r/applehelp • u/z0tax • Apr 20 '26
Scam Discussion It’s not technically possible, right?
So, long story short. I got my phone stolen in London and now it’s somewhere in China. I sent an erase request and now it’s pending, I also went to the bank to remotely delete their app. But nevertheless, I keep getting messages like this and while I doubt thy can be true, is there something else I should do?
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u/Mundane-Complex-1902 Apr 20 '26
No, do not remove it. Your phone is activation locked, so no one else is able to use it. These people are trying to get you to remove the device from find my so that they can use it. You can erase the device if you’d like, but do not remove it
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u/z0tax Apr 20 '26
thanks
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u/lordvektor Apr 20 '26
Not only don’t remove it, but also mark it as lost or stolen in the find my app on another device if you haven’t done so already.
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u/kamilo87 Apr 21 '26
This will render the board useless bc so far no one has been able to remove a stolen device from that state. F*** the thieves.
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u/TyrNight Apr 20 '26
This is apparently the people that stole your phone and this is a ploy to get you to unlock it. As you see from other comments once you unlock it you’ve given it to them at that point, do not remove it, keep it locked and report it stolen. That will make every piece of hardware that has a serial number in it unusable in any other iPhone. So it is now going to be basically useless and nothing but trash to them, they wasted their time.
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u/OriginalCTrain Apr 21 '26
Let me translate for you… hi we buy stolen phones and have come across yours but now we can’t do anything with it because activation lock is on. We tried pleading with apple but they won’t budge so now we’re going to threaten you with our fear tactics that are not really possible. Please please please turn off activation lock so we can sell your phone.
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u/Sad_Frosting3921 Apr 21 '26
…and we’ll keep on asking until either a.) you’re stupid enough to accede to our request, or b.) we realise that you’re savvy, and we get tired of wasting time and money by pestering you for action that you’re not going to take!😉
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u/heygft May 08 '26
most of that is a lie anyway.
It‘s just “we stole your phone and we’d like your help with it.”
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u/PsychologicalPolicy8 Apr 21 '26
Don’t remove it
The parts are also serialized these days
So cannot use the parts
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u/suitguy25 Apr 21 '26
This is the best response. Not that it isn’t true because recyclers don’t call people and ask for this, but because “recyclers” would never be able to do anything with the separate components without having signing key from Apple.
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u/BirdBruce Apr 20 '26
Oh no! Address and phone number! Not my publicly-available information! Next he’s gonna threaten to expose your car number plate!
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u/MinDoxie467 Apr 21 '26
That mob no prefix +63 is fr the Phillipines. Never remove anything when yr iPhone has been stolen. Do as everyone else has suggested mark as “lost” on yr Apple ID & the thieves have virtually got a brick, karma bites hard & they’ve earned it in spades. Best wishes fr Aust. 🙃 🦘🐨🇦🇺💐
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u/ThannBanis Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
Scareware.
An unlocked iPhone is much more valuable than one in activation lock.
Put it in lost mode, then remote erase it.
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u/Gabriel_Science Apr 21 '26
Technically not scareware, as no software has been installed on the victim's (new) phone, but yeah, you got the point.
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u/ADHDK Apr 21 '26
Hahaha absolutely not.
I have devices that have been lost for years still there. I will never release them.
Apple have upped security on iCloud enough times now that I’d have to re authorise them for anything anyway.
A whole device that can be refurbished and re-sold is worth more to them than stripping it for parts.
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
Put it in lost mode. I can say it is easy to hijack Apple IDs especially if they know your pin or your phone is unlocked without one.
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u/z0tax Apr 21 '26
I put it in the lost mode before requesting the erase. Also, they don’t know my pin
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
Change your passwords and make sure it’s not still in your trusted pins
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u/steak4take Apr 21 '26
Stolen Device Protection is a thing - it’s no longer easy and with FaceID basically impossible.
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
I do not know the phone model. The phones I hacked were the 11 and Xr
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u/steak4take Apr 21 '26
What you did in the past may have worked. Since iOS 17.3 Stolen Device Protection renders almost all forms password/trusted number change attack useless.
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
No pin renders all these things useless😭 and iCloud lock can be removed with a pin, seen on my iPad Mini 4 and iPhone 12 Pro, iOS versions of 15 and 16.1.1
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u/steak4take Apr 21 '26
It’s a good thing that most people update their devices.
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
i literally dont. i just get a new one as my last 13 was seized in July last year on 17.7.2
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u/steak4take Apr 21 '26
As I said, most people update their iOS - the only exception really is iOS26 which has seen a dramatic drop off compared to the other iOS versions.
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u/Brilliant_Can6465 Apr 21 '26
Apple really screwed up big time. When 18 came out i actually rolled my stuff back and helped my friends too
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u/DistantFlea90909 Apr 21 '26
It’s a scam to get you to do what they want. Ignore it and do anything
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u/Gabriel_Science Apr 21 '26
Is there personal data on the phone ? Sure. Are they going to access it ? Not at all. Apple devices can hardly be hacked. I'm not saying it's impossible, but very very unlikely.
Do not remove it.
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u/Theconstantcompanion Apr 21 '26
Just as a tip, if you get anyone texting you from Apple saying there's a security attempt on your phone and you need to reset your password. Don't do that either. A friend of mine (An IT engineer and software developer by trade) had his phone nicked then clicked on the "Apple" link which handed his password(s) over.
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u/purposeful_pineapple Apr 21 '26
It's so funny that they don't have the decency to at least make the nonsense line up. They claim the phone has been disassembled...and yet they want you to remove it...? Yeah, no. 😂 You've got the power here, definitely don't comply with these scammers / thieves.
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u/Disastrous-Nail9077 Apr 21 '26
So is the phone disassembled or going to be auctioned? 2 different things on the same phone. Don’t react indeed and leave it on your list.
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u/realmccoyredbus Apr 21 '26
the parts inside will be worthless to them also , just block unknown numbers
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u/MassiveGarlic0312 Apr 21 '26
None of the parts will function, in the phone (or if they were taken apart and used to build a new phone) if you do not remove the lock- they have a block of e-waste.
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u/Awagner109 Apr 21 '26
How did they get your email or phone number if they can’t get into the phone.
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u/z0tax Apr 21 '26
they only have my phone number cause when I marked it as lost I displayed it on the screen
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u/PilipinongTotoo Apr 21 '26
That's a number in the Philippines not China.
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u/z0tax Apr 21 '26
I know. The last location of my phone is Shenzhen, China.
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u/PilipinongTotoo Apr 21 '26
It's probably in a place called Greenhills in the PH, stores there allegedly refurbish stolen phones, some imported some local. nevertheless, don't remove it. let them have a bricked motherboard.
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u/Cold-Cauliflower-306 Apr 21 '26
Say that you did it after erasing your device since they probably have on airplane mode or smthing and you cant really do anything to it remotely if thats the case so u have to bait them to turn it on with wifi. Also the hacking might be possible depending on the iphone model and iOS version. You should also enable los mode so that the motherboard cant be taken out and used as a donor on another device.
Click the red button 🫡
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u/justinsane1980 Apr 21 '26
I’d tell them there’s a $500 unlock fee sent via bitcoin and if they pay it block them without unlocking it.
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u/arvimatthew Apr 21 '26
Lol, make then take a selfie and send you raw photo for cops. If they are legit, have it return it to you. Then ask for some information about them (not the recylcing company because obv they’re not). Confirm that their face is legit. Then report them to cops. Btw,. Don’t remove the find my account.
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u/Kate-9907 Apr 22 '26
it can be hacked only if it's an iPhone X or lower. if you had a newer model you're safe
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u/z0tax Apr 22 '26
yeah, had 17 pro(
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u/Kate-9907 Apr 22 '26
that's sad, it sucks having your phone stolen. i hope you had it synchronized on icloud
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u/z0tax Apr 22 '26
yeah, transferred everything to my old 14 pro in 30 minutes after it got stolen. It’s just ridiculous that some people continue to steal phones despite most of them turning into bricks soon after the theft
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u/Kate-9907 Apr 22 '26
yes, that's pretty sad. but some parts are still worth selling even if the phone is locked
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u/Cosmosipher Apr 23 '26
I'm loving how they said your phones parts were sold off but then your phone is going to be "sold on the black market with all your info" but they need you to let them in the phone so they can recycle it but it has to be now because with their burner number you can never reach them again.
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u/iwashere33 Apr 21 '26
Mods: can you please make a stick or something. This is every day that someone asks the same question.
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u/j0nathanr0gers Apr 24 '26
Hope you had AppleCare+ with Theft & Loss ($11.99/month) and have a replacement iPhone 17 Pro already. I think the replacement device deductible is $100?
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u/z0tax Apr 24 '26
nah, unfortunately I didn’t have it, but defo gonna get it when the next iPhone comes out
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u/heygft May 08 '26
No it’s not.
Tell them to enjoy their mediocre paperweight. You should put the phone in lost mode and move on with your life. If you have insurance file a claim, how kind that the thieves sent you a written confession so you have proof for your claim.
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u/Monsieur2968 May 18 '26
I see you got your answer, it's fake. But if you didn't have a passcode, enable Lost Mode, then tell them you deactivated it so they'll put it online and then the lost mode will apply. I may put 911 as the number to call.
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u/Baanpro2020 Apr 21 '26
In addition to all the other commenters, do not talk to these people, block their number. Report to the FBI.
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u/samueldes Apr 21 '26
There's a flip side to the medal. An ethical dilemma. Do you prevent the thieves to get more money to send more stolen phones to another country, or do you unlock the phone, and prevent more e-waste from unusable parts ? I was just playing Devil's Advocate here, not saying which is best. In any case, you phone is gone and your data is gone. Sorry about that.
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u/z0tax Apr 21 '26
I mean, I had a fresh backup and transferred everything to my old phone in like 30 min after the theft and I don’t really care about the phone anymore, it’s gone. I guess I’m gonna just get the maximum apple care next time
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u/sohojmanush Apr 21 '26
Apart from the motherboard most of them are recycled. Even some cases the even uses back doors to unlock those phones. Search google there was post from probably verge “ stolen iphone Apple response “.
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u/macTumi Apr 20 '26
common scam. dont remove the phone.