Hey everyone! I'm looking for some assistance regarding a coworker's iPhone 13 Pro Max. It's currently on iOS 17, or possibly iOS 16 or 15. About two years ago, she was a victim of a phishing scam, which led to her Apple ID and personal info being hacked. Since then, she hasn't used her phone. Recently, she attempted to retrieve some important photos from that device but unfortunately forgot the 6-digit passcode. On top of that, she doesn't have a backup and isn't sure about the next steps. She's tried guessing her passcode a few times, but each guess results in temporary lockouts. We're really hoping there's a safe way to recover the photos or at least access the phone. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thanks!
4 Answers
Definitely have her contact Apple customer support. They are the only ones who might help at this point, but if they can’t assist, she might have to accept that the data is most likely lost.
If she's lost access to both her Apple ID and the phone's passcode, the data might be gone for good. It's a tough spot to be in. I'd recommend reaching out to Apple Support for the best guidance on this.
Look, there’s no easy way around the passcode without compromising the security of the device. It’s best to work with Apple to see if they can help. Just be cautious of any messages that promise otherwise; those are usually scams.
Totally get that. I've seen some suspicious DMs already!
Just a heads up: you have 10 attempts before the iPhone starts locking itself down. If it does get wiped, you can restore it using the Apple ID if it’s linked to a backup. But without that, Apple can only reset the activation lock if she proves ownership. This won't help with data recovery, though.
That's what I was afraid of. Guess I'll mention it to her.