Help please to access iPhone - possible scam message

[Peridot1]

My dad is currently in hospital and he got a message on his iPhone saying his phone was reported stolen by Find my Phine and he needs to enter his Apple ID to unlock.

He can’t remember his Apple ID. But also we are worried it’s a scam. And he does banking on his iPad so we are worried that if it’s a scam he would be giving access.

But. We can’t get rid of the message and his phone is disabled. He can receive calls but that’s about it.

Any ideas? In very easy steps as we have to talk him through it as we obviously can’t go to him.

It is a scam he needs to ignore it. Google a tech expert

We know it’s a scam. He’s tried inputting a fake Apple ID but it didn’t work.

I just wondered if there were any tech experts on here who could explain how he can access his phone again. As we can’t get to him or the phone physically.

Is it asking for his Apple ID or a passcode?

Apple ID as far as I know. It’s hard because he’s 80 in hospital and panicking. If we could get the phone physically it would be easier but we can’t.

Anyway initially he could at least receive calls but that stopped. So now we have ordered him a new phone which he needed anyway. Plan is t change his iD before switching the sim into the new phone.

I often have to re-enter my Apple ID on my phone. You could do it by going to that page in settings and seeing if it has an action required there. It will tell you. Don't go via the message. Go directly to the setting.

support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204145

discussions.apple.com/thread/7090118

This discussion is about the find my phone scam. It might help.

Thanks @SciFiScream. The problem is we can’t physically get hold of the phone as he is in hospital and we can’t visit obviously. I saw the scam message thread - the difference is his phone hasn’t been stolen. He still has it. And he didn’t have Find My Phone set up as far as we know. So it’s all a bit odd. And could have been something he did himself unknowingly of course.

Anyway he is getting a new phone today which he was planning anyway. So hopefully it will get sorted.

That's great. In time you'll be able to get the old phone. Wipe it and sell it on.

Not sure it’s worth anything! It’s pretty old!