Activation lock

Hey there!

Activation Lock is a feature which Apple uses to prevent stolen devices from being used. Activation Lock may have activated if the previous owner of the device did not turn off Find My before passing the device onto you.

I'd recommend you read the article over at Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support for how to remove the device from the previous owners account.

Head over to Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support for more information on Activation Lock.

If your device is Activation Locked, this help page will provide most of the information that you’ll need:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201365

If you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com

To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:

• Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
• Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
• Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID

Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.

More information about recovery of your AppleID:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201354

More information about recovery of your AppleID password:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487

When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:

https://appleid.apple.com

I'd recommend you Contact Apple Support

Activation Lock usually wouldn't happen unless someone else has logged into the device previously.