Latest news with #ActivationLock
CNET
09-07-2025
- CNET
Turn Off This One iPhone Setting Before You Upgrade or Get Rid of Your Phone
Apple's Find My app has helped me locate my luggage in a busy airport, find a single missing AirPod, and it ensure I know where all my devices are. But before I trade-in or get rid of an iPhone, I always turn Find My off. And Apple suggests you turn this feature off before you give it away or get your iPhone serviced at an Apple Store or authorized service provider. Disabling Find My on an iPhone before you give it away turns off its Activation Lock feature. This feature could prevent others from using the device, so it is great if your iPhone is stolen or someone else has it. However, if you give your iPhone to a friend, Activation Lock could prevent them from using your former device. Luckily, you can turn Find My off in a few easy steps. Read more: Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 Here's how to turn Find My off before you get rid of your old iPhone. How to turn Find My off 1. Tap Settings on your iPhone. 2. Tap your name across the top of the menu. 3. Tap Find My. 4. Tap Find My iPhone. 5. In the new menu, toggle off Find My iPhone. Now you should be good to give your iPhone away, but if you have Stolen Device Protection turned on, you won't be able to turn Find My off. If you do have Stolen Device Protection turned on, here's how to disable it so you can turn Find My off. 1. Tap Settings on your iPhone. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode. You might have to enter your Passcode here to continue. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. In the new menu, toggle on Stolen Device Protection. Once Stolen Device Protection is disabled, follow the steps above to turn off Find My. But before you give away your iPhone, don't forget to remove all of your personal information then factory reset your device, just in case. You don't want any of that information floating around. For more on Apple, check out everything the company announced at WWDC 2025 and what to know about iOS 26, the upcoming iPhone software.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How to protect yourself from the 'Found in China' phone scam
Question: My iPhone was stolen 6 months ago, and I just received a text from someone in the Philippines claiming they have my phone, asking me to remove it from my iCloud account so they can reset it. What should I do? Answer: Having a smartphone stolen is stressful enough without having to deal with scammers. Activating Lost Mode was the right thing to do, but it could also be how the thieves figure out how to contact you. This scam targets iPhone users after their stolen devices are marked as lost in Apple's 'Find My' system, which prevents the thieves from using it. A user loses their phone and remotely locks it through Find My, enabling Lost Mode. This feature not only disables the phone for anyone who tries to use it but also allows the owner to display a custom message on the lock screen — often something like, 'This phone is lost. Please call me at [your or a spouse's number.' The victim then receives a text, email, or even a phone call from someone claiming to have found the phone. They often say they're in a different country — China and the Philippines are common locations in many reports — and that they want to return or reset the device, but can't because it's locked to the original Apple ID. Getting tired of email clutter? How to start using Gmail aliases Their request? They ask you to remove the device from your iCloud account so they can perform a factory reset, so your data gets wiped out. They might claim they bought the phone secondhand and didn't realize it was lost, or that they work at a repair shop and just want to restore it. Sometimes they're even polite and apologetic, hoping to earn your trust. This is a well-composed scam, and the goal is simple: trick you into disabling Activation Lock, which is Apple's anti-theft protection. Once the phone is removed from your iCloud account, the thief can wipe it clean and resell it on the black market at full value. What makes this scam especially effective is that it preys on people who are already upset about losing their phone and hopeful that someone has found it. But this isn't about reuniting you with your lost device — it's about getting around Apple's security so the bad guys can cash in. In most cases, they get your contact information directly from the message you posted using Lost Mode. If you included your phone number or email address, you've essentially handed them a direct line to try and manipulate you. Even if you didn't, these are sophisticated, organized crime rings that have other ways of figuring out who owned the iPhone. Laptop battery starting to fail? How you can keep it running as long as possible Never remove your device from your iCloud account unless you have it physically back in your hands. Avoid posting personal phone numbers or emails in the Lost Mode message. If you must include contact information, consider using a throwaway email or a Google Voice number. Ignore calls or texts from people claiming to have your phone, especially if they're asking you to disable Find My. They're likely to be relentless and, in some cases, may keep trying to convince you for many months. Apple designed Activation Lock to protect your device and your data. The only way thieves can make use of a locked iPhone is if they convince you to unlock it for them, so don't do it! This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ways to protect yourself from the 'Found in China' phone scam Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
IT'S GEEK TO ME: iPhone 'locked to owner'
Apr. 6—Question: I recently purchased an Apple iPhone 12 Model a2172. I have not been able to obtain any help from (Apple) AT&T Walmart, where I purchased the phone and CenturyLink. The phone says "Locked to owner." Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 850-603-[redacted] which does not work? — French W. Crestview, Florida Answer: Wow, French, I will admit to being a little confused right out of the starting blocks. First of all, I believe CenturyLink got out of the cellular business quite a while back. When they were on the fringes, they were an authorized agent for Verizon Wireless, so if there is a connection there (which I doubt) it would be through Verizon and not CenturyLink. The phone hardware you mentioned isn't exactly new. The iPhone 12 was first released back in 2020, and Apple is now up to the iPhone 16. I'm wondering if you bought the phone used? Perhaps you bought it from the Internet? So, I'm at a loss to know exactly from whom you did purchase this phone. In addition to the above-mentioned cellular carrier, you mentioned companies Apple, AT&T, and Walmart. I'm not quite certain who you talked to at any of these companies, but with the issue you're having, it seems like everybody is in the business of saying "this isn't my problem" and I'm not sure they're wrong. I say that because the message "Locked to Owner" is a security measure. It refers to the Activation Lock feature, which is part of Apple's Find My iPhone service, which is designed to prevent unauthorized use of an iPhone if it is ever lost or stolen. It offers great security for the device's owner, but it can be a real headache if you purchase an iPhone that's still linked to the Apple ID of the previous owner. Because the security lockout involves the phone's previous owner, the most straightforward solution is to contact that person and request that they remove the Activation Lock. They do this by signing into their Apple ID account through iCloud. Then they click on "Find iPhone," click on the device in question, and then click "Remove from Account." This will clear the Activation Lock and the message "Locked to Owner" will go away and allow you to take full ownership of the phone. If contacting the previous owner is not an option (and if that phone number you provided is programmed into the phone but doesn't work, that would seem to be the case), your next option is to try again with Apple. Specifically, you must contact Apple Support. They can potentially help you unlock the phone, but you need to prove to them that you are the legitimate and rightful owner of the device, because — let's face it — your situation is exactly where someone might find himself if they bought a hot iPhone. So, before you call, gather any receipts or other documentation that proves your legitimate purchase of the device. When you call, explain the situation in detail, including the information about where and when you made the purchase. If they need any of your paperwork, the Apple representative will tell you how to provide it electronically. If your carrier is AT&T, visit your local AT&T store (the actual store — not the kiosk at Walmart) and explain the lockout to them. The carrier had channels into Apple support that you don't have access to and may have greater sway with them than you do. They may also have their own solutions to offer, like upgrades or even replacement options. I wish you luck in getting your device unlocked, French. For all my other readers, please take French's situation as a cautionary tale. Before purchasing second-hand tech, always be sure the device works, and is free from any locks or account restrictions from the previous owner. Check for existing damage, and whenever possible, see the device for yourself before handing over your cash in exchange. To view additional content, comment on articles, or submit a question of your own, visit my website at (not .com!)
