Alert! Thieves can lock you out of your Apple account; check these 5 iPhone safety tips

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Apple iPhones have been known for their robust security features. However, as per a recent report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), criminals are taking advantage of Apple's recovery key mechanism to keep users locked out from their Apple accounts. The report shared an incident of an iPhone user, Greg Frasca, whose iPhone 14 Pro was stolen by thieves at a Chicago bar with the intention of draining his bank account and keep him away from any attempt to locate the iPhone remotely. To accomplish this, they changed the 46-year-old's Apple ID password using his passcode and activated the "recovery key" in Apple's security system, which left his account unreachable.

This can happen with other iPhone users too – "You could be locked out of your account permanently," the report warned. Fortunately, there are safety measures that you can implement to safeguard yourself from the scary aftermath of a stolen iPhone. Check what you should do to protect yourself from this threat.

It's advisable to enable Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone if it's compatible with this biometric security feature. Doing so will eliminate the need to enter your passcode in public. However, if you must use a passcode, choose an alphanumeric one. While four- and six-digit numeric passcodes are easy to remember, alphanumeric codes are more challenging for thieves to crack since they combine numbers and letters.

The report suggests that you can strengthen your Apple ID security by using a Screen Time Password as an additional layer of protection. The only downside is that you will have to enter the Screen Time Password every time you need to make modifications to your Apple ID, which can be frustrating. Nevertheless, it can be beneficial for the added security