How do I assist someone with locked Apple Account and no recovery options?

CBD6 wrote:

Thank you for your reply. It's not clear whether you are the "moderator" here (so whomever, thank you for the title change as it is very helpful), or someone who wishes to answer the question, but your summary is accurate. The individual does not have access to email used to establish account as they do not have the password and it was established under a previous mobile device that was 3G, and here in AUS, there was a upgrade.

This is a user-to-user forum. The folks that work for Apple may or may not read postings around here, and seldom reply. The moderators here do work for Apple.

The easiest would be to incorporate the use of the most frequently used email account where we have password ability, but that would require deleting the account which doesn't appear possible without two step authorisation.

And you need to regain access to the Apple Account, probably using Account Recovery.

Recovery requires the devices associated with the account not be used for the duration of the recovery. Or if you cannot recover access to the Apple Account holding Activation Lock, you need to provide convincing proof of ownership such as an original purchase receipt from Apple or an authorized reseller, and a discussion with Apple Support.

As for how this password recovery procedures work now, the existing procedures are continuously tested by miscreants, crooks, scammers, and riffraff. Yes, people that can’t remember their own passwords and that lack enough context for Recovery to work can be permanently locked out. And they should be locked out, too. Because the alternative here is more problems for everybody; for should the recipients of lost or stolen devices to have a pay to useful devices means stolen devices and found devices become more valuable, and thefts become more common.

If (when?) you get this sorted and regain account access, consider adding a recovery contact, and consider adding a legacy contact.

• Set up an account recovery contact - Apple Support
• How to add a Legacy Contact for your Apple Account - Apple Support

Info about Apple Account Recovery, with a red highlight added:

How to use account recovery when you can’t reset your Apple Account password - Apple Support

As for how these messes can be created and can propagate, probably the most common sequence for a rep handling a new or newly-acquired device — whether Apple, Android, whatever — when the buyer is unable to remember their password is to create a new account. Get the device set up, get the buyer happy and working, and get the buyer moved along.

A summary of the posting: “Elderly friend needs help correcting Apple Account details. Unable to reset account or delete previous email account.”

I’m not particularly certain I understand what is being reported, and what is being requested.

Is your friend able to get to an Apple Store, where you might be able to meet and work with them and store staff? Remote support is difficult. At best.

I’m guessing that the core issue is loss of Apple Account access possibly involving two-factor access, and efforts to use Account Recovery to regain access, but the details here are unclear.

One of the things that will stop the account recovery process is using the device.

Why there also needs to be an account deleted here is unclear too, unless this is involving Activation Lock.

I tried to keep some folks on their longstanding iPhone and iPad gear, thinking that was most helpful. It wasn’t. Their own gear just frustrated them. While there are some newer features that might help reduce some of the complexity, such as Assistive Access, and features that can help with support too such as the Messages screen sharing feature, iPhone and iPad can be fundamentally frustrating.

Kaleemhashmi861 wrote:

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This doesn’t appear related to helping somebody remotely helping somebody else having issues with their Apple Account.

Please use the Ask The Community link at the top center of this webpage, and please post your own question in your own thread.

In your new thread, please provide a few mire details about the issue or concern you are encountering.

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