Apple Stores and other repair shops no longer repair iPhones that are reported missing. This is apparent from an internal memo held by MacRumors. Read more in this article.
Internal memo: Don’t take stolen iPhones anymore
Apple’s policy on missing and stolen iPhones has always been sharp. Previously, Genius Bar employees of official Apple Stores were banned from providing repair services if the “Find My” feature was enabled on the device.
Now iPhone repairs will also be refused if the device is reported missing or stolen in the global GSMA Device Registry†At least, this is according to MacRumors in an internal memo to Apple Store employees and other official Apple partners.
GSMA: a history of your iPhone
So, if an iPhone comes in for repair and it’s listed as missing or stolen with the GSMA, they won’t take the phone from Apple anymore. The GSMA is a worldwide database that records the history of a smartphone. Think of the loss or theft of an iPhone. With this service it is also possible to indicate that a payment plan is linked to the device.
With the IMEIcode from your iPhone, companies with access to this platform can easily check whether the phone has a ‘criminal record’. This code is a unique number combination that is linked to your iPhone. If you used to be unable to unlock your phone, an Apple Store would no longer accept it anyway. This was still possible if you had brought your proof of purchase.
Refurbished iPhones: used, but never stolen
If you already had the ‘Find My’ function turned on, not much will change for your iPhone. If you bought your iPhone used, it is possible that it can now be refused at a repair shop or at an Apple Store.
Do you want a cheap iPhone, but don’t trust the second-hand sellers after reading this article? Check out our price comparison of refurbished iPhones. If you buy refurbished, you can be sure that you will not get a stolen iPhone and you are also covered by the warranty. These are phones that have been returned because of, for example, scratches on the screen or a broken box. These iPhones still work fine!