Three days later, Leo was staring at “iPhone Disabled. Connect to iTunes.” His blood pressure rose. The photos from his daughter’s birthday weren’t backed up. Neither were his notes from six months of lesson planning.

But he was desperate. He paid the $45 for a one-month license. The download was fast. The interface was clean. He clicked “Unlock Screen Passcode,” put the phone in recovery mode, and watched the progress bar crawl… 10%… 40%… 100%.

Leo wasn’t a tech reviewer. He was a high school history teacher who happened to buy a second-hand iPhone 12 from an online marketplace. The price was almost too good — $220. The seller seemed nice, said the phone was “clean,” but warned: “Forgot the passcode. You’ll have to reset it yourself.”

His smart thermostat cranked to 90°F. His laptop webcam light flickered on and off. Then his email received a password reset request — for his bank account.