Since reporting on a rash of iPhone thefts that rob victims of their digital lives, we’ve heard from lots of readers with one big question: How do I protect my precious assets—from photos in the cloud to money in the bank?

Thieves are watching people type in their iPhone passcodes, then snatching the devices, not only making off with the hardware but also gaining access to the precious Apple
ID and other important online accounts. Victims have lost thousands of dollars and many have been locked out of their Apple accounts permanently. That means no photos, videos and notes, and even potentially losing access to their AirPods or AppleWatches.

Like you, this reporting made us want to do more to safeguard our digital lives and finances in the event of a theft. We believe Apple should reduce the power of the passcode and do more to protect accounts from phone-jackers.

An Apple spokesman said, “We work tirelessly every day to protect our users’ accounts and data, and are always investigating additional protections against emerging threats like this one.”

Meanwhile, here are four areas where you can protect yourself, with step-by-step instructions on what to do.

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