iPhone was stolen - now what?

April 17, 2011 9:51 PM

Stolen iPhone - no remote "wipe everything" software set up, what can I do, if anything, to protect my privacy?

Riding BART tonight, and some guy grabbed my phone right out of my hands and ran. People kind of suck.

Anyway, I called AT&T and stopped service, but I'm concerned about some work and personal emails and notes that are still there (and it's not password protected).

I am kicking myself for leaving everything so unprotected...I just never imagined this happening.

Anything I can do? Going to call Apple when they open in the morning, but I'm kind of at a loss...

posted by mingodingo to technology (9 answers total)

Change all of your passwords for every website and service you've ever used on the iphone immediately.
posted by empath at 9:58 PM on April 17, 2011 [3 favorites]

This is the god honest truth: Apple can't do anything to your phone remotely. There are simply too many iPhones existing in the universe for any Apple store to a) have access to your phone in that way and b) have something that they can do about it, especially if you didn't take the time to protect yourself with the free Find Your iPhone feature that all employees will tell you how to download if you ask them how you can protect yourself from this very situation.

Your best bet is to do what empath said: make like a banshee and change absolutely all passwords and secret questions NOW and report the phone stolen. You will have to work with the police to track it.

Sorry to hear about the theft. It really sucks.
posted by patronuscharms at 10:08 PM on April 17, 2011

What empath said. If you use GMail, go to the bottom of the inbox page on a web browser and click on the "details" next to recent activity and then click on logout of all other sessions.

But change all passwords. Don't know if there is the ability to bork the phone remotely if no software installed. I know they can with a blackberry so there must be hope.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:08 PM on April 17, 2011

If you use GMail, go to the bottom of the inbox page on a web browser and click on the "details" next to recent activity and then click on logout of all other sessions.

This advice is useless since your iphone remembers the gmail password in mail settings. There is no browser session involved. Just change all your passwords.

For future reference, Apple's mobile me remote wipe is free.
posted by special-k at 10:55 PM on April 17, 2011

Although, to be fair, that bit of info may help you locate the phone if the perp checks your gmail.
posted by special-k at 10:56 PM on April 17, 2011

Seconding patronuscharms's advice: Change your passwords for all accounts you've accessed through the iPhone.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:21 PM on April 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

When you contact the police to let them know it's been stolen, have your serial number handy. I see it in -

iTunes > Edit menu > Preferences... > Devices tab > Device backups. Mouseover your iPhone in that list and information about your device appear.
posted by Seboshin at 12:53 AM on April 18, 2011

I seem to recall being advised at some point that logging out all other Gmail sessions before you change your password, and checking that you still have the only session after changing it, will guarantee that nobody who is currently logged in from elsewhere can change it right back again. Is that advice now redundant?
posted by flabdablet at 1:09 AM on April 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

That sucks. For your next iPhone: Free find my iPhone service.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:38 AM on April 18, 2011 [1 favorite]