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- Use the Find My app or iCloud.com/find to help locate a lost iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac. If you can’t find it or think it might be stolen, you can lock it to protect your information.
support.apple.com › find-my
4 days ago · When you mark your iPhone or iPad as lost, your device is put in Lost Mode — it's locked with a passcode, payment cards and passes that you use with Apple Pay are suspended, and you can display a phone number and message for someone who finds your device. Sign in to iCloud.com/find.
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4 days ago · When you mark your device as lost: It's locked with your device passcode. Payments cards and passes that you use with Apple Pay are suspended. If you use Stolen Device Protection for iPhone, Face ID or Touch ID is required to turn off Lost Mode — so even if a person has your iPhone and knows your passcode, they'll still be locked out of your device.
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It's not enough to simply erase an iPhone, since Activation Lock persists even if the device undergoes a complete software reset. To activate the device after a software reset, the linked Apple ID password must be entered. Failing this, the rightful owner can remove the device from their account using "Erase iPhone" followed by "Remove from Account" with the Find My iPhone feature on iCloud.com.
Removing the iPhone from "Find My" makes it possible for the device to be activated again, using a different Apple ID. A device that isn't locked to an Apple ID has far more worth than one that is, so if the rightful owner can be convinced to remove Activation Lock then the thieves stand to gain.
Tracking down the rightful owner of a lost or stolen iPhone isn't hard if the device has been put into Lost Mode. This allows the owner to leave a phone number or other contact method, so that anyone who finds the phone can return it to its rightful owner.
Related: What Is "Lost Mode" on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac?
Scammers may send text messages (like this one) to the owners of lost or stolen devices, claiming that the iPhone has been found alongside all of the personal data that was on it. Claims are made that photos, contacts, the contents of email and text messages, or even banking and other personal information is at risk.
The goal is to convince owners that the device needs to be properly wiped to protect this data, and in order to do that they need access to the device. They will instruct owners to remove the device from "Find My" on iCloud.com in order to safeguard data. In reality, it's highly unlikely that they have access to this data.
Assuming the device has a unique passcode that isn't easy to guess, the chances of this data being available to anyone in possession of the phone is slim. All the thieves want is for you to remove the device from your Apple ID remotely so that they can use it themselves.
If you didn't secure your device with a unique passcode, thieves will likely send you images or screenshots proving that they have your device. You can log in with your Apple ID on iCloud.com and erase your device remotely in this case (without removing Activation Lock). It's a good idea to do this anyway, especially if you have an iCloud backup you can restore from.
While losing an expensive gadget stings, Apple's security measures are pretty robust. Get used to using a unique six-digit (or greater) passcode so that if the worst happens, thieves are left with an expensive paperweight. Above all, don't be fooled by people trying to convince you to disable Activation Lock by removing the device from your Apple ID remotely.
On the topic of lost iPhones, here's what to do if you find someone's lost device.
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Jan 25, 2024 · But if your iPhone remains marked as Lost, it cannot be traded intact. Scammers mostly craft these messages to initiate a panic-induced removal of the stolen iPhone from your Find My account.
Is your iPhone lost or stolen? If it's covered by AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, you can sign in with your Apple Account and file a claim for an iPhone replacement. Start your claim online
May 8, 2024 · Don't listen to aggressive scammers who lie about having access to your personal information: Likely the only reason they have access to your phone number is because you enabled Lost Mode, and...
Aug 13, 2022 · Even with the best of intentions, it's often difficult to know how to proceed when you find a lost or stolen iPhone. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to help return the device to its rightful owner.
