My sister had a brain meltdown last Xmas and my mother is insane.
I'm stuck in the middle trying to help and deal with my mother's lies on one side and failing health and insanity on the other.

For the past six months I've been trying to locate my sister's phone and receiving vague answers from lot of people that have been looting my mother's place for ages... This afternoon the phone magically resurfaced in a drawer that had been checked at least 5 times... One wonders.

Cutting to the chase. It's a Samsung S8+ as far as I can tell. No telling how many times person's unknown have tried the combination to unlock it. Not willing to try unless someone I trust tells me it is safe to do so.
Believe it's a rare model down these parts and not risking to give it to any shop, I can screw it myself for free if it comes to that.

Hints and sound advice welcomed.

Thank you.

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Did your sister use fingerprint or face recognition?

Have no clue. Had never seen the phone or my sister using it before.
Her mind is a wandering mystery. Tried to get some email and banking passwords out of her to no avail. She can't remember a thing.

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Not sure abut the S8, but know the S7 has a setting (not necessarily default) to wipe the phone after 5 wrong attempts.

If that setting is not chosen, it will lock for a short time before allowing more tries.

Maybe try a sim card swap?

If you don't need the data from the phone.... How to factory reset S8.

Been looking for the phone for months, I was surprised to find it today so easily.

Makes me wonder where it had been since my sister is under medical care and how many times someone tried to access it.

I "mentioned" to those who would listen, that it was easy to locate the device and whomever lived near that location would have to deal with the Police or worse.

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