iPhone Theft 2025: How Crooks Turn Your Phone Into Cash!

Your iPhone is worth hundreds of dollars to a thief who knows where the nearest electronics-buyback kiosk is located. In big-box stores across North America, automated “ecoATM-style” machines will spit out cash the moment a phone is scanned—no questions asked. In our latest video, we show the entire scam in action and, more importantly, how to lock thieves out of your life.

➡️ Watch the full exposé here: https://youtu.be/GuWXcntZwd4

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The Fast-Cash Playbook 1. Grab-and-Go Theft – A quick snatch from a table, pocket, or car seat. 2. Signal Kill – Airplane-mode or SIM pull stops “Find My” from updating. 3. Kiosk Flip – The thief feeds the phone and a driver’s-license scan into an ecoATM-style machine and walks away with up to $300 in under 15 minutes. 4. Bulk Export – Phones spend 30 days in a holding crate, then ship overseas for parts or reflashing.

KGW investigators found ≈150 police reports in Portland alone that specifically mention ecoATM kiosks being used to fence stolen phones . In Denver, 383 reports since 2020 flag the same machines as the end-point for thefts .

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“We’re Secure”—The Kiosk Company’s Side

ecoATM says every transaction is approved by a live attendant, scanned against the CheckMEND stolen-device database, and held for 30 days to aid police . Those controls help—but clearly haven’t stopped organized rings from exploiting the system.

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Five Lightning-Fast Ways to Protect Yourself 1. Alphanumeric Passcode + Face ID – Longer codes stall even high-end cracking rigs. 2. Lock Control Center & USB Accessories – Settings ➜ Face ID & Passcode. 3. Turn On “Stolen Device Protection” – iOS 17.3 or later. 4. Record Your IMEI & Serial – Keep them in a secure note; you’ll need them for a police/cellular blacklist. 5. Trade -In Smart – Hand your old phone only to Apple or your carrier—never a stranger or unattended kiosk.

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Why You Should Watch the Video • Real CCTV clips of grab-and-go heists. • A step-by-step demo of the kiosk flip. • Details of the Feb 2025 FBI bust that dismantled a 13-person iPhone-fencing network. • A rapid-fire walkthrough of the five settings above—shown on-screen so you can follow along.

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Stay safe, stay smart, and keep your tech working for you—not the thieves.