Suspected iPhone compromise and privacy concerns

Question

Level 1

4 points

Suspected iPhone compromise and privacy concerns

Hello , I am new to apple products and before I was working windows nt2000 been off grid for sometime now so I don’t feel that I know what I am doing. So here’s a quagmire i have reason to believe that I am totally compromised this account and everything. My iPhone was given to me by a friend Of 35+ years. The phone was not used and he set it up for me. I am fine with that, I am thinking some other parties may have been able to clone my phone. I am not sure how I can start a new account without this person(s) knowing. Now I signed into a new account and shutdown the iPhone. I am sure of it because there is power drain on phone. The phone said I was active online for three days last week and I was sick in bed. Hardly used it let alone 17 hours. Also there is interference when calling and location has me across town so from what I’ve heard those are telltale signs. Solution? I have my iPad totally blocked off got a new email started I will try to change password. Thanks and I hope someone has a fast fix been on the bench too long sorta speak .

iPhone SE, iOS 18

Posted on Nov 21, 2025 2:05 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 21, 2025 2:52 AM in response to Burnout55

I would recommend to visit an Apple Store and let them check the Devices logged in on your Apple Account, the Preferences and Permissions on the Device itself, find-my contacts & possibly profiles installed.

Apart from that, Log-out from the account, reset the phone and set it up again, creating your own Apple Account. Watch out to use a unique password and an Email-Adress that the Person doesn't have access to. Remember, Log-in details to your existing Email accounts may have been compromised. The iPhone will ask if you want to create the Apple Account using a new, custom @icloud.com Email.

While a cyber-attack or similar is highly unlikely, it is possible that your (now former) apple account has been compromised from the beginning, as your friend could have remembered the password, added his own devices as trusted devices, etc.

The power drain is probably normal behavior, as the battery degrades over time.

Good Luck and all the best

Reply

Answer 2

Rudegar

Level 10

180,120 points

Nov 21, 2025 6:53 AM in response to Burnout55

try reading

If you think your Apple Account has been compromised - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 21, 2025 8:27 AM in response to Rudegar

The easy thing is to change the password.

Reply

Answer 4

Nov 21, 2025 2:44 AM in response to Burnout55

First off this is the iPad forum. There is no way somebody can clone your iPhone. Even if they did how would they put the clone on another iPhone? I wouldn’t worry about what you think is going on.

Reply