Can I get back contacts from a wiped phone?

mandz

Long story but my iphone 4 was stolen last weekend. After finally giving up hope of getting it back I set it to wipe the phone when whoever had the phone connected it to internet.

After purchasing my new phone today (5s) I got a call from the phone shop to say that they had just received in my old phone! As phone had been blacklisted it wouldn't work so the guy went into the shop. All my stuff was gone from the phone and the new "owner" had renamed phone etc. Anyhow I set that phone to download the new IO7 software while I went to sync my new phone. All my contacts were on icloud and when I plugged in new phone to sync all my contacts disappeared! I've tried restoring an old back up but contacts didn't show up. Have I any way of getting the contacts back can anyone tell me?

Zcott

Have you looked on iCloud.com for them? Alternatively do you have any old local backups on your computer?

mandz

They were on icloud right up until I tried syncing new phone then they just disappeared! I've tried restoring the last back up I had done on icloud which was months ago - I'm not great at backing up stuff which will now change. I'm wondering if I get network to unlock my old phone that it can be used again would I have a way of getting contacts from it. Ive spent the night on this and just really feel disheartened now. I thought changeover would be simple.

mandz

ok seems after 5 hours i somehow got them back!

crixos30

You may have contacts switched on in one of your email addresses also if you re added the mail that's where they were

LukeS_

Just for future purposes -- you should really set up Google Sync (https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/138740?hl=en) for situations like this. Saves a lot of sweaty palms! Once it's set up, your current (and any future contacts you add in your contact list) will automatically sync up to your GMail.

fergusb

Another cool thing about Google Sync is you can rollback to snapshots of your contacts. I accidentally deleted all my contacts on Google a few years ago and was able to use the Restore Contacts to get all the contacts back. Would definitely recommend and is pretty easy to set up.

bladebrew

If you dont mind me asking, did someone buy a stolen phone then go into the phone shop wondering why it didnt work:eek:??
What did the phone shop do when the guy turned up are they allowed just take it off him?
Something similar happened years ago where i work, there was a break in one night then they idiots went back into a store with one of the stolen products:)

mandz

bladebrew wrote: »

If you dont mind me asking, did someone buy a stolen phone then go into the phone shop wondering why it didnt work:eek:??
What did the phone shop do when the guy turned up are they allowed just take it off him?
Something similar happened years ago where i work, there was a break in one night then they idiots went back into a store with one of the stolen products:)

Yup! 5 mins after I'd just bought my new phone - and I found out later that my sister had by chance been in the shop when it happened! You could not make this up.

Apparently guy looked about 18 and went in with his mam saying he'd bought it and it wasn't working. Guy in shop asked how much did he pay for it that it was stolen (he'd checked the serial no.) and he was confiscating it and had to let authorities know. My sis wasn't there for all of it. Allegedly the young guy bought it for €50 off someone. When they deleted stuff off it they left my photos in photo stream too so some of my pics were still on it.

Think they let him off and just rang me to say they had my phone. Only for I had it blacklisted the day before he'd have got away with it. Will teach "Nate Dawg" (as he renamed my phone) a lesson - if it's too good to be true it probably isn't!!