Comment on Thieves return Android phone when they realize it's not an iPhone
antizero99@lemmynsfw.com 11 months agoThis isn’t the case anymore. Starting sometime back you can’t just reset android and set it up from scratch. It needs the pin and/or account that was on it prewipe. They are still likely good for parts but it’s pointless to steal newer smart phones.
kernelle@0d.gs 11 months ago
Both Apple’s and Google’s activation locks are actively being bypassed though. It’s probably not being done by a run-of-the-mill thief, but it can be done, if not for a price.
antizero99@lemmynsfw.com 11 months ago
True. But the average idiot stealing a phone to feed a habit isn’t going to be able to bypass it. Of course those being stolen by order of a larger group can do it. But these locks severely reduced the number of opportunity thefts.
Zak@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Thieves sell to fences who know how to sell stolen items for maximum profit.
antizero99@lemmynsfw.com 11 months ago
Did you not read anything I wrote?
And no, that isn’t likely the path for stolen phones,especially when it’s a theft of opportunity by someone looking to feed a drug habit. They aren’t thinking about going to a fence who can give them what the phone is worth at that level of the chain.
As I said in another comment, the locks both apple and android put in years ago had a major impact on the theft of phones. It’s pointless to steal them unless it’s part of a larger operation or your trying to get a phone that’s unlocked so you can siphon money from someone instead of just reselling the phone.
phoneymouse@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Of it were being bypassed the tool would be available online. What tool is used to bypass Apple activation lock on the latest OS?
kernelle@0d.gs 11 months ago
Their was a blog post here recently where a repair technician with his own shop was trying to contact Apple about reportedly stolen iphones being reactivated and resold and it undermining his business. They then found more and in one case it was a rogue Apple employee doing the activations, and in another it was software tools they found and send to Apple, which got ignored for more than half a year.
I can’t seem to find the original article but here’s Louis Rossman explaining the same thing. The argument boils down to the fact that Apple doesn’t care, more iphones means more people with wallets attached to them.
Also, it wouldn’t necessarily be public knowledge on exactly how it’s done, otherwise 1 Apple would try to fix the issue or 2 there’s money to be made in selling the service.
phoneymouse@lemmy.world 11 months ago
That would be weird because even Apple can’t reactivate a stolen phone. That’s why they ask you to do it yourself before you trade it in.