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DarthMauly t1_j9yb5m8 wrote

Reply to comment by imcaptainsunshine in My phone was stolen 8 years ago and just showed up on my account. by imcaptainsunshine

You see, no. It can not be both.

If you remove the device from your account, it’s gone from everywhere. You lose all visibility and control over the device. So you wouldn’t be able to place it in Lost Mode or command a remote erase.

For Lost Mode and for a remote erase, the device must stay connected to your account. If you contacted Apple they’d have told you to place it in Lost Mode, not remove it from your account.

To be 100% clear - You can’t mark it lost/ remotely erase it, AND remove it from your account. If you marked it lost and commanded an erase, it was always on your account and has been for all these years.

And it’s absolutely fine for it to still show on your account. This does not mean someone with the phone can access your account or details in any way. It just means you still have control over it.

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imcaptainsunshine OP t1_j9yboht wrote

I see what you’re saying. So I probably marked it lost and then I guess that’s why it showed back up. Someone turned it on maybe? I wonder why they couldn’t explain that to me. Thank you so much for the clarification. That makes sense then of why it showed up under my account.

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DarthMauly t1_j9ycn5h wrote

Exactly yes. If I had to guess what happened, you marked it lost 8 years ago when it was stolen. You then presumably replaced it with a new phone?

At that point, the new phone becomes your primary device used to show you and your location in apps such as Find my Friends. The older device was always there, it just loses visibility from those kinds of apps. Had you gone looking, it likely would have been there somewhere.

As to why it showed up now, could be anything from someone powering it on to a part from it being used in a repair etc. Can’t really answer that part. But once you don’t turn off Lost Mode you will be 100%.

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imcaptainsunshine OP t1_j9ycxux wrote

Thank you again for explaining it. I feel a lot better having more of an understanding of what happened. I knew it wasn’t magic. Hahaha.

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DarthMauly t1_j9ydc15 wrote

Yeah definitely not magic anyway haha, no idea how support couldn’t explain that clearly… The only way it would be a security risk is if you turn off lost mode anyway and the thief knew your passcode. After 8 years I’d say you’re safe

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