mellejwz t1_it2kuwr wrote on October 20, 2022 at 2:06 PM

Reply to comment by O-M-E-R-T-A in Extra phone Advice by Htut1

Even when they contact you, they have to prove you have it.

fenwaymoose t1_it3ejts wrote on October 20, 2022 at 5:20 PM

Yeah, but if they ask for it, they probably know the serial number or IMEI, and will mark it stolen, so it becomes essentially useless.

gardobus t1_it7u4o6 wrote on October 21, 2022 at 3:46 PM

Curious, if that happens and the phone is otherwise new (not tied to any iCloud account for example), can it be used as an iPod essentially or does marking it stolen even prevent using it off of a cellular network?

Not trying to argue for keeping it or anything, just curious.

fenwaymoose t1_it7usyh wrote on October 21, 2022 at 3:51 PM

I’m not 100% sure, but I think it would still be able to be added to iCloud and used on WiFi, etc. It definitely could never be activated on a carrier again - that I do know from working at Verizon for awhile.

Also fwiw, according to an FTC link someone posted in another comment on this post, there’s no legal harm in keeping it. Sometimes the universe just hands you a present. Might as well accept it.

gardobus t1_it7vbe5 wrote on October 21, 2022 at 3:54 PM

True, I know TMobile won't be hurt financially by losing one phone lol