How to disable an iPhone?

G-MAN2004

G-MAN2004

G-MAN2004

Caporegime
Joined
4 Jul 2004
Posts
30,779
Got mine stolen last night and wondered if I can do anything to disable it? I had it on airplane mode when it happened as my battery was nearly dead, so not sure if that changes anything?

The phone had a code on so they can't really do anything with it, but I'd like to be sure.

Thanks.
 
Not sure if you can sign up to MobileMe AFTER the stealing...
But MobileMe lets you send a signal to effectively brick your phone I think.

But Im not sure what is involved.

(Furthermore, you can use the GPS to track you phone to an area if you wanted to).

Can anyone who uses MobileMe clarify?
 
Does 3G/GPRS usage come out of your PAYG balance, or is it extra? If it is extra it could cost loads in very short order. Of course, if you have no Internet access at all it is not a concern.

I suppose you could give your carrier the IMEI number, if you have it. However, unless things have changed or the iPhone is different, unlocking a phone is easily done these days so there probably isn't much point.

EDIT: How bricked is bricked? Again, unbricking an iPhone can be very simple.
 
How easy is it for people to bypass the code on the phone? Surely you can only restore the phone using the computer it was registered to (mine) and so my phone is pretty much useless to them?

I don't use 3G/GPRS at all, so that should be okay. I think the IMEI number is on the box somewhere so I'll give that to O2.

Thanks.
 
Cavallino said:
Not sure if you can sign up to MobileMe AFTER the stealing...
But MobileMe lets you send a signal to effectively brick your phone I think.

But Im not sure what is involved.

(Furthermore, you can use the GPS to track you phone to an area if you wanted to).

Can anyone who uses MobileMe clarify?
Click to expand...

Once the sim card is removed I don't think mobileme will be able to track your phone.
I am a mobileMe paying customer (by mistake)

They cant bypass the code other than to guess it. They could restore it in Itunes and it'll be clean and ready to go for another user though.
 
Fstop11 said:
Once the sim card is removed I don't think mobileme will be able to track your phone.
I am a mobileMe paying customer (by mistake)

They cant bypass the code other than to guess it. They could restore it in Itunes and it'll be clean and ready to go for another user though.
Click to expand...

Yeah all they have todo is restore it in itunes and they'll have a new phone. Ring your mobile network provider and ask if they can brick it somehow they should have the IMEI if you used their sim with it. They'll be always to view all your pictures you've taken on the phone aswell as soon as they plug the phone into a pc so that data is open for wheoever finds it.
 
Police - Crime Ref - Insurance (house if not have phone insurance) - Insurance Should take it from here, PAYG or not.
 
Pointless signing up to MobileMe now.

You have to enable "Find my iPhone" on the handset, so you'd be paying for nothing.

Ring your mobile provider and get them to lock / blacklist the handset. If you don't they'll (the scum) just change the SIM and restore it in iTunes.

They can use any machine to restore the iPhone in iTunes. Just because it's not your computer makes no difference.
 
Would a restore also wipe all your personal information, contacts, photos, etc? Just make the phone useable again?

There's a neat setting that upon ten wrong inputs of your passcode it automatically wipes the phone. Keeping all your personal data relatively safe should someone find/steal your phone.
 
As others have mentioned just phone up O2 and make sure that your sim is blocked and your phones IMEI is added onto the national IMEI blacklist database. This will prevent the phone being used on any UK network, however it will still work abroad (where it will likely end up anyway.)
 
Alright, just had a chat with an O2 advisor on their live website chat and she has blocked my SIM card and is sending me a replacement. She also said that she has made the phone unusable with any other SIM cards, however I didn't have to give her the IMEI number which seems odd to me.

Is there anything else I should do, as I cannot have people getting my details on that phone. I had the code on it and apparently it's blocked now, but I'm just not sure.

Phoned the insurance and it seems it's not worth bothering with as they'll take 10% off any future claims for the house, so oh well.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Your IMEI number was probably on record.

There really isn't any more you should do. As someone who's lost a phone before (and found it again).. once they block it, it's nothing more than a fancy paperweight. You can thank the "I-push-my-TV-down-the-stairs-every-few-years" crew for the premiums going up.
 
Cavallino said:
Send you a new phone? For free??!?
Click to expand...

I wish. SIM card, with my same number. :p

EVH said:
Your IMEI number was probably on record.

There really isn't any more you should do. As someone who's lost a phone before (and found it again).. once they block it, it's nothing more than a fancy paperweight. You can thank the "I-push-my-TV-down-the-stairs-every-few-years" crew for the premiums going up.
Click to expand...

Ah okay. Do they have access to the IMEI number of any phones that their SIM cards are put in, or something like that?

Anyway, thanks all. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom