Thanks for screwing me royaly

[uhanrodric]

I agree with Alli. Best course of action, kill the phone through AT&T so it's at least not your bill going up.

Apple can't really track anything, remember, they just made the phone. AT&T on the other hand, they are the one providing the service, and sure they can tell you via GPS or their own network where the phone is, but working for a major communications company, I know that information like that is only handed over to the proper authorities, and isn't actively monitored, unless again required by the proper authorities.

 

[Duvi]

The issue is, can't the user keep updating by using
wifi-only or his own AT&T sim card? If so, the only
thing that you (the OP) can do is change your pw.

The title should be:
"Thanks to myself for screwing myself over royally"

I got so many of you customers that would argue
about insurance after the fact. A crap load of
people saying "it should have been added already"
and yet we would see "customer declined to add
insurance" on their account and millions of excuses.

It's a tough situation, but why wasn't it added
immediately if you spoke to AT&T? Most people
put insurance on before a trip, not after. So
pardon everyone that isn't buying the story. I
may actually believe the story, but not one is
to blame but yourself.

 

[uhanrodric]

You can track based on the specific device. Each device has it's own MAC Address and Serial #.

Example: This is also true for Cable/Sattelite Boxes and Computers.

But again, there are only certain situations this information is handed over to ANYONE. Most commonly a legal investigation. (Which usually doesn't include someone stealing it)

 

[lungho]

You are paying something commonly known as the "stupid tax." Whether it's credit card debt, repo'd possessions, or simple carelessness, millions of people pay the stupid tax everyday. Sometimes it doesn't cost much and other times it costs you hundreds of dollars.

And if you can't recover your stolen property, your should move on and learn from your mistakes.

 

[lungho]

Next time, be proactive. MobileMe is not the only thing that can track your phone. iHound has been doing it for a while (and is dirt cheap), and recently another one has been available in iTunes.

So what happens if you have iHound and the perpetrator who stole your phone has already wiped it? My guess is that you won't be able to track the phone anymore since the software is not installed anymore.

Also, will MobileMe track your phone even if it's wiped?

 

[l1ghtn1ng]

... so the guy that has your iPhone posted something on your Facebook? How about you print out what he wrote go to the police say you know exactly who stole it and you have a receipt with a serial number to prove it's your phone.

Edit: Read everything and realized he wasn't posting stuff on your Facebook from his own.

Regardless if he's doing that now he's harassing you. Print out everything he wrote, print out the messages he sent trying to sell you back the phone then go to the police.

Say you want them to find the phone (At&T will likely cooperate) and you want to press charges. Looks like he has a couple felonies coming his way. That's something the police will take more seriously.

 

[Alli]

So what happens if you have iHound and the perpetrator who stole your phone has already wiped it? My guess is that you won't be able to track the phone anymore since the software is not installed anymore.

Also, will MobileMe track your phone even if it's wiped?

Nope, no software will help you once the phone has been wiped. You can only hope that it transmits one last time from the thief's home before he syncs it to his own iTunes and does a "restore as new."

When my daughter's 3GS was stolen a few months ago, whoever took it (right off her lap!) turned it off instantly. Some thieves are more devious (and knowledgeable) than others. You have to hope that the person who steals your iPhone doesn't know enough about them to turn them off or restore too soon.

 

[uhanrodric]

... so the guy that has your iPhone posted something on your Facebook? How about you print out what he wrote go to the police say you know exactly who stole it and you have a receipt with a serial number to prove it's your phone.

Edit: Read everything and realized he wasn't posting stuff on your Facebook from his own.

Regardless if he's doing that now he's harassing you. Print out everything he wrote, print out the messages he sent trying to sell you back the phone then go to the police.

Say you want them to find the phone (At&T will likely cooperate) and you want to press charges. Looks like he has a couple felonies coming his way. That's something the police will take more seriously.

This would be how you get your phone tracked. AT&T cooperates with the authorities, as does other companies like it. If you want to pursue it, do what l1ghtn1ng said, press charges.

 

[pendragyn]

If he is posting to your Facebook account he is not cyber laws possibly even identity theft. The authorities should now pay attention. Of course why you haven't changed the password is beyond me.

 

[iVenom]

If he is posting to your Facebook account he is not cyber laws possibly even identity theft. The authorities should now pay attention. Of course why you haven't changed the password is beyond me.

im sure its so he can keep a thread of hope of communcating with the thief nd getting it back. looks like its kinda working he said he would sell it back. if i was desperate like you i would just buy it back run along and leave it as a mistake, you try and get too ckeeky you might get nothing or get hurt.

 

[touchyphone]

Ummmm, sounds like you screwed you. 1) You went to Miami 2) took your phone somewhere w/out keeping an eye on it 3) wasted money on BS accessories, when MobileMe would've solved your problem in a heart beat 4) if you're older than 20, you're very whiny. Its a phone get over it, get another. Not the end of the world be thankful you weren't mugged or injured like other have been for iPads and iPhones.....

 

[OKCChuck]

Facebook does not qualify as ID theft lol...

 

[pendragyn]

Facebook does not qualify as ID theft lol...

Facebook may not, but this person possibly now has access to other logins/accounts that would.

 

[Raptor007]

Get someone else's iphone or iPad or iTouch and use the locate app and find the SOB and go Charles Bronson Death Wish 1-5 on him.

 

[noaim]

Sorry for your loss

 

[cobra302]

... so the guy that has your iPhone posted something on your Facebook? How about you print out what he wrote go to the police say you know exactly who stole it and you have a receipt with a serial number to prove it's your phone.

Edit: Read everything and realized he wasn't posting stuff on your Facebook from his own.

Regardless if he's doing that now he's harassing you. Print out everything he wrote, print out the messages he sent trying to sell you back the phone then go to the police.

Say you want them to find the phone (At&T will likely cooperate) and you want to press charges. Looks like he has a couple felonies coming his way. That's something the police will take more seriously.

there isn't enough there for charges to even be pressed. who are you going to charge? posting something on someones facebook when they leave it logged in (which is essentially whats happened) isn't a crime. it may be frustrating, embarrassing, and make you wanna strangle someone, but that's it. you MIGHT be able to make it civil, but thats a stretch. how are the police or supposed to track the phone? who's to say that the phone was even stolen? what if it was lost and someone just picked it up.

i feel bad for the op, but sometimes these things happen, and as has already been mentioned, you cant blame insurance for not covering it if you hadnt switched already.

 

[cobra302]

Facebook may not, but this person possibly now has access to other logins/accounts that would.

being able to access someones information is different than identity theft. just because i can access you credit card information doesn't mean I'm trying to pass myself off as you. make sense?

 

[pendragyn]

being able to access someones information is different than identity theft. just because i can access you credit card information doesn't mean I'm trying to pass myself off as you. make sense?

Right, because this person who bought a stolen iPhone and has accessed the owners Facebook and offered to sell it back to him is such an upstanding citizen that he/she would not take advantage of such access. I'm not saying he/she has, just saying there is a possibility there. And since there is a possibility maybe the police will actually file a report. Make sense?

 

[solius]

You were going too, but you didn't. It seems to me that should have been the FIRST thing you did was change your insurance. Your phone was stolen, it does happen. I don't know maybe it is just me, but I too purchased an iPhone 4, but I don't expect Apple or AT&T to take any responsibility if it gets stolen. Part of the attraction of MobileMe is being able to find your phone and wipe your data.

No doubt this sucks and no doubt you wish you had done what you intended to do, but you didn't and now it is on you! Life sometimes sucks!

He is right. It's not Apple or AT&T's responsibility to keep up with your phone or replace it if you had it lost or stolen. Just take the lesson to heart and take better care of your things next time.

 

[cobra302]

Right, because this person who bought a stolen iPhone and has accessed the owners Facebook and offered to sell it back to him is such an upstanding citizen that he/she would not take advantage of such access. I'm not saying he/she has, just saying there is a possibility there. And since there is a possibility maybe the police will actually file a report. Make sense?

i understand what you are saying, but trust me, the potential for that to happen will not be sufficient to sustain charges.