Found an iPhone, can't find owner - Now what?
Feb 10, 2009, 11:50 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 571
So I found an iPhone on an airplane. No one else was on board so I have no idea how long it has been there. I plugged it in to iTunes and it says "Can not connect to M***** J******'s iPhone". But I have no way of knowing where he lives or any way to contact him. I am nowhere near an AT&T store or an Apple store so I have no way to ask them to help find the owner. When I turn on the phone it say iPhone is Disabled - connect to iTunes, but as I said, iTunes won't connect to it unless the passcode is entered, and that's why it's disabled in the first place.
Any suggestions? I would like to do the right thing and return it, but if I can't I would like to make use of it somehow, it just does not feel right to throw it away.
Any suggestions? I would like to do the right thing and return it, but if I can't I would like to make use of it somehow, it just does not feel right to throw it away.
Thats how I traced the owner of the last phone I found....
Feb 11, 2009, 12:54 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,214
I believe the error code you are seeing is what happens when you enter an incorrect passcode to many times. The passcode is a security feature that you can choose to turn on to protect your contact info and other sensitive information such as private emails, in case the phone gets lost or stolen. If a person enters an incorrect code to many times the device locks up until it is plugged into the computer and reset.
A few things I would try are to Google the persons name if it is not too generic and see if you can get a hit. Also if you are on Facebook, see if there is a person on Facebook with the same name and send them a message.
I have also read stories about how people have brought the phones into Apple stores where they can look up the serial number and see who it is registered to and contact them.
Edit: I also notice that your handle implies that you are an airplane mechanic, if you work for the company on which you found the phone do you have access to the flight manifests to match the tail number of the plane and you can look it up that way.
A few things I would try are to Google the persons name if it is not too generic and see if you can get a hit. Also if you are on Facebook, see if there is a person on Facebook with the same name and send them a message.
I have also read stories about how people have brought the phones into Apple stores where they can look up the serial number and see who it is registered to and contact them.
Edit: I also notice that your handle implies that you are an airplane mechanic, if you work for the company on which you found the phone do you have access to the flight manifests to match the tail number of the plane and you can look it up that way.
Feb 11, 2009, 1:07 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: In the corner plotting world domination
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Posts: 1,122
A few things I would try are to Google the persons name if it is not too generic and see if you can get a hit. Also if you are on Facebook, see if there is a person on Facebook with the same name and send them a message.
I have also read stories about how people have brought the phones into Apple stores where they can look up the serial number and see who it is registered to and contact them.
Edit: I also notice that your handle implies that you are an airplane mechanic, if you work for the company on which you found the phone do you have access to the flight manifests to match the tail number of the plane and you can look it up that way.
I'm assuming that the phonebook is locked up because of the security feature which is too bad. Scrolling through it was how I once found the owner of a cell phone
If you contact someone using Google/Facebook, I'd send them a note asking if they were recently on a UA/AA/CO flight and did they happen to lose something? I wouldn't say "Are you John Doe and did you lose an iPhone?" It could be too tempting for someone who is not the real owner.
Also, although you may live far from an Apple store, you could call them and explain the situation. They might be willing to have you mail it to them so they can follow up on the iTunes/registration/owner.
Good luck with it. Let us know if you find the owner.
DD
Feb 11, 2009, 6:26 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 37,486
Out of curiosity, why didn't you just turn it into the airport lost and found?
If I lost my phone, I'd be calling lost and found, not sitting at home hoping a random stranger took it off the plane and brought it home trying to find ways to contact me.
FWIW; Call Apple and give them the serial number. They'll be able to get in touch with the owner.
If I lost my phone, I'd be calling lost and found, not sitting at home hoping a random stranger took it off the plane and brought it home trying to find ways to contact me.
FWIW; Call Apple and give them the serial number. They'll be able to get in touch with the owner.
Feb 11, 2009, 6:48 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 578
As others suggested, call apple or if it's an AT&T Iphone you can call AT&T too. If you can get to the IMEI *#06# (I think you can do this on some phone even when it's locked). The chances of you being able to use it are very slim anyway. I would think apple or AT&T will not mind footing the the cost to send it in to them.
Feb 11, 2009, 7:25 am
#11
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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and if the phone is locked so you can't turn it on or access any of the information as noted above, call at&t customer service at 1-800-331-0500 as i'm sure there is a way that they can help in i/d'ing the phone by a s/n since they are the provider in the u.s (or perhaps you could pop into an apple store?)
Feb 11, 2009, 7:38 am
#12
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, spg gold, hhdiamond
Posts: 1,594
Out of curiosity, why didn't you just turn it into the airport lost and found?
If I lost my phone, I'd be calling lost and found, not sitting at home hoping a random stranger took it off the plane and brought it home trying to find ways to contact me.
FWIW; Call Apple and give them the serial number. They'll be able to get in touch with the owner.
If I lost my phone, I'd be calling lost and found, not sitting at home hoping a random stranger took it off the plane and brought it home trying to find ways to contact me.
FWIW; Call Apple and give them the serial number. They'll be able to get in touch with the owner.
Also even considering "just throwing it away" Is absurd. I don't find what you are doing to be in the best interest of the owner or the airline.
Feb 11, 2009, 7:46 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: TPA
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Or better yet, hand it to an FA and tell them in which seat you found it.
Feb 11, 2009, 7:52 am
#14
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
OP already has the name of the owner, assuming the flight #, date/time & the airport where the plane landed and phone found. Any airline that provides good customer services shall be able to match all these info and locate the original owner. There's no need for OP to play the detective and find the owner.
Last edited by lin821; Feb 11, 2009 at 2:20 pm Reason: typo
