Looted Apple Products Being Bricked and Tracked
PING!
If you want on or off the Apple/Mac/iOS Ping List, Freepmail me.
Posted on 06/03/2020 2:19:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Images of stolen iPhones are circulating on Reddit and Twitter TWTR, +8.12%showing a message that warns that the phone has been disabled and is now being tracked. The most viral image shows a device allegedly stolen from a Philadelphia store, with an alert reading: “Please return to Apple Walnut Street. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.”
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. MarketWatch reached out to Apple to verify that looted iPhones have been disabled and that the company has begun tracking them. A representative said that Apple doesn’t comment on matters of security, but he confirmed that demo devices taken illegally from Apple stores do bear warning messages like those being shared on social media.
It’s still unclear whether the company is doing this with stolen Apple laptops, tablets and watches, as well, or if someone who returns stolen property to the nearest store will face legal consequences
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
That’s racist. I bet they’ll sell them and let the buyer beware.
Apple should remotely activate the face camera on stolen iPhones and forward facial images and GPS coordinates to the Homeland Sedurity and local police.
Yeah, obvious, isn’t it?
Give the records to law enforcement and let them go knock on the door.
Of course, the first guy who saw that warning on his stolen phone posted the screen cap and all the other rioter crooks knew about it in short order.
They needed a new obamy phone.
Good. Now make them EXPLODE in the thieves’ faces...or laps.
I’m surprised at this. I thought Apple would just let them keep and use/sell the phones.
who decides what is stolen and what isn’t?
Ouija board
the local cop on the take
some other method
please be specific
Rocky
That’s been going on long before the looting as a matter of security.
Apple has this down to a science.
Now automobiles are getting some of the same technology. I just bought a Subaru that is about impossible to steal successfully. As soon as I report it stolen, the car can be immobilized (unable to start) and will report its GPS location to law enforcement.
Its SOP. No confirmation needed. Apple’s been doing this since the iPhone came out and stores were first robbed.
I recently saw, don’t remember where, an article on a “hub” - a patent application - that is for internal Apple use only. This hub provides network services and other un-defind functions for iPhones. They didn’t say specifically, and in fact I believe have have denied, of its use for In Apple stores.
Still, in addition to power and network connectivity, it does have a processor and a certain amount of storage.
I can see a scenario wherein, if you were to unplug a device from it, without entering in a code, that it could very well put the device into brick mode and, utilizing certain proprietary protocols, put the device into low power mode sending out a “ping” every now and then for tracking purposes.
Even if, the device has supposedly been turned off.
Perfectly doable.
“Its SOP. No confirmation needed. Apple’s been doing this since the iPhone came out and stores were first robbed.”
Does Apple call the FBI or local police to retrieve the iPhone?
Give the locations to law enforce,emt. Oh wait, there is no law enforcement anymore in this country unless you are walking closer than 6 feet from your grandchild on a deserted beach.
I don’t know specifically - I assume they have some sort of contact with the authorities to retrieve their stolen property. Perhaps they just brick it and write it off, I don’t know.
They just write it off.
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Apple has been able to do this with stolen iPhones and iPads for years. They can brick them too. Same with Macs.
On stolen iPhones and other Apple devices, you can do just that. The miscreant takes his own mug shot.
If I ran the company, this would be displayed:
"Send $5000 immediately to the following account ...
Your picture and address are on file and will be used to make your life hell until the $5000 is received. Have a nice day, it will be your last."
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