Stolen Phone Offline

My iPhone 8 plus was stolen 2 days ago. I searched for it on 'find my iPhone' but it's only said it's 'offline'. Does that mean whoever has my phone got into it and logged out of my iCloud so I couldn't track it? Or is the phone simply not been turned on or connected to the internet. I really don't won't this person to get into my personal info (bank cards, paypal, photos, notes etc) I feel such a horrible invasion of privacy, can I get any info or help on this.

Posted on Mar 19, 2018 1:05 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 19, 2018 1:58 PM

eleanor10 wrote:


Thanks for the reply. I have changed the passwords for all my socials, paypal & emails etc and made sure they're logged out of. As for my icloud I have no idea how to change the password as I don't remember my 'trusted number'. Is they're anyway I can wipe my phone without having to use find my iPhone. I more bothered about my personal info, I have pictures of my ID on the phone etc. Really worried as I'm not very sure the steps to take in this situation.

Please be aware that bobbyfromjeffersonville is spreading a very scary but not always very correct information. If your phone has a passcode on it, your data is safe. However, if you don't know what your Apple ID passcode is, that's another issue entirely and one you should deal with.


Start here:

https://iforgot.apple.com


It will walk you through what you need to do.


But, most importantly, in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, "Don't panic.".


Best of luck.

26 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 19, 2018 1:58 PM in response to eleanor10

eleanor10 wrote:


Thanks for the reply. I have changed the passwords for all my socials, paypal & emails etc and made sure they're logged out of. As for my icloud I have no idea how to change the password as I don't remember my 'trusted number'. Is they're anyway I can wipe my phone without having to use find my iPhone. I more bothered about my personal info, I have pictures of my ID on the phone etc. Really worried as I'm not very sure the steps to take in this situation.

Please be aware that bobbyfromjeffersonville is spreading a very scary but not always very correct information. If your phone has a passcode on it, your data is safe. However, if you don't know what your Apple ID passcode is, that's another issue entirely and one you should deal with.


Start here:

https://iforgot.apple.com


It will walk you through what you need to do.


But, most importantly, in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, "Don't panic.".


Best of luck.

Mar 19, 2018 1:23 PM in response to eleanor10

Unless you have an extremely simple 6-digit passcode, the number of different variations is so large, the person will take quite a long time to try all of the options. I doubt that they have entered your device, it is more than likely turned off, not connected to the internet, or the SIM has been removed. The device needs to be powered on and an active connection to the internet to be tracked, otherwise it will display "offline".

Mar 19, 2018 2:00 PM in response to eleanor10

The only way to remotely wipe your phone is with Find My iPhone, and the command would only execute once the phone has been connected to the internet. However, wiping it will remove your ability to track it, should it get connected to the internet. Just leave it, and you should be just fine. Leave it and Activation Lock will prevent the thief from being able to activate the device if they do try to restore it and activate it.


The information about cloning your account and other information is pure rubbish. No one is going to waste the time to try and clone your phone or account. Besides that, the end to end security and encryption that Apple uses is going to block their ability to do anything with your data. Ask the FBI about how that worked for them.

Mar 19, 2018 1:17 PM in response to Limnos

I have a 6 digit passcode but the person who stole my phone could be able to get it unlocked in some way if this is what they do regularly is what I'm worried about. Also my phone was unlocked when he stole it. I'm probably being paranoid but I don't understand why it is offline, wouldnthey need to turn it on at some point so they could sell it etc. Thanks for the reply.

Mar 19, 2018 1:28 PM in response to eleanor10

Not at all easy. The FBI couldn't do it. If you try too many times you end up disabling the phone which then has to be erased and even then if you have activation lock it could brick it for anybody who isn't the owner of the Apple ID used to lock it.


They could sell it over the Internet to somebody who wouldn't know they were getting something totally useless to them. Plenty of posts like that daily on this forum. I just finished answering one like that 5 minutes ago. 😟

Mar 19, 2018 1:36 PM in response to Limnos

Thanks so much for your help. It's obviously sad that I've lost a phone worth ÂŁ800, but for me it's about the my privacy, so sad that people do these type of things. I've blocked the number so they can't make calls or receive them. Do you think it will ever not be 'offline'? Still holding on to the chance I could get it back even though it's obviously highly unlikely :(

Mar 19, 2018 1:50 PM in response to bobbyfromjeffersonville

Thanks for the reply. I have changed the passwords for all my socials, paypal & emails etc and made sure they're logged out of. As for my icloud I have no idea how to change the password as I don't remember my 'trusted number'. Is they're anyway I can wipe my phone without having to use find my iPhone. I more bothered about my personal info, I have pictures of my ID on the phone etc. Really worried as I'm not very sure the steps to take in this situation.

Mar 19, 2018 3:19 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

I have only just seen this comment sorry. I'm a pessimist and think of the worst possible outcome always. I do know my iCloud password but I can't change it as I don't have my phone. If I do erase my phone on 'find my iphone' when it hopefully connects to the internet will they be able to use the phone as if it was new or will activation lock still apply. I've been in limbo for days worried about what could happen, personal info being accessed and stuff. Again thank you!

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Stolen Phone Offline

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