The rise of “porch pirates” using leaked tracking data to steal iPhones

Thieves have found a new way to steal various goods, especially Apple products.

It has been reported that the new theft “trend” started in the US, where thieves would use leaked tracking data to drop in and steal items that have been left unattended after a delivery person leaves the packaging.

The main target is iPhone shipments, usually those that are sent from AT&T, a mobile carrier company, through FedEx.

One of the main factors in the scheme is the shipping-related information that thieves could’ve acquired through a leak or by getting it off the black market.

It was reported that in 2024, 58 million people in the US were affected by “porch pirates”. The thieves stole $12 billion worth of goods, primarily Apple products.

The way the scheme works is that after a package is delivered to a person’s home, due to thieves seeing it happen in real-time, they’re able to quickly retrieve the package before the actual owner collects it.

CNET reports that this kind of theft is spreading across the United States, with cases reported in New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

Some arrests have been made, where teenagers and young adults have been caught. However, not all cases have been successful when it comes to identifying the thieves.

One of the main questions is how they’re able to get the tracking information. While it has been speculated that such information has become available due to a leak, no shipping company has yet informed about a possible data breach.

Some shipping companies, such as FedEx, don’t require users to provide signature confirmation, often leaving delivered items unattended and making it easier for thieves to steal packages at the “right” moment.

To avoid such situations, people are advised to request signature confirmation for high-value items, have a locked delivery box, or use in-garage delivery services. A video doorbell, which could notify of any motion in real-time, also helps.

The phone theft situation has started a discussion online, with many agreeing that the problem could be related to AT&T and its internal security.

“My guess is a current or former employee who still has network access. Or someone who is able to log in as an employee due to name a reason. My guess is AT&T is like many companies who view good IT security just as an expense and not as a necessary asset,” wrote one Reddit user.

“It’s definitely internal fraud. Someone on the ‘inside’ has access to tracking and passes it off to the thieves for a cut,” noted another.

Some users were also interested in why someone would risk stealing a phone that can be easily traceable or blocked: “Why would you ever steal an iPhone? These can all be remotely bricked at this point, can they not?”

While new smartphones come with increased security features, trends regarding device theft haven’t changed much. Phones are still regularly getting stolen for valuable data and parts.