If I got an iPhone and lost it would there be a way to get it back if they erase it?

[Cicero]

So if I got an iPhone and it got lost and someone knew the passcode info and pushed the erase all content and settings, am I basically screwed and would there be no way to get my phone back? Would they have basically gotten a free iphone?

[Rayquaza]

Well if they know your passcode then of course. But surely that would be better than having them knowing all your personal information and data.

[Prodigy17]

So if I got an iPhone and it got lost and someone knew the passcode info and pushed the erase all content and settings, am I basically screwed and would there be no way to get my phone back? Would they have basically gotten a free iphone?

No.
1/ if your iPhone is lost you can remotely track it - if you say left the phone down the pub you can locate it and then go get it. Or if it's stolen you can lock it remotely so nobody can use it.
2/ your data is backed up in the cloud so when you get a new phone your data can be transferred to your new phone.

Obviously you'd still have to pay for a new phone - but you could either get insurance to cover that or take the risk.

Not sure where you live but in the UK if you report a phone stolen the phone itself is blacked so nobody can ever use it as a phone again.

[Cicero]

No.
1/ if your iPhone is lost you can remotely track it - if you say left the phone down the pub you can locate it and then go get it. Or if it's stolen you can lock it remotely so nobody can use it.
2/ your data is backed up in the cloud so when you get a new phone your data can be transferred to your new phone.

Obviously you'd still have to pay for a new phone - but you could either get insurance to cover that or take the risk.

Not sure where you live but in the UK if you report a phone stolen the phone itself is blacked so nobody can ever use it as a phone again.

No, I mean if it gets stolen and they immediately push the erase all content and settings, would there be no way for me to get the phone back? Cause if they pushed that, it erases everything n the phone.

[StoppingTime]

No, I mean if it gets stolen and they immediately push the erase all content and settings, would there be no way for me to get the phone back? Cause if they pushed that, it erases everything n the phone.

Yes, then the data is virtually irrecoverable. Hence the "erase all content and settings" name.

[Apollo.]

Is there not the imei block on them? You dont get it back but they don't get a free phone

[Cicero]

Yes, then the data is virtually irrecoverable. Hence the "erase all content and settings" name.

So I lose an iPhone while someone gains an iPhone? Could they buy service for their newly found iPhone and treat it as if they had just boughten it off of eBay or something?

[StoppingTime]

So I lose an iPhone while someone gains an iPhone? Could they buy service for their newly found iPhone and treat it as if they had just boughten it off of eBay or something?


They could do whatever they want with it. If they somehow mangage to format it, yea, they could sell it as a used iPhone.

[Foamy]

Teeeeeechinallyyou can still recover all the stuff you had on there with the iTunes backup, but if you can't use "find my iPhone" to find it you've basically lost it forever.

[Prodigy17]

No, I mean if it gets stolen and they immediately push the erase all content and settings, would there be no way for me to get the phone back? Cause if they pushed that, it erases everything n the phone.

No. The data is backed up in the cloud - just erasing it from the phone won't lose it. Google "iCloud" if you're not sure what this means.

Obviously whether you get the phone itself back would be a totally different question but your phone will be blocked so nobody else can use it/sell it.

Just thought the part about locking the phone so it can't be used/sold is the case in the UK - it may not be where you live.

[Totality]

No. The data is backed up in the cloud - just erasing it from the phone won't lose it. Google "iCloud" if you're not sure what this means.

Obviously whether you get the phone itself back would be a totally different question but your phone will be blocked so nobody else can use it/sell it.

Just thought the part about locking the phone so it can't be used/sold is the case in the UK - it may not be where you live.

It's only backed up in the iCloud, if you choose to back it up to the iCloud. It doesn't do it automatically for you.

And if they did a simple restore/jailbreak - you can get round the phone block, and still sell it/use it.

[Prodigy17]

It's only backed up in the iCloud, if you choose to back it up to the iCloud. It doesn't do it automatically for you.

Well obviously - but it would be rather stupid not to use iCloud as it's simple, free and designed to protect your data.

And if they did a simple restore/jailbreak - you can get round the phone block, and still sell it/use it.

Not in the UK - it is impossible to use a blocked phone, jailbreaking would do no good to the thief. As I said earlier this may be different in other countries.