Iphone - unlock - please help a noob

Mic2904

Hi,

story sounds a bit strange but 100% true: My pals dad is a taxi driver in Switzerland and guess what a passenger lost... correct, an Iphone. My pal brought it in today (has been home last week in Switzerland) cos he doesnt have a scooby-doo about the iphone.

Its completly dead, as dead can be though I told him that I might be interested, if its working fine.

My question is: Can i safely connect it to my Itunes on my PC (windows) as I already use my ipodtouch and my gf's iphone.

It most probably is locked as well and here is my personal problem: how do I unlock an iphone, esp since its from Switzlerand?!? I was reading its not even illegal?

Can anyone give some advice, as I am keen on it.

btw: Is there any chance to see from the outside what Iphone it is? I am sure my gf's phone says 3g on the back, this iphone doesnt say anything at all, apart from 16GB.

Thanks for your help.

Markus

saveallmymoney

Leaving aside any moral issues and focusing on the purely technical.

You need to connect it to your iTunes, restore it to the latest firmware, then use blackra1n to unlock it and you are good to go.

Fifer

Mic2904 wrote: »

I was reading its not even illegal?

I am not a Swiss lawyer, but I suspect stealing by finding and keeping is illegal, as handling stolen goods likely is too. I'd hope never to be unfortunate enough to get in a taxi driven by a thief.

sco0ter

Or if the previous owner has Find My Iphone installed then he will send round the cops and get it back from you.


Apple has announced a new service called Find My iPhone that will allow iPhone owners to remotely locate their lost or stolen iPhones using the iPhone’s GPS. The service will be available as part of Apple’s MobileMe online subscription service.
Find My iPhone will pinpoint the iPhone’s current location using Google Maps and let owners send and display a message on the iPhone even if it’s locked, presumably to provide information on how to return the phone to the finder of the phone. The Find My iPhone feature can also force the iPhone to play a sound for 2 minutes, which is useful for not only getting the attention of the finder of iPhone but also locating it between couch cushions.

Even so Im pretty sure that Apple do a Imei barring service and is part of the theft network that most providers are part of so therefore even if you do get it running it may still come up as barred anyway. That and if its reported lost it might be barred from iTunes as well

saveallmymoney

Put it on charge and see if you can get onto it and locate who the original owner is.

The SIM will be blocked by now, so find my iPhone won't work on it.

The IMEI of the phone will only be blocked in Switzerland, i suspect it will work just fine in the UK.

Esqui

saveallmymoney wrote: »

Put it on charge and see if you can get onto it and locate who the original owner is.

The SIM will be blocked by now, so find my iPhone won't work on it.

The IMEI of the phone will only be blocked in Switzerland, i suspect it will work just fine in the UK.

Chances are networks there and here are members of the people who run the blacklisted IMEI database thingy. It is an international mobile equipment identity, after all.

nomoneytoday

Once the owner knows it has been stolen the phone will be locked, and a useless brick...

It would be a better idea to hand it to lost property, and better for your karma too

Mic2904

Ok, first and most importantly:

The phone has been in the hands of my pals dad, which he always does when someone loses something in his taxi. That means that whoevr lost the mobile had plenty of time. After 3 months he decided to pass the phone on as no one claimed it.

If I can find any data, we might consider giving it back, though its not my decision.

I will connect it and see whats happening with the phone.

Thanks anyway.