HELP, lost iPhone, does Lost Mode work on the 5?

[lionqueen]

So... I left my phone in someone's car. He's confirmed it's there, but I don't know him that well. He says he'll bring it to me tonight (he's not in the city right now). There's sensitive info on my phone. I used find my iPhone to find it and put it in lost mode, but then I read if you're not running IOS 6 you cant use lost mode. I'd wipe it... but then I wont be able to track it. Argghhh. I don't know what to do.

And yes, I'm pretty sure he'll go through it. Getting peoples info is kind of what he does for a living.

Gdammit, I'm so pissed at myself right now :/

 

[RoofMonkey]

So... I left my phone in someone's car. He's confirmed it's there, but I don't know him that well. He says he'll bring it to me tonight (he's not in the city right now). There's sensitive info on my phone. I used find my iPhone to find it and put it in lost mode, but then I read if you're not running IOS 6 you can't use lost mode. I'd wipe it... but then I won't be able to track it. Argghhh. I don't know what to do.

And yes, I'm pretty sure he'll go through it. Getting peoples info is kind of what he does for a living.

Gdammit, I'm so pissed at myself right now :/

Why don't you remotely lock the device. That would prevent this person from accessing any info.

 

[lionqueen]

how do you do that? I had three options in find my iPhone - lost mode, erase iPhone, or play sound.

 

[Europa]

Did you have a passcode set? You can use Lost Mode on iOS 6 on the iPhone 5. The difference between iOS 6 and 7 here is that theives can disable Find My iPhone on phones running iOS 6 if the owner doesn't use a passcode. The fact that you were able to locate it and put it in Lost Mode points to him intending to return it to you. He probably would have already restored it otherwise.

 

[lionqueen]

I used my ipad to log into find my iPhone and set a passcode remotely in Lost Mode. It says it's in Lost Mode, I just wanted to double check.

I don't think he's going to steal it - he wants to see me again, lol. But I don't know him that well, so you never know, you know? Although he's not stupid, so he's gotta know that when I went into find my iPhone, i got his address, so if he really tried to steal it or mess with me, I know where he lives.

I'm mostly tripping on the sensitive info in it. Text messages and pictures of people who would NOT want those photos and texts read, especially by... who this person is.

FML.

 

[chris]

It sounds as if @Europa has answered your question and you've successfuly set the passcode. Please let us know how it turns out, but it appears you've got things under control, most notably your personal data.

For future reference or if someone new with a similar problem finds this thread, we've got a guide on how to lock an iPhone using Find My iPhone. Basically the same as @Europa mentioned, but with pretty pictures.

 

[Europa]

I used my ipad to log into find my iPhone and set a passcode remotely in Lost Mode. It says it's in Lost Mode, I just wanted to double check.

I don't think he's going to steal it - he wants to see me again, lol. But I don't know him that well, so you never know, you know? Although he's not stupid, so he's gotta know that when I went into find my iPhone, I got his address, so if he really tried to steal it or mess with me, I know where he lives.

I'm mostly tripping on the sensitive info in it. Text messages and pictures of people who would NOT want those photos and texts read, especially by... who this person is.

FML.

Did you have a lockscreen passcode set when you lost it? There are ways to get into the messages without it, but I don't think most people know how. But even if you didn't, it's in Lost Mode now, so he can't access them now.

 

[lionqueen]

No, I never use a passcode. Like you said though, it's in Lost Mode now, so from here on out he can't get to anything. There was a probably 15 minute period where he had the phone and it wasn't locked though. Hopefully he see too much.

 

[Europa]

No, I never use a passcode. Like you said though, it's in Lost Mode now, so from here on out he can't get to anything. There was a probably 15 minute period where he had the phone and it wasn't locked though. Hopefully he see too much.

I wouldn't worry about it then. Hopefully, you'll get it back. If not, the data is secure and it's just a monetary loss. You can use your backup if you have to get a new one.

 

[lionqueen]

Yeah... I hate to say this, but I already had the thought that if I don't get it back, it's a good excuse to get the 5S (I was going to wait for the 6).

 

[lionqueen]

aaaaand he didn't show.

Guess it's a new 5S for me.

 

[RoofMonkey]

aaaaand he didn't show.

Guess it's a new 5S for me.

You know where he lives. Tried contacting him again?

 

[Rafagon]

Guess it's a new 5S for me.

I love happy endings! So, are you gonna go for the gold? Planning to pre-order or camp out?

 

[RoofMonkey]

I love happy endings! So, are you gonna go for the gold? Planning to pre-order or camp out?

Happy ending? Getting the 5S because someone steals your phone kinda sucks if you ask me.

 

[Europa]

I wouldn't say it's a happy ending, but staying positive and focusing on the bright side of the situation is a good way to deal with it. I admire people who can do that.

 

[Rafagon]

Happy ending? Getting the 5S because someone steals your phone kinda sucks if you ask me.

I've had to get the "latest and greatest" iPhone in the past because I've lost a perfectly capable, prior-generation handset. I've always focused on the positive. The pleasure of having a brand-new, latest-and-greatest iPhone has trumped any negative state of mind created by having lost my previous handset.

Then again, if the OP had overly sensitive, damning pictures/information on the lost handset, who knows...?

I guess the OP herself has indicated that she's looking at her situation from a light-hearted and positive point of view. Had her life been potentially ruined by losing/having stolen her iPhone 5 by this low-life, she probably would not have joked and posted that:

Guess it's a new 5S for me.

I'm not in the OP's shoes, however, so I hope she is genuinely happy about getting the 5S!

 

[lionqueen]

Just thought I'd update - I got the 5S and I love it There WAS info that was a bit sensitive on the 5, but I think I dodged a bullet on that one - I think I erased it in time.

The 5S is awesome, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I love the camera, and the print sensor makes me feel like I'm in a Bourne movie :>

 

[RoofMonkey]

Just thought I'd update - I got the 5S and I love it There WAS info that was a bit sensitive on the 5, but I think I dodged a bullet on that one - I think I erased it in time.

The 5S is awesome, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I love the camera, and the print sensor makes me feel like I'm in a Bourne movie :>

Glad you got the 5S, but you never pursued the stolen phone? Didn't you mention you know where this person lives?

 

[Rafagon]

^^That's right!

And if you need someone to roughen him up a bit, lionqueen, I'm available for hire. =)) j/k

 

[lionqueen]

Haha.. Well I tracked it to a house in San Mateo - tbh I don't know if he lives there or was visiting. Then it went back to SF, then he turned it off. I didn't pursue it because I didn't want the drama - his profession complicates things, and while I think he's a jerk for what he did, I'm not going to start some huge thing over a phone. It's gone, it is what it is, and I'll be more careful in the future. I've actually never lost a phone before, so it kinda bugged me that I lost it, but, like Tony Soprano says... whaddayagonnado.

I camped, btw - got there at 2 am. I was using my old 4S, and it died at 4:30, and they didn't open til 8, so it was a loooong 3 1/2 hours.

Rafagon - I appreciate the offer This guy's trained to extract info from ppl by whatever means necessary though, so I think you'd have to rough him up more than 'just a bit'