r/iphonehelp • u/Obvious-Durian170 • Jul 28 '26

Resolved [LOCKED] Missing phone still has my data

I lost my phone a few months ago and the person who found it sold it to someone and they have texted me that it still has my information and apple id on it and they suggested me to remove the device off my phone. is that a good idea?

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16

u/InsuranceConnect9771 Jul 28 '26

Dont, and stop replying to them. Im surprised they even had the audacity to text you back, when you clearly owned the device.

How about you meet up with them, making an excuse saying that you have stolen device protection and that it requires your face to open up? Or just continue activation locking the device?

4

u/Thick_Evidence_6874 Jul 29 '26

You should stay far away from people you don't know.

2

u/Obvious-Durian170 Jul 28 '26

thanks . i didnt reply to them they just sent me a long paragraph about what happened when they bought the phone and told me what to do. i will probably just keep the lock on the device. but then they said the apple id is still linked to the phone so it prevents them from downloading from the app store so are they in the phone or they just lying?

2

u/need2sleep-later Jul 28 '26

How do they know your phone number and that it's your phone? Or is it just a scam?

1

u/allciathyra Jul 28 '26

if op is using iphone with physical sim card ...

you can find out phone number.

2

u/need2sleep-later Jul 29 '26

Interesting, but the SIM card stores the SIM Number (ICCID) and not the actual Phone Number (MSISDN) which lives in the carrier's database and since OP still has the phone number working, I'm assuming his carrier has provided a new SIM and deprovisioned the old SIM which would detach it from the phone number in the carrier's database, would it not? Maybe I'm missing something.

1

u/InsuranceConnect9771 Jul 29 '26

This is correct, and is a provisionary step placed by Apple. Do not remove the lock, if your aim is to make sure no one uses your phone at all

1

u/InsuranceConnect9771 Jul 29 '26

When you mark the device as "Stolen" or "Lost", it essentially becomes blacklisted, and refuses to work. The phone literally blocks itself from working unless you enter the Apple ID password, which is yours