Things the guys who stole my phone have texted me to try to get me to unlock it

iPhone security, Lost Mode & Activation Lock

• Many commenters see the story as an implicit ad for Apple’s security: once a phone is passcode‑protected, put in Lost Mode, and remotely erased, thieves can’t access data or activate it without the owner’s Apple ID.
• Key point: remote erase does not remove Activation Lock; only explicitly removing the device from the iCloud account does. Several warn never to do that under pressure from scammers.
• Some confusion appears about whether devices can be cracked; consensus is that working exploits exist but are rare, expensive, and not used for random street theft.

How thieves contact the owner

• Multiple theories:
  • Phone number from a physical SIM (not applicable to eSIM‑only US iPhone 14s).
  • Contact info displayed via Lost Mode’s custom message.
  • iCloud email address revealed on the activation prompt, then used as an iMessage address.
• One commenter notes that Apple partially obfuscates the email; others think Lost Mode or emergency contact messages are the more likely leak. Overall, the exact mechanism in this case is viewed as unclear.

Value of stolen iPhones & parts pairing

• Thieves still steal iPhones despite Activation Lock, likely to strip for parts or gamble on victims being phished into removing the lock.
• Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei market is mentioned as a major recycler / parts hub where locked phones are broken down and components reused.
• Strong debate over Apple’s parts pairing:
  • Pro: reduces resale value of stolen phones and thus theft incentives.
  • Con: functions as anti‑repair, locks out third‑party fixes, and is environmentally harmful.
  • Several propose a middle ground where legitimate owners can securely unpair / re‑pair parts or where stolen components are tracked in a database.

Law enforcement & international angle

• Repeated claims that both Chinese and US authorities largely ignore this type of cross‑border phone theft, focusing instead on regime stability or higher‑priority crimes.
• Suggestions that Apple or third‑party sites could aggregate “Find My” locations to identify US‑side fencing operations; others doubt police would act on such data.

User reactions, strategies & ethics

• Many recommend: immediately mark as lost, erase, keep device on the account, and then block all scam messages; threats are seen as copy‑pasted intimidation.
• Some discuss replying with censored Chinese political phrases to scare scammers; others doubt effectiveness and warn against provoking states.
• A side thread argues over harsh punishments as deterrence, with strong pushback that proportional, humane penalties matter more than maximal efficiency.