Activation lock with proof of purchase

Apple will only unlock an Activation Locked device for the original owner, not for any subsequent owner even though they have a purchase document, so I'm sorry to say that in the situation you describe there is no way you are ever going to use the phone. Take it back to the reseller and demand a refund: they have sold you a useless device if they can't contact the original owner to get him to unlock it.

Huh? Marriage advisor? No. It was just an example where a person could have both the device and the receipt and still not be the legal owner of the device. What you are missing is the proof of transfer of ownership which as far as Apple is concerned is the device having been removed from the previous owner's iCloud account. Even if you had that, Apple has no stated policy about device unlocking and can simply refuse if you cannot convince the store manager you are the owner. It is up to the manager. You can try another store but you may find it to be the same. Them unlocking it is a favor to you, not a requirement on the part of Apple and certainly not one they have to extend to a second owner. The store from which you bought it was in error, basically selling you a non-functioning iPhone.

Along the lines of what Roger Wilmut says, Apple has no fixed policy about this and it is up to the store manager under what conditions they will unlock a device. It is quite possible a device could not be yours even if you have the original receipt but that's with somebody elses name. One person in a case of divorced couples could have walked away with a spouse's device and the receipt and it certainly doesn't belong to that person.

You have, I assume, proof of purchase from the reseller. This has no value with Apple: your complaint is with the reseller. I understand your frustration - it's galling to buy an expensive item and find it doesn't work, but this is the situation. Complain to the reseller - in the EU there are laws about selling goods which don't work.

So you bought it from the owner who bought it from AT&T? Get him/her to remove the lock. There are many help articles for dealing with forgotten IDs and passwords and the person needs to follow recommendations in those (there are severak si I am not going to paste links to them until I know which you need). If the original owner can log into iCloud they can remotely remove the device from their listing. We just did that with a pair of iPads belonging to my sister. Or the original owner stands a better chance at having Apple reset their device for them.

Resellers, as we use the term, are usually third party vendors who are not authorized by Apple.

Apple provides no warranty support for cellular devices outside of the country of purchase.

Your description of the issue is vague which is why we are being vague. I don't know if the reseller from whom you obtained the device is somebody off e-bay or an authorized Apple retailer. Right now we have the possibilities it was a shady dealer off e-bay to it is a relative on their deathbed. What is clear is:

1) Apple has no official policy about unlocking devices. Some stores may do it if you can convince them to their satisfaction, others may say "no" and that's it. Since it is not a service mentioned on any Apple web site, asking to have it done is entirely up to the mercy of the store. A place can decide they simply don't want to deal with it even if you can prove you are the original owner. Apparently if you are you stand a better chance of convincing them to do it, but they can decide where they draw the line since it is a service which does not officially exist.

2) You apparently have a USA device in Europe which places you on a weaker footing since Apple normally won't even consider trying to offer service to a cellular device outside the country of origin.

3) Apple does have a series of assistance for people to recover their Apple IDs. So their official recovery method is to do their best so the owner (and ownership in this case is defined as the person whose Apple ID has locked the phone) is able to recover their ID.

As I already stated, a receipt not in your name is proof of nothing.

I understand you are frustrated and your topic about this is just one of the dozen or so I see here every day for the past 5 years. Before then it was complaints from people about how easy it was for a thief to reset a stolen phone and why didn't Apple do something about it, so I guess you can't win.

Like I said, go to the reseller and demand a refund.

The car analogy is not identical. In the case of cars there has to be a legal transfer of ownership demonstrated by the previous owner signing the transfer of the paper title, and a specific procedure is provided for that. If you have a car and the keys to a car that does not demonstrate ownership. In fact I was told if we later wanted additional keys for our car I would have to present the car title and identification at the dealership.

In the case of a device the equivalent would be for the former owner to remove the device from their device listing in iCloud or disabling Find My on the device itself, which unfortunately this person did not. Right now you have a car and a key that does not work and no way to get a new key without the title demonstrating ownership. Since there is no set policy we don't know exactly what would be required other than it is unfortunate the original owner did not remove the device from their list. Until it is removed from their iCloud it is still "their" device.

There is no reason why a re-seller might not be in possession of stolen goods. They may not even know it. I'm not saying this one was stolen but they made the mistake of accepting a locked phone. It would be like a used car dealer buying a car from somebody and not requiring the title be signed to demonstrate transfer of ownership. The analogy is not 100% identical since in this case it is more like they sold you a used car but never got the title or keys from the original owner and without the title you can't get replacement keys.

The bottom line is, the re-seller made the mistake and Apple doesn't have to do anything for you about this since you aren't even the original owner and you can't prove you don't have a stolen device.