Apple ID

[browniiiz]

I have 3 devices setup with iCloud, iPad Air, 4s, and 5s. Five days ago I notice another device in iCloud tabs. I didn't think anything of it until 2 days ago a pic showed up in my photo stream. I then called Apple and they instructed me to log into iCloud and see if the device was in Find My iPhone app. Sure enough there was another phone there located in China. Their explanation of why this happened was Apple ID's might be similar and that person logged into my account on accident because nothing that I know of was compromise. They also told me to delete that devise and change my password. I went one step further and remote erase the phone first. So my question is what happened? Didn't someone hacked into my account and didn't do anything? Or what could they have done that I haven't realize yet? I know they probably saw all my photos and my Safari tabs. And would this be a possibility too? They cloned my phone and needed my Apple ID to activate it??

 

[thewitt]

You remote wiped someone else's phone? Really?

 

[browniiiz]

You remote wiped someone else's phone? Really?

Yes really, are you defending a guy that probably hacked into my account?

 

[thewitt]

Yes really, are you defending a guy that probably hacked into my account?

You don't know if he hacked into your account.

 

[leelai]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

Well, I've never heard of this before.....the odds of someone having an Apple ID so close to yours that they have made a mistake and then logged into your account and then had the same password.....and in 2 different countries is mind boggling (I assume you're not from China)

I'm thinking it would have to be a gmail account also.......or an account which is also world wide, unless he was only visiting China.

So you must have been able to see everything that was on their phone also? Seems strange that his phone was on your account for so long if he did hack your account though.

Well only you know what you have on all your devices.....what personal info did you have stored and how?

I've moved your thread to our Help Section where more members will see this and be able to offer more help.

 

[browniiiz]

You don't know if he hacked into your account.

He was in MY account. I don't care how he got in.

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

Well, I've never heard of this before.....the odds of someone having an Apple ID so close to yours that they have made a mistake and then logged into your account and then had the same password.....and in 2 different countries is mind boggling (I assume you're not from China)

I'm thinking it would have to be a gmail account also.......or an account which is also world wide, unless he was only visiting China.

So you must have been able to see everything that was on their phone also? Seems strange that his phone was on your account for so long if he did hack your account though.

Well only you know what you have on all your devices.....what personal info did you have stored and how?

I've moved your thread to our Help Section where more members will see this and be able to offer more help.

The only thing I saw on his phone was the Safari tabs and one pic in photo stream. So he probably saw the same thing plus notes and contacts. I would consider my pics to be personal. They are mostly of my 2 boys. If he did look at my notes then a few of my customer's information may be compromised. I do have notes off in settings but I could still see them on all 3 devices.

 

[twerppoet]

I don't know if there is anything to help with.

The problem has been solved. How it was caused, whether it was a hack, some kind of phone activation farming (I made that up), or a rare fluke combination of similar usernames and Apple server hiccups; well, we'll probably never know.

I do not find the OP's actions unreasonable. The odds are against it being benign, and the other user would have had access to anything that was being synced with iCloud, and quite probably the ability to wipe the OP's phone. It is fairly easy, as a bystander, to suggest that other, less drastic, actions should have been taken, after checking a few things out. But when it's your own phone and data at risk, the pressure goes up a few notches.

Still, if the other person was a victim of Murphy as well, they are probably very puzzled and upset. Hopefully Apple's service in China will sort them out, if it was Murphy. If it was intentional, they got what they deserved.


At any rate, all we can do at this point is speculate and opinionated (which I've indulged in). Nothing to be done, except, perhaps, remind the OP to use a strong password; just in case.