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Find My iPhone !!!!!

I got this Gmail message recently. I have also gotten this message in the past, but only very occasionally. What puzzles me is that I don't own an iPhone. But I do have an iPad Pro which I only use via WiFi. I have no phone or data plan with the iPad, and I have no recollection of ever setting up Find My iPhone in iCloud. So, why am I getting this Gmail message about an iPhone I don't own?

User uploaded file

iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, iOS 11.0.3

Posted on Mar 21, 2018 1:04 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 22, 2018 12:08 PM

Does the name of the device in the image correspond to your device's name? If not:

Identifying legitimate emails from the iTunes Store - http://support.apple.com/HT201679 - lacking in specifics, the next link is better:


Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - https://support.apple.com/HT204759


Forward attempts as an attachment (in MacOS Mail use the paperclip icon) to: reportphishing@apple.com then delete it.


- Apple e-mails address you by your real name, not something like "Dear Customer" , "Dear Client" or an e-mail address.

- Apple e-mails originate from @apple.com or @itunes.com but I think it is possible to spoof a sender address

- Mouse over links to see if they direct to real Apple web sites. Do not click on them as this just tells the spammer they have a working e-mail address in their database.

- Phishing emails may include account suspension or similar threats in order to panic you into clicking on a link without thinking. They may report a fake purchase in order to infuriate you into rashly clicking on a false link to report a problem. Mar 2018 post by Niel https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8311239?answerId=33129140022#33129140022 - "Emails saying that your Apple ID has been locked or disabled are always phishing. If one actually gets disabled, its owner will be told when they try logging into it instead of through email."

- Apple will not ask for personal information in an e-mail.


https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2018/02/panic-attack-apple-scams-apply- pressure/


Otherwise, "Find my iPhone" is the unfortunate name of the service for any iOS device. I don't know what you may have done to trigger this message. Maybe you were doing something with iCloud settings?


iCloud: Remove your device from Find My iPhone - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2702 "If you’re no longer using an iOS device, an Apple Watch, AirPods, or a Mac, you can remove it from Find My iPhone using Find My iPhone on iCloud.com or your device. When you remove a device, it’s removed from your Find My iPhone Devices list, and if your device has iOS 8 or later, Activation Lock is also turned off."

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Mar 22, 2018 12:08 PM in response to MurPhil

Does the name of the device in the image correspond to your device's name? If not:

Identifying legitimate emails from the iTunes Store - http://support.apple.com/HT201679 - lacking in specifics, the next link is better:


Avoid phishing emails, fake 'virus' alerts, phony support calls, and other scams - https://support.apple.com/HT204759


Forward attempts as an attachment (in MacOS Mail use the paperclip icon) to: reportphishing@apple.com then delete it.


- Apple e-mails address you by your real name, not something like "Dear Customer" , "Dear Client" or an e-mail address.

- Apple e-mails originate from @apple.com or @itunes.com but I think it is possible to spoof a sender address

- Mouse over links to see if they direct to real Apple web sites. Do not click on them as this just tells the spammer they have a working e-mail address in their database.

- Phishing emails may include account suspension or similar threats in order to panic you into clicking on a link without thinking. They may report a fake purchase in order to infuriate you into rashly clicking on a false link to report a problem. Mar 2018 post by Niel https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8311239?answerId=33129140022#33129140022 - "Emails saying that your Apple ID has been locked or disabled are always phishing. If one actually gets disabled, its owner will be told when they try logging into it instead of through email."

- Apple will not ask for personal information in an e-mail.


https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2018/02/panic-attack-apple-scams-apply- pressure/


Otherwise, "Find my iPhone" is the unfortunate name of the service for any iOS device. I don't know what you may have done to trigger this message. Maybe you were doing something with iCloud settings?


iCloud: Remove your device from Find My iPhone - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2702 "If you’re no longer using an iOS device, an Apple Watch, AirPods, or a Mac, you can remove it from Find My iPhone using Find My iPhone on iCloud.com or your device. When you remove a device, it’s removed from your Find My iPhone Devices list, and if your device has iOS 8 or later, Activation Lock is also turned off."

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Mar 22, 2018 12:37 PM in response to lobsterghost1

Excellent question. I don't have any better answer for you than:

  • my iPad is fully backed up
  • I use a "strong" passcode
  • I use Touch ID
  • I have personal coded info etched on the case of my iPad

But I'm glad you challenge me. You've convinced me to turn Find My iPad back on.


In the meantime, since the e-mailed warning message incorrectly called my iPad "iPhone", and the Settings menu on my iPad correctly called it "iPad", can anything be done to stop iCloud, or whatever is doing it, from calling my iPad something other than iPad? Thx.

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Mar 22, 2018 12:15 PM in response to Limnos

You hit the problem for me. I have Find My Mac turned off on my iMac. But I guess I incorrectly assumed that meant it was also turned off on my iPad. Drilling down into my iPad's settings, I discovered that Find My iPad was turned on after all. It's now off. The use of "iPhone" in Apple's e-mail message is a red herring that only added to my initial confusion. Glad it's fixed now. Thanks for the help.

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Mar 22, 2018 12:48 PM in response to MurPhil

I'm glad I've "guilted" you into something that can really be a life-saver. No matter how well protected your data is, the device can't be found if lost or stolen unless you use the tools Apple gave you. And the app for Find my iPhone is the same app for iPad, so you can't really do anything about changing the name. It is just semantic and if you ever need to to www.icloud.com you'll see the device (if it's online) listed as the name you assigned it. In Settings > General > About you'll see Name as the first option. That's where you can custom name your iPad and that's the name which will be shown in iCloud should you need to search for it there.


Another advantage, btw., is Activation Lock. Any iDevice with Find my iPhone enabled is under activation lock. If someone does come into possession of your device and they try to get into it, they won't be able to. And it cannot be bypassed.

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Find My iPhone !!!!!

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