devices. What's happening? Help me out. I need to lock my iphone.

     

    <Link Edited by Host>

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Mar 31, 2016 7:09 AM in response to lostmy6
    Level 10 (187,759 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 31, 2016 7:09 AM in response to lostmy6

    Nothing you can do except change the passwords for all accounts used on the device.

    Apple will not help

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Mar 31, 2016 7:10 AM in response to lostmy6
    Level 9 (54,877 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 7:10 AM in response to lostmy6

    If you clicked on that link and entered your information, you got scammed. That's a phishing link.

  • by radwan5,

    radwan5 radwan5 Aug 6, 2016 3:33 AM in response to lostmy6
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 6, 2016 3:33 AM in response to lostmy6

    I have the same issue and now have 24h to react. Can you help me please if you find ou what to do?

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