Criminals are targeting your phone and passcode. Here's how to protect your devices

Nbcwashington · Feb 02, 2024 · 618 words · By Susan Hogan; Ambar Rodriguez

Consumer Protection Cybersecurity Mobile Device Security

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What to know about Consumer Protection

Criminals are targeting phones and passcodes for a profit, and victims are left in the dark as to what to do after.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Criminals are targeting phones and passcodes for a profit, and victims are left in the dark as to what to do after.

Why it matters

Your phone holds all, or most, of your sensitive information, and in the wrong hands, that can cause you a lot of trouble.

Common ground

Think of all the things your cellphone gives you access to.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Consumer Protection story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that They’ll change the face ID to their face. So, now they can unlock the phone and, well, they can use Apple Pay; they can log into your banking applications?
How does this story connect Consumer Protection with Cybersecurity over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/criminals-are-targeting-your-phone-a…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 70% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info

Claim 1: “They’ll change the face ID to their face. So, now they can unlock the phone and, well, they can use Apple Pay; they can log into your banking applications”

SINGLE SOURCE

While evidence confirms Face ID is used for Apple Pay and banking, there is no specific evidence provided in the search results confirming that a user with a passcode can simply 'change the Face ID to their face' to gain access to these apps without further authentication or that this is a common exploit method.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Apple Pay is a mobile payment service by Apple that allows users to make payments in person, in iOS apps, and on the web. Supported on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro, Apple Pay digitiz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Pay

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Apple Wallet (or simply Wallet, known as Passbook prior to iOS 9) is a digital wallet developed by Apple Inc. and included with iOS and watchOS that allows users to store Wallet passes such as coupons…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Wallet

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Face ID is a biometric authentication facial-recognition system designed and developed by Apple Inc. for the iPhone and iPad Pro. The system can be used for unlocking a device, making payments, access…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_ID

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “Stolen device protection prevents your Apple ID password from being changed for one hour”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources specifically mention the one-hour delay for changing the Apple ID password as a key part of Stolen Device Protection.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The multinational technology corporation Apple Inc. has been a participant in various legal proceedings and claims since it began operation and, like its competitors and peers, engages in litigation i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_litigation

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — iOS jailbreaking is the use of a kernel and/or userland exploit to remove software restrictions imposed by Apple on devices running iOS and iOS-based operating systems. While legacy jailbreaks modifie…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In computing, a kill pill is a mechanism or a technology designed to render systems useless either by user command, or under a predefined set of circumstances. Kill pill technology is most commonly us…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_pill

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “iPhones are in more demand and has a higher resale value.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources explicitly state that iPhones have higher resale value and better demand than Android phones.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — selling mobile online at better prices with iPhones that hold value longer than most smartphones due to demand, updates, and durability.FAQs. 1. Why do iPhones have better resale value than Android ph…
https://www.xtracover.com/blog/sell-mobile-online-why-iphone…

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web search NEUTRAL — iPhone 17: iPhone vs Android resale. If we want to know why iPhones have more resale valu then we must go through the major reasons for it. So let’s go one by one.Therefore, an iPhone maintains a high…
https://www.cashify.in/why-iphones-hold-more-resale-value-th…

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web search NEUTRAL — The accessory market has thrived thanks to iPhones and you can get cases of all kinds, pop sockets and even the MagSafe charging units. Because of the demand, finding cases for older models can be tou…
https://www.news18.com/photogallery/tech/iphones-have-a-high…

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Claim 4: “Dan Ghazi, founder of DAG Tech, a cybersecurity firm that helps businesses protect their information”

CORROBORATED

LinkedIn profile confirms Daniel Ghazi is associated with DAG Tech, and the DAG Tech company profile confirms they specialize in IT services and cybersecurity.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (an acronym from the Arabic: حركة المقاومة الإسلامية, romanized: Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah), is a Sunni Islamist Palestinian nationalist po…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of major football stadiums, grouped by country and ordered by capacity. The minimum capacity is 10,000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_s…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (UNSCIIP), also called Special Committee on Isra…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Committee_to_Investiga…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 5: “And you also can’t change someone’s Apple ID from a location that they don’t normally frequent.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding location-based restrictions for Apple ID changes under Stolen Device Protection.

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Claim 6: “Once criminals get your passcode, they can change your Apple ID password, disable the "find my iPhone" feature and lock you out”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources confirm that if a thief has the passcode, they can disable 'Find My iPhone' and potentially access/change account settings, though some notes that Apple ID passwords are typically required for certain changes.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Apple–FBI encryption dispute concerns whether and to what extent courts in the United States can compel manufacturers to assist in unlocking cell phones whose data are cryptographically protected.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple–FBI_encryption_dispute

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The discography of American country singer Jean Shepard contains 29 studio albums, 12 compilation albums, two live albums, 1 box set album, 72 lead and collaborative singles, four promotional singles,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Shepard_discography

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kiell Troy Smith-Bynoe ( ky-EL smith BY-noh: born 5 March 1989) is an English actor, comedian and presenter. He is best-known for his acting roles including Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats, Man Like Mobeen, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiell_Smith-Bynoe

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Experts say criminals seem to be targeting mostly iPhone users but Android owners are not entirely off the hook.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided search results discuss market share and general fraud in South Africa, but do not provide specific expert testimony or data confirming that criminals primarily target iPhone users over Android users for profit.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — iPhone vs Android Users Behavior. 78% of mobile gamers are Android users, driven by the wide availability of budget-friendly Android phones. 85% of Android users express privacy configuration as a top…
https://www.demandsage.com/iphone-vs-android-users/

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web search NEUTRAL — They Changed TOO Much… iPhone 17 Pro Teardown. Phone Repair Guru. 5.9M 10mo ago. 4:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIGfAEU0Y_g

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web search NEUTRAL — “The same growth that has made it a target makes it worth defending,” he said. “Companies that treat customers as part of the security and prioritise communication are not just reducing fraud losses, …
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/661906-criminals-tar…

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Claim 8: “Their iOS 17.3 update includes a new feature called stolen device protection”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that iOS 17.3 introduced the 'Stolen Device Protection' feature.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Apple Account, formerly known as Apple ID, is a user account by Apple for their devices and software. Apple Accounts contain the user's personal data and settings, and when an Apple Account is used to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Account

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Apple Intelligence (AI) is a collection of artificial intelligence features developed by Apple. Relying on a combination of on-device and server processing, it was announced on June 10, 2024, at the 2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Intelligence

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Apple M5 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoCs) designed by Apple Inc. as part of the Apple silicon family. Each chip integrates a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M5

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 9: “Go to your settings, and under "face ID and passcode," turn on "stolen device protection."”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results detailing the specific menu path to enable the feature, although the feature's existence is verified.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.