Things the guys who stole my phone have texted me to try to get me to unlock it (gothamist.com)

Article summary

The author's iPhone was stolen in New York City and, despite being remotely erased, the thieves attempted to contact the author to unlock it. The thieves used various tactics, including posing as Apple support and claiming to be the new owners of the phone, in an attempt to trick the author into providing the unlock code. The author was able to track the phone's location and watched as it was taken to China. The article discusses the author's experience and the broader issue of phone theft and the black market for stolen devices.

Main themes

• Phone theft
• Black market
• International crime
• Apple security
• Law enforcement
• Global crime networks

What commenters say

• The Chinese government is not effective in cracking down on crime, including phone theft, and may even turn a blind eye to crimes that do not affect Chinese citizens.
• The idea that organized crime is a separate entity from the state is misleading, and in reality, crime groups often operate with the tacit approval or even involvement of government officials.
• The US is a police state, whereas China is a military state, with different approaches to law enforcement and control.
• Corruption and lack of effective law enforcement allow scam call centers and other criminal operations to thrive in countries like India.
• The global nature of crime means that countries may not prioritize cracking down on crimes that target citizens of other nations.
• Some argue that the US hosts Chinese criminal financiers and embezzlers, and that this may be a factor in China's lack of interest in cracking down on crime targeting American citizens.
• Others believe that moving manufacturing to countries like India would not necessarily solve the problem of phone theft and the black market, as criminals can still find ways to exploit these devices.
• There is a perception that law enforcement agencies, including in the US, often prioritize certain types of crimes over others, and may not be effective in solving or preventing crimes like phone theft.