Best security idea ever? I think so. And internet justice is sweet.

In a bit of a twisted tale from the Consumerist blog (which I have recently become enamored with (in case you can't tell from the other stories posted)), a man lost his iPhone. "So what?" you might say. Well, what happened afterwards is the most genius low-tech security method I've ever known. And a wonderful tale of internet justice and retribution.

Do you know this guy? [ed. photos removed] He seems to be in the possession of the iPhone that Dino's dad lost. Before losing the phone, his dad set up a rule where any email sent from the phone blind-cc'ed his personal email address, which we think is a pretty brilliant low-tech security solution for tracking down a lost/stolen phone or laptop.

Was hoping you could give me some advice. My dad (64) lost his iphone today. He went to the At&T store and had the service stopped and got a SIM card to put into his old cell phone.

Well he checked his aol account tonight and saw pictures of some guy holding an iphone up and taking pics in the mirror. My dad had it set up that he was BCC on emails sent out on the iphone.

We emailed the the recipient of the emails to ask who was in these pictures and that we would like the phone back. He hasn't responded back yet.

What should we do? I think in the morning my dad will file a report with the police. I tried googling the email address ([redacted]@hotmail.com) and no luck with that. Do you have any other advice we should do to get back the phone?
I posted the pics on flickr. If this is seen widely on the Internet do you think it would shame the guy into give us back the phone?

- Dino A.
Paramus , NJ

If he found the phone and didn't immediately bother looking through it for a way to contact the owner, we imagine he plans on keeping it. If it was stolen, we're pretty certain shame will not help. But who knows?

One guy whose Sidekick got stolen was able to track down the culprits because they took pictures of themselves on it. He set up a site posting the pictures and an ad-hoc internet manhunt formed and eventually they caught the guy.

On the off chance this was all a good-natured mixup (or he bought it used and didn't know it was stolen/lost), we'll post your story.

You might want to email him again with a detailed description of what was on the phone, as well as any identifying marks and likely places where it was lost or stolen, so that he knows you're not a scammer yourself.

Oh, and before anyone does or says anything too douche-y about the guy in the photos, remember that we really don't know how he came about it.

- Source

Turns out the Consumerist fanbase was able to find the guy who stole the phone with a mere 55 minutes.

Wow, that was impressive! In less than one hour after we posted about Dino's dad's lost iPhone, Consumerist readers were able to locate his Facebook and Hi5 accounts, track down his name and home address, and even get him to respond via email—something Dino and his dad weren't able to do yesterday. Dino just wrote us and said "Michael Smith/Emerson" contacted him and promised to return the phone tomorrow.

OMG you guys are the best. Guess what? The guy called and will give my dad his phone back tomorrow. He saw this blog and asked to take down the pictures. Thank you very much for your help. The power of the internet is amazing. I will take down his pics on Flickr. I am glad this guy is doing the right thing and returning lost property. Thank you very much Consumerist! You have made my dad's day.

Dino adds, "He said he found it in a parking lot, which is probably what happened... possibly fell off a belt holster my dad uses." But here's something that's more interesting, especially in light of the kid's "I was going to return it" defense:

My dad also had a sticker on the back of the phone with his home phone number on it. But looks like the kid removed it before he took the self pics (something that someone who was going to return a phone from the get go wouldn't have done).

Anyway thanks again for your help, i was telling my dad he's famous now. But i'll let you know once my dad get the phone back tomorrow.
- Source

The iPhone was eventually returned and internet justice has done its work. Take that bad guys!