How Screen Time can keep your iPhone and iCloud accounts safe from thieves

Screen Time is not just for keeping the kids in line.

- JACKIE DOVE

It's almost as if having your iPhone stolen is worse than having your house robbed. It's not just losing an expensive device-your iPhone holds so much of your private life that criminals don't even have to do the work of ransacking your place for cash, jewelry, credit cards, and electronics.

Recent reports have detailed how criminals can use your iPhone to break into your iCloud and bank accounts to quickly drain your finances and steal your identity by permanently locking you out of your Apple account. That's in addition to cutting off contacts, notes, emails, and photos. How? As long as a thief has your unlocked phone (either by snatching it out of your hand while you're using it or surreptitiously observing you tap in your passcode), they can immediately change your passcode and Apple ID password, and from there even the iPhone Recovery Key-the only information that Apple currently recognizes as proof of your identity.