HT201365: Find My iPhone Activation Lock

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Will T.

Q: Activation Lock engaged without being prompted

The Activation Lock on my iPad mini was engaged even though I did not prompt it using Where's My Device. Has someone hacked my account?

Posted on Jun 5, 2016 7:16 PM

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Q: Activation Lock engaged without being prompted

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  • Helpful answers

  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen Jun 5, 2016 7:24 PM in response to Will T.
    Level 5 (4,532 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 5, 2016 7:24 PM in response to Will T.

    When you sign in to iCloud on your iPad, the find my iPad is enabled by default.

  • by TMHahn,

    TMHahn TMHahn Jun 5, 2016 7:33 PM in response to Will T.
    Level 2 (384 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 5, 2016 7:33 PM in response to Will T.

    Try to sign into it. Does it list a different email address than your AppleID? (Please don't post the email address.)

     

    Or is it "Disabled?"

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Jun 5, 2016 7:38 PM in response to Will T.
    Level 7 (25,645 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 5, 2016 7:38 PM in response to Will T.

    Can you clarify what you mean by it was "engaged"? What indicated that to you? Also, not sure what "Where's My Device" comes in to play here? The Activation Lock on an iDevice is called Find My iPhone.

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by Will T.,

    Will T. Will T. Jun 6, 2016 4:58 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Jun 6, 2016 4:58 AM in response to gail from maine

    "Where's My Device" is my feeble attempt to remember the app's name. I was using the web browser on my iPad when suddenly and unexpectedly the Activation Lock screen appeared and demanded that I sign in. The iPad is not lost or stolen, and neither are any of my other devices. I'm sitting here with them now.

  • by Will T.,

    Will T. Will T. Jun 6, 2016 5:01 AM in response to TMHahn
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Jun 6, 2016 5:01 AM in response to TMHahn

    When I sign in, the appropriate user login info is required.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Jun 6, 2016 5:40 AM in response to Will T.
    Level 7 (25,645 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2016 5:40 AM in response to Will T.

    Well, if it came up while you were browsing the web, then it could very well be a scam. What was the exact message that you saw?

     

    GB

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Jun 6, 2016 6:43 AM in response to Will T.
    Level 7 (24,018 points)
    Jun 6, 2016 6:43 AM in response to Will T.

    Will T. wrote:

     

    "Where's My Device" is my feeble attempt to remember the app's name. I was using the web browser on my iPad when suddenly and unexpectedly the Activation Lock screen appeared and demanded that I sign in. The iPad is not lost or stolen, and neither are any of my other devices. I'm sitting here with them now.

    That sounds like a phishing scam, not a legitimate feature.

  • by Will T.,

    Will T. Will T. Jun 6, 2016 2:26 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Jun 6, 2016 2:26 PM in response to gail from maine

    I saw a plain white screen that said Activation Lock and asked for my Apple ID and password. There was an option to get help with activation lock, but when you clicked there it just explained that Find My iPhone had been activated and that you had to login to unlock the iPad. You could not otherwise exit the screen. Then when I logged in, everything returned to normal. The website I was using at the time was al.com, the website for the Birmingham News, the largest paper in Alabama. It's unlikely that the Birmingham News was trying to steal my info. I have since erased all content and settings through the Reset menu in the General settings menu, and I've changed my Apple ID password. However, after resetting I ended up having to go back through the same activation menu which makes me nervous.

  • by Michael Black,Apple recommended

    Michael Black Michael Black Jun 6, 2016 3:22 PM in response to Will T.
    Level 7 (24,018 points)
    Jun 6, 2016 3:22 PM in response to Will T.

    That was not anything generated by iOS and was definitely not a legitimate message. You're right that it would not have come from the newspaper itself, but an advertiser on their web site or a 3rd party site lnked by a cookie trail from your web browsing history.

     

    If it happens again, just double click the home button and quit the browser by swiping up. Then go into settings, safari and delete all cookies and history.

     

    Activation lock is never going to cause a web browser popup message - any such message is a phishing scam.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Jun 6, 2016 3:33 PM in response to Will T.
    Level 7 (25,645 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2016 3:33 PM in response to Will T.

    OK, so if you Erased All Content and Settings, you would see the Activation Screen again. So, if that is what you did, then that is normal. However, I am still a bit dubious about the screen coming up out of the blue. That screen comes up when a new device is being activated (and by new, I mean one that is being set up from Factory Settings).

     

    As for the rest - what Michael said....

     

    Best of luck,

     

    GB