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iPhone 6s Plus STOLEN and LOST MODE PENDING FOREVER

Hi all,


A month ago my iPhone 6s Plus got stolen. I activated Lost Mode but is still Pending.

Find my Phone says Lost Mode Pending. This iPhone will go into lost mode when it connects to the internet.


It seems odd that the thief hast even tried to turn it on yet.


What could have had happened?

What are my options?

Will it ever go into Lost Mode?


Thanks!

Henry


iPhone 6s Plus

Posted on Jan 16, 2023 4:27 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 16, 2023 4:52 AM

Was Find My enabled?


Open the Find My app. Choose the Devices tab or the Items tab. Select your missing device or item, then choose Play Sound. If your device is offline, it won't play a sound until it connects to a network.

Use the Find My app to locate a missing device or item


If Find My [device] was not turned ON before your device was lost or stolen, it can't be used to locate a device nor one can use the IMEI number for tracking a device. The best action would be to Change the Apple ID password and change the passwords for other internet accounts that were used on the device. This can include email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, etc...





Don'ts

If the device is removed from an account after it is erased, Activation Lock will be turned off. This allows another person to turn on and use the device.


An example of my iPhone 5 is given in the GIF below. There is no "Undo" after you remove it from your account.




Find IMEI & Serial No. of the Lost Device


  1. If an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple ...
  2. Find the serial number or IMEI on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...

You may use a web browser to get the Serial Number and the IMEI Number. You cannot track using the IMEI number. but you may need it so keep it handy

Log in to https://appleid.apple.com with your Apple ID credentials. All your devices will be listed there. Click on any to get the details.





Do's, If you had enabled "Find My" before it was lost





Beware of Phishing!


Be careful and be smart to --> Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phoney support calls ...

Note: Apple will never send you any info on Lost/Found iPhones. It (Phishing) may appear as the image given below.





Switched Off? Still traceable


Even if the iPhone is switched off it is findable, see the pic below.






Device Offline?


I see my device in Find My, but it's offline


If you see "Offline," "No location available," or "Location Services Off," your device might be offline for one of these reasons:


Don't see your device?

  • You might not have Find My turned on.
  • If you're using the Find My app, you can't see your device's location if more than 7 days have passed since its last location was sent to Apple.
  • If you're using iCloud.com/find, you can't see your device's location if it's powered off, the battery has run out, or more than 24 hours has passed since its last location was sent to Apple.
  • Learn how you can still protect your information.


12 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 16, 2023 4:52 AM in response to Macvivientes

Was Find My enabled?


Open the Find My app. Choose the Devices tab or the Items tab. Select your missing device or item, then choose Play Sound. If your device is offline, it won't play a sound until it connects to a network.

Use the Find My app to locate a missing device or item


If Find My [device] was not turned ON before your device was lost or stolen, it can't be used to locate a device nor one can use the IMEI number for tracking a device. The best action would be to Change the Apple ID password and change the passwords for other internet accounts that were used on the device. This can include email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, etc...





Don'ts

If the device is removed from an account after it is erased, Activation Lock will be turned off. This allows another person to turn on and use the device.


An example of my iPhone 5 is given in the GIF below. There is no "Undo" after you remove it from your account.




Find IMEI & Serial No. of the Lost Device


  1. If an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple ...
  2. Find the serial number or IMEI on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod ...

You may use a web browser to get the Serial Number and the IMEI Number. You cannot track using the IMEI number. but you may need it so keep it handy

Log in to https://appleid.apple.com with your Apple ID credentials. All your devices will be listed there. Click on any to get the details.





Do's, If you had enabled "Find My" before it was lost





Beware of Phishing!


Be careful and be smart to --> Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phoney support calls ...

Note: Apple will never send you any info on Lost/Found iPhones. It (Phishing) may appear as the image given below.





Switched Off? Still traceable


Even if the iPhone is switched off it is findable, see the pic below.






Device Offline?


I see my device in Find My, but it's offline


If you see "Offline," "No location available," or "Location Services Off," your device might be offline for one of these reasons:


Don't see your device?

  • You might not have Find My turned on.
  • If you're using the Find My app, you can't see your device's location if more than 7 days have passed since its last location was sent to Apple.
  • If you're using iCloud.com/find, you can't see your device's location if it's powered off, the battery has run out, or more than 24 hours has passed since its last location was sent to Apple.
  • Learn how you can still protect your information.


Jan 16, 2023 9:17 AM in response to Macvivientes

Macvivientes wrote:

Thats kind of a relief to know Tim, thank you!
I won't remove it from my devices.

Can they still wipe it the phone like ''flash it'' or whatever is called and install a fresh IOS so they can use it as a new phone? And if thats the case will the phone still connect to apple to activate Lost Mode?

Yes, but it will still be activation locked.

And I am probably being paranoid but I thought I speak my mind...since 6 digits passcode is 1 million possibilities, could someone take the time (or use some kind of computer software) to try 1 million times to find out the passcode is? or thats is just plain nonsense?


The phone will go to disabled mode after 10 failed attempts, so they can’t try 1 million times, only 10.


The main thing to watch out for is a phishing message, as already mentioned. Beware of a common phishing scam: You may get a text or email from “Apple” or “Apple Security” (or sometimes “Police”) saying your phone has been found and to click on a link to see its location. This is NEVER from Apple or from law enforcement; it is from the thief or fence to steal your Apple ID and identity. Delete any such message without responding to it. Apple never gets involved in lost or stolen devices→Avoid phishing emails, fake ‘virus‘ alerts, phony support calls, and other scams


Jan 16, 2023 7:10 AM in response to SravanKrA

Hello!


Its great that you replied! Thank you!


Yes Find My was turned on.

I had a 6 digits lock passcode to access the phone.


As soon as i got home I checked Find My Phone on my mac (about an hour later) and it was already offline

Its an iPhone 6s Plus with the latest firmware available in December the 2nd 2022.

I believe this device can not communicate to apple while is off like the iPhone 12 for example.


So I believe it was turned off on the spot and it may be the reason Lost Mode couldn't have been activated.


Im not sure how Lost More works on an iPhone 6s Plus.

Would it connect to the internet even without a sim card?

Is my information secure?

Would it connect to the web even if the opening screen has a 6 digit lock passcode?

Can the phone still be flashed? If it can be flashed will still connet to apple and send the location?


So what are my options?

Its been more than a moth and still no sign of it.



Thank you again for your help!

Henry




Jan 16, 2023 9:05 AM in response to KiltedTim

Thats kind of a relief to know Tim, thank you!

I won't remove it from my devices.


Can they still wipe it the phone like ''flash it'' or whatever is called and install a fresh IOS so they can use it as a new phone? And if thats the case will the phone still connect to apple to activate Lost Mode?


And I am probably being paranoid but I thought I speak my mind...since 6 digits passcode is 1 million possibilities, could someone take the time (or use some kind of computer software) to try 1 million times to find out the passcode is? or thats is just plain nonsense?


Thanks a mil

Henry



Jan 17, 2023 4:07 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Hey Lawrence thanks for your reply really!


It does help to know about disable mode.


Regarding ''still be activation locked'', according to iCloud the iPhone is still LOCK MODE PENDING... so activation locked will still be relevant if the iPhone is flashed?


And for the phishing message I did received an SMS on my wife's phone the very next day it was stolen, with a link to a doggy page that simulated to be iCloud (I can post the link to that doggy page here if anyone is interested) where it asked me to enter the iCloud details and of course I DID NOT. I also received a phone call that went to the answer machine saying my iPhone 11 (mine was 6s Plus) saying that the phone was found and asking for my 6 digits passcode, of course I did not enter anything there either.


I dint not respond to any of those messages.

When I first got robbed I panicked and put the phone into ERASE MODE because I thought that because was robbed I will not get it back. But then and after the messages I spoke with someone that explained to me that when robbed I should put it in LOST MODE instead, so I did.


Researching a bit I discovered that ERASE MODE takes longer that LOST MODE to activate. So that may be the case how they got my wife's phone number to send me the messages but the LOST MODE is still pending (because it was on ERASE MODE at the time)


So my question is will it ever activate LOST MODE now?

And if it gets flashed before LOST MODE is activated will the phone still be locked?


Thank you all for your kind replies

Henry


Jan 17, 2023 9:11 AM in response to Macvivientes

Activation lock is a feature of Apple’s iCloud; it does not reside solely on the phone. If the phone is ever powered on it will still ask for a passcode, and if it is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network it will display the Lost message. But it still can’t be used, because the first thing that happens if it is powered on with a connection is the phone will activate with iCloud and prompt for the Apple ID and password. Which the current holder won’t know.

Jan 18, 2023 11:50 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks Felipe and Lawrence!


Not sure how that works, but it seems odd that after a month they haven't powered on, I may be wrong ( I am trying to understand how that works) but my guess is that if they HAD powered it on, I should receive a notification on iCloud that LOST MODE has been activated, right?

Which I haven't and the iPhone is still offline on iCloud and LOST MODE is pending...


But hey, thank you all for your comments nevertheless!

Jan 18, 2023 12:15 PM in response to Macvivientes

Many stolen phones are just shipped to factories in Shenzhen, China, where they are prepared for resale to unsuspecting customers. This is a huge business, so that’s one reason that you may not see your phone powered on and connected to a network for a long time, if ever. But as long as it is still attached to your Apple ID no one will be able to use it. If you really want to know the details, here’s an informative video on it (once you get past the ads)→https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ws3YptLmLQ

Jan 20, 2023 5:35 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks Lawrence,


Yeas I feel you about passing the the ads, nearly 4 min of it!

I've watched all the vid, and I very much doubt my phone will end up in a Chinese street market. But hey...

If thats the case I guess I would get a notification from china...


I guess is THAT or else may be iPhones that lives in the LOST MODE PENDING world forever...like when they ditched it but...It also seems odd that never ever, not only once someone tried to turn it on...ahah sorry I just seem not able to get over that I never got the beloved notification LOST MODE hahaha


By the way I have reported to Apple the fake iCloud link they sent me


Best,


Jan 20, 2023 5:52 PM in response to Macvivientes

I activated Lost Mode but is still Pending.


It is pending because the phone's battery has run down or the phone does not have Internet connection wherever it is located now.


If the phone has good power and a good Internet connection, the process will take place.


But after a month, the chances of this occurring are just about zero. Don't remove it from your list of Apple devices.


By the way I have reported to Apple the fake iCloud link they sent me


The link was not from Apple as you can easily see. Apple or Apple Service will never send out the kind of "link" that you saw. This was a scam, that was trying to trick you into providing information to unlock the phone.





iPhone 6s Plus STOLEN and LOST MODE PENDING FOREVER

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