{"id":128009,"date":"2025-11-10T23:00:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T17:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techworm.net\/?p=128009"},"modified":"2025-11-10T23:00:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T17:30:59","slug":"lost-your-iphone-scam-claiming-its-been-found","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.techworm.net\/2025\/11\/lost-your-iphone-scam-claiming-its-been-found.html","title":{"rendered":"Lost Your iPhone? Beware Of Texts Claiming It\u2019s Been Found"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever lost your iPhone, you know the sinking feeling that follows \u2014 the panic, the frustration, and the small hope that someone honest might return it. But now, Now, cybercriminals are exploiting that hope by sending fake \u201cfound iPhone\u201d texts claiming their missing devices have been located.<\/p>\n

The Swiss National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a warning about a phishing scam targeting iPhone owners who have recently lost their devices. The fake text messages or iMessages sent by scammers pretend to help you recover your lost or stolen device, when in reality, they\u2019re trying to steal your Apple ID login details to unlock and resell them.<\/p>\n

How The Scam Works<\/strong><\/p>\n

When an iPhone is lost, owners can use Apple\u2019s Find My<\/em> feature to display a custom message on the lock screen \u2014 often including a contact number or email address. Unfortunately, scammers have learned to exploit that very feature.<\/p>\n

According to the NCSC, fraudsters send SMS or iMessage texts pretending to be from Apple\u2019s Find My team, and claim that the missing phone has been located. They even like the iPhone\u2019s model, color, and storage size, which can be read from the locked device itself.<\/p>\n

“Losing your iPhone is always annoying. Not only is the device gone, but your personal data may also be lost,”\u00a0wrote the NCSC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Once the initial panic has passed, most people are left hoping that someone honest will find it. But if scammers have your phone, they may try to exploit this hope. They send text messages or iMessages that appear to come from Apple, claiming that the lost iPhone has been found abroad. ”<\/p>\n

A typical message might read:<\/p>\n

“We are pleased to inform you that your lost iPhone 14 128GB Midnight has been successfully located.<\/p>\n

“To view the current location of your device, please click the link below: <phishing url><\/p>\n

“If you did not initiate a lost device report or believe this message was sent in error, please disregard it or contact our support team immediately.”<\/p>\n

The link leads to a fraudulent website that looks identical to Apple\u2019s Find My page. Anyone who enters their Apple ID and password, their credentials directly go to the scammers, giving them full access to the account.<\/p>\n

What Scammers Want<\/strong><\/p>\n

The attackers\u2019 main goal is to bypass Apple\u2019s Activation Lock, a built-in security feature that ties each iPhone to its owner\u2019s Apple ID and prevents thieves from erasing or reselling stolen devices.<\/p>\n

Since Activation Lock can\u2019t be bypassed without the owner\u2019s credentials, scammers rely on social engineering to trick users into willingly revealing their credentials. Once they have your Apple ID, they can remove the lock and resell your iPhone.<\/p>\n

How They Get Your Contact Info<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the NSCC, it\u2019s still unclear how scammers obtain victims\u2019 phone numbers from lost devices. In some cases, the SIM card might still be active inside the lost phone if not blocked. In others, it could be from the phone number or email displayed on the Lost Mode lock screen \u2014 the custom message owners set when marking the device as lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis can be very helpful if the finder is honest \u2013 but in dishonest hands, the same information can be used to launch a targeted phishing attack,\u201d the NCSC notes.<\/p>\n

How To Stay Safe<\/strong><\/p>\n

To stay safe, the NCSC recommends iPhone users to:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n