Is it possible to erase a iPhone with out find my phone installed?

[iMore Question]

My iPhone was stolen (with the SIM card ejected, on my seat). When I logged in to iCloud it made me reset the password, which meant my Apple ID password was now different from the one on my iPhone when it was stolen and it wasn't connected to the internet to receive new log in credits,

I figured there was no way I could find my iPhone, because i didnt think I had it on the phone plus I don't remember if I was logged into I cloud ... so I hit Erase. 3 days later I got a message saying my phone was erased. Is that a lie, because my phone had a different iCloud password on it than when it was stolen? It was running iOS 8.

When I first checked Find my iPhone it was offline and pending erase. Then I got an email at 1 am 2 days later saying it was erased., I'm certain I wasn't logged Into iCloud ,and find my phone wasn't downloaded, but yet I got a message saying it was erased ??

 

[Sherry_B]

Find My Phone is built in to iOS, so it's there regardless. It's not something that is downloaded or installed. You can have it enabled, or you can disable it both from within the settings of the phone. There is also the option that if the password is entered wrong 10 times then the phone is automatically erased.

 

[Just_Me_D]

My iPhone was stolen (with the SIM card ejected, on my seat). When I logged in to iCloud it made me reset the password, which meant my Apple ID password was now different from the one on my iPhone when it was stolen and it wasn't connected to the internet to receive new log in credits,

I figured there was no way I could find my iPhone, because i didnt think I had it on the phone plus I don't remember if I was logged into I cloud ... so I hit Erase. 3 days later I got a message saying my phone was erased. Is that a lie, because my phone had a different iCloud password on it than when it was stolen? It was running iOS 8.

When I first checked Find my iPhone it was offline and pending erase. Then I got an email at 1 am 2 days later saying it was erased., I'm certain I wasn't logged Into iCloud ,and find my phone wasn't downloaded, but yet I got a message saying it was erased ??

If you've already sent the command to erase the device, you do not have to be logged in when the erase occurs. My youngest son lost his iPhone while at the beach this past summer. Although I just gave him my iPhone 7 Plus, I did not disable the iCloud Activation lock on his lost iPhone. It is in lost mode, and whoever decides to reset / restore it will still be unable to use it.