frasersd

Q: Lost my iPhone

I lost my iPhone yesterday and it was recovered by someone.  I tried calling it within 5 min of losing it, and someone answered but did not say anything.  Every time after that the phone has gone straight to voicemail.  Several hours later I went to "find my iphone" and put the phone in lost mode.  If the person that recovered my phone removed the sim card or restored the phone to factory settings in the time between losing it and putting it in lost mode, is there any way to ever track the phone again?  Basically, I've been operating under the assumption that the phone is off because if it was turned back on I would be notified by the lost mode--but is there a chance the phone is on but I cannot track it.  And is there any way to find out the last known location of the phone even if the phone is showing up as "offline"?

Posted on Jul 5, 2016 7:00 PM

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Q: Lost my iPhone

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  • by elcpu,Apple recommended

    elcpu elcpu Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to frasersd
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to frasersd

    Did you have a Passcode on the phone? If not the person could have used your phone up to the time you put it in Lost Mode. However since you have Find my iPhone enabled, there is no way he/she can restore it to factory settings even before you put it in Lost Mode. In order to restore the phone he/she would have had to turn Find my iPhone off and he/she can only do that if they know your Apple/iCloud Password.

    If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

  • by Kiki.Kiko,Apple recommended

    Kiki.Kiko Kiki.Kiko Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to frasersd
    Level 1 (139 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to frasersd

    Maybe you can read more about your problem here If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

     

    What if your iOS device is off or offline?

    If your missing device is off or offline, you can still put it in Lost Mode, lock it, or remotely erase it. The next time your device is online, these actions will take effect. If you remove the device from your account while it's offline, any pending actions for the device will be cancelled.

  • by frasersd,

    frasersd frasersd Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to elcpu
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 5, 2016 7:20 PM in response to elcpu

    Alright thanks.  I did not have a passcode on the phone, but I don't see how they would have known my iCloud password in order to restore it to factory settings.  So if the phone has been offline the whole day, is the only explanation that the phone is off?  Or could there be another explanation.  Thanks so much again!

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Jul 5, 2016 7:30 PM in response to frasersd
    Level 6 (16,260 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 5, 2016 7:30 PM in response to frasersd

    frasersd wrote:

     

    Alright thanks.  I did not have a passcode on the phone, but I don't see how they would have known my iCloud password in order to restore it to factory settings.  So if the phone has been offline the whole day, is the only explanation that the phone is off?  Or could there be another explanation.  Thanks so much again!

     

    Yes, the phone is off. Crooks do this so the phone is no longer trackable. Also if you had Send Last Location "On" you should have received a message. Bear in mind that since you did not have a passcode, up to the time the crook turned the phone off or Lost Mode disabled it he could have read whatever info you had on the phone including your emails, etc. I would reset all accounts that he could have seen.