Removing previous owner's Apple ID from an old iPod

Of course you cannot remove the account of another person. If you could, then someone could steal your device and remove you to set it up as their own. That would defeat the whole purpose of locking a device to the owner. The person who entered their Apple Account is the only person that can remove it. That is by design. Apple certainly will not do it for you and would find themselves liable if they did. The only way they would do that is if you were able to produce the original purchase receipt that shows you purchased the device from them. They will not get involved in any third party sales or transfers of a device.

Apple Support is correct. If this is a second-hand iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), and it is Activation Locked to someone else, you cannot remove the lock without that person’s help - and Apple won’t.

Return the iPod touch to your friend, and ask him or her to remove their Apple ID from the device and return it to you afterwards. If you can’t do that, or your friend can’t or won’t remove the Apple ID from the device, it will remain a “brick.”

Re: “… When I contacted Apple Support and they told me that there was nothing they can do and that the iPod is basically a paper weight now … “

Sorry, but they were correct !!!

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying … - Apple Community

A family member can request the account to be removed from the device when the owner is deceased. It does require additional documentation and not even sure if that is a possibility in your case where the assistance of a family member would be needed. Just wanted to include the option due to this additional information provided.

How to request access to a deceased family member’s Apple Account - Apple Support

Return it to your friend A.S.A.P. ⚠️

You don’t know if it was stolen.

Good luck! 👋🏼😉