If your mom's iPhone 14 was locked with a passcode and she used her Apple Watch to enable Lost Mode or lock the phone remotely, it significantly increases the security of her personal information. With the phone locked, unauthorized users would not be able to access the device or view its contents, such as messages, photos, or banking apps.
However, if her banking apps or important accounts are logged in and have their own security measures (like two-factor authentication), there is still a risk if someone can bypass those protections. Here are a few steps she should take to secure her information further:
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Change Passwords: Update passwords for her important accounts (email, banking, etc.) from another secure device.
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Enable Two-Factor Authentication: If she hasn't done so already, enabling two-factor authentication can help secure her accounts even further.
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Contact Banks: Notify her banks about the theft to monitor for any suspicious activity and follow their advice on securing her accounts.
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Use Find My iPhone: If not already enabled, she should configure Find My iPhone for future incidents to help locate or secure her device.
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Report to the Police: Filing a report with local authorities may help recover the device or prevent identity theft.
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Wipe the Phone Remotely: If there's sensitive information on the phone, she can consider wiping it remotely using Find My iPhone.
By taking these steps, she can better protect her information from being accessed by anyone who may have stolen her phone.