Thieves behind stolen 1000 iPhones possess advanced techniques to unlock devices regardless of security

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WHILE a person in panic after losing an iPhone can go straight to activate “Lost Mode”, thieves on the other end are said to grin with excitement exploiting the situation to access personal information in the phone to commit further damage.

Six men who were apprehended by the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) Cybersecurity Task Force in connection to 10,000 stolen iPhones, revealed that When users activate “Lost Mode” on their devices, the suspects see this as an advantage.

“Activating Lost Mode displays the owner’s mobile number, which they exploit to gain access to accounts by impersonating the victim and claiming identities stored on the device,” the suspect disclosed after they were caught.

It is reported that Leonard Kasonde, John Phiri, Lewis Daka, Ephraim Bwalya, Stanley Banda, and Mike Mwanza who were apprehended in Kabanana while driving an unregistered silver Lexus for committing cyber crimes.

According to authorities, the six are accused of stealing phones and selling them primarily in Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries.

This came to light following an investigation into the theft of an iPhone 14 Pro Max, which led to unauthorised access to a victim’s bank account and social media accounts.

The investigation ignited an operation by authorities who recovered three iPhone 14 Pro Max devices, four Tecno Fortune phones, 30 Airtel SIM cards, and 25 MTN SIM cards.

It was further revealed that the suspects are linked to over 10,000 stolen iPhones, selling them primarily in Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries.

According to sources, the suspects possess advanced techniques to unlock devices, including those protected by fingerprint or face ID, making it difficult to track them using IMEI numbers.

An analysis by authorities of the recovered SIM cards and devices linked the suspects to a K900,000 unauthorised access case in Choma, indicating their involvement in a broader network targeting electronic devices and financial accounts.

Authorities advised the public to report stolen phones and SIM cards to ZICTA immediately by dialing *707#.

They said one must avoid activating “Lost Mode” unless absolutely necessary.
Embrace eSIMs: Switch to eSIM technology to enhance security and reduce the risk of SIM card theft.

Furthermore, authorities said People should be informed about scams related to stolen phones and educate their contacts.

The investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the suspects’ operations and identify other individuals involved in this criminal network.

By Moses Makwaya

Kalmba January 21, 2025

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