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iPhone was Stolen - What now?

Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great!Houston, TXRegistered User regular
edited April 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
So guys, my iPhone 4 was stolen. I was eating at a restaurant, got up to pay and realized I left my phone at the table, and when I went back it was gone. Couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes. It hadn't been bussed yet, and the tip was still there, so I know someone had to have seen it and snagged it off the table while I wasn't looking.

But anyway, my question is, what do I need to worry about?

I never signed up for MobileMe and didn't get the iPhone tracker program, because I was cocky and assumed I'd never be dumb enough to do something like this, but I'm obviously a moron and let someone steal it. I've already changed my email passwords and disabled my Work Exchange access, and I was at least smart enough to password lock my phone. I also called AT&T and disabled the line.

Even though it's password locked, is there any chance someone could still access the data on the phone, like my contacts and emails and stuff? What about all my apps like PayPal, iTunes, etc? Can they access the information from these apps?

I'm pissed that I'm going to have to buy a new phone now, but I'm more worried about this person accessing all of the personal data on the phone. Do I have any other options for making sure they can't do that, or am I pretty much just flying on a wing and a prayer?

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Posts

  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! Houston, TXRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I was going to file a police report today and make an insurance claim, but then I realized that my deductible would be more than a new phone would cost, so I'm kind of thinking that filing a report is going to be pointless. I did call the restaurant to see if maybe they had security cameras they could access, and surprisingly they said yes, so I'm waiting to hear back what they find out. I also changed all my email passwords and got our IT department to disable exchange access to the phone, so I think I've pretty much covered myself as much as possible.

    When I do get a new phone, how does iTunes handle this? Do I de-authorize the old phone and then restore the new phone from the original's back up, or how does that work? This was my first iPhone, so I'm a little fuzzy on this stuff. Thanks for the help in advance.

    And yes, I will definitely be purchasing MobileMe for the new phone.

    Big Dookie on
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  • DiogeeDiogee Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I'm not sure about all the details regarding how to recover your phone/police reports and what not but you don't need to purchase MobileMe any more to use track/wipe my phone. That service is free.

    Diogee on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Diogee wrote: »
    I'm not sure about all the details regarding how to recover your phone/police reports and what not but you don't need to purchase MobileMe any more to use track/wipe my phone. That service is free.

    This is correct, though your stolen phone may have needed to have the app on it before it walked off. Did you have a passcode on it at least?

    Esh on
  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! Houston, TXRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Oh okay, I knew the GPS app was free now, but I didn't realize the remote wipe option was as well. Good to know.

    And yeah, I did have a passcode on it (required for work), and had the option set for it to wipe automatically after 10 incorrect entries. Hopefully that's what they did, but I guess I'll never know for sure.

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  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Yeah, you can have it turn the sound on, make alarms, send messages to the screen of the phone, wipe it, and lock it all remotely. If you had that app on it, I'd suggest getting a friend with an iPhone and the app to let you wipe it remotely from their phone.

    Esh on
  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! Houston, TXRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I never installed that app on my phone.

    :(

    Big Dookie on
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  • physi_marcphysi_marc Positron Tracker In a nutshellRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    You don't need to install the app, but you do need to turn the feature on. Note that you just need an iTunes store account; you don't need to be a MobileMe subscription.

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  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! Houston, TXRegistered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Well, unfortunately it's too late for that now for the phone that was stolen. I will definitely make sure however to turn it on once I get the new phone.

    Big Dookie on
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  • WulfWulf Disciple of Tzeentch The Void... (New Jersey)Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    I would still recommend filing the police report on it. It would be relatively easy for them to track down, and odds are better than bad that they would actually get around to doing it, as those sort of things usually lead to drug busts, etc.

    Wulf on
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  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Big Dookie wrote: »
    I was going to file a police report today and make an insurance claim, but then I realized that my deductible would be more than a new phone would cost, so I'm kind of thinking that filing a report is going to be pointless. I did call the restaurant to see if maybe they had security cameras they could access, and surprisingly they said yes, so I'm waiting to hear back what they find out. I also changed all my email passwords and got our IT department to disable exchange access to the phone, so I think I've pretty much covered myself as much as possible.

    File the police report even if you don't file the insurance claim. This way your data is in the system, and if the phone turns up the police will have the ability to notify you. Also, most major metro areas (and minor ones, for that matter) keep a database of serial numbers for items like this, which places like pawn shops can access. Basically, if you file the police report your chances of someday recovering the phone go up about a thousand fold.

    Though a thousand times a really small chance is still pretty small, don't get me wrong.

    mcdermott on
  • BartholamueBartholamue Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    This may be unorthodox, but have you tried...calling your phone?

    Bartholamue on
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  • ben0207ben0207 Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    If your work has Outlook Web Access you can disbale / wipe it from there.

    ben0207 on
  • TheOrangeTheOrange Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    Well, I called someone who stole my phone once and he answered, told him I just want the info and would pay 500$ for it.......he showed up D:

    TheOrange on
  • NargorothRiPNargorothRiP Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    my wife had her iphone 4 stolen two weeks ago. we called the police and showed them the exact house and apartment it was in. however they had left its jurisdiction. so we got a tough luck and report number and learned to not leave it behind.

    NargorothRiP on
  • Skoal CatSkoal Cat Registered User regular
    edited April 2011
    TheOrange wrote: »
    Well, I called someone who stole my phone once and he answered, told him I just want the info and would pay 500$ for it.......he showed up D:

    And you also showed up with the police?

    Skoal Cat on
This discussion has been closed.
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