How to find the owner of an ipad that my dad found?

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Level 1

4 points

How to find the owner of an ipad that my dad found?

Hello,
my dad found an ipad about 20 days ago (wifi-3G). He didn't know what it was. Back from his trip, my sister bought a power cord to see if she could find information about the owner but the device looks blocked, deactivated, I don't know how to say it (I don't have the ipad in my hands, and English is not my first language 🙂.
I called the airport where it was lost, and I haven't heard back from them.
I called Apple, left the ipad serial number and reported the find, I haven't heard from them either yet (this happened today though).
My guess is that the owner thought it was lost (after 20 days) and wiped it off? Deactivated it? Or what else? I told my sister to leave it on. It just got a message that says: Welcome to roaming international... etc etc (what does it mean, other than it's in a different country? that it's working?)

Anyway, do you think there is a way to ever return the ipad to the legit owner?

For obvious reasons I am not going to post the serial number here 🙂
I only wish that when I called Apple, they would match the serial number with the owner and give me the contact. Think this will happen?
Thanks

Posted on Dec 1, 2010 11:37 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Robert Sandhaus

Level 1

15 points

Dec 1, 2010 11:43 AM in response to fetta

When I found an iPod, I did what you did -- called Apple and provided the serial number and left my contact info. Within a week, I received an email from the previous owner who was overjoyed that his unit had been found. I mailed it to him and everyone lived happily ever after. So I expect you'll likely hear from the owner.

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Answer 2

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:00 PM in response to fetta

You should also, if you haven't already, report the finding to the police in the area where your father found the iPad, just in case the owner happened to file a lost item report.

I only wish that when I called Apple, they would match the serial number with the owner and give me the contact. Think this will happen?

Apple for privacy reasons could not give you that information. They have no way of knowing that you are indeed honest and are not trying to contact the owner for some illegitimate purpose. If Apple contacts anyone, it will be the owner directly.

Regards.

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Answer 3

fetta Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:01 PM in response to Robert Sandhaus

ah thanks, I was confused about what the operator told me (neither one of us spoke english as a first language, so I hope we got our spelling and numbers right!)
It sounded like eventually the owner would contact me, so your reply is confirming this.

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Answer 4

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:07 PM in response to fetta

I only wish that when I called Apple, they would match the serial number with the owner and give me the contact

Hopefully you left Apple your contact info (name phone #, email address).
Apple would simply pass your contact to the last registered owner. It would be up to the owner to contact you. As Dave mentioned, Apple will not give you any info (except may to tell you it was or was not registered, but not to who). Turn it on once in a while and maybe they have activated FindMyiPad and a message will pop up (don't need to be logged onto the iPad to a message).

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Answer 5

fetta Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:12 PM in response to varjak paw

Dave, yes I said it wrong, I just meant I hoped they could match the serial number and the owner right away, and have me and the owner (somewhat) get in touch.

+report the finding to the police in the area where your father found the iPad+

this would be complicated. he found it in Amsterdam, and is now in Italy. But I called the airport reporting the finding, date and location. I thought that was enough, hopefully the airport lost and found communicates with the airport police?

Thanks for your answers though, I hope this will end well.

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Answer 6

fetta Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:16 PM in response to Chris CA

Chris yes, I left my contact (phone number and email address).
And yes I told my sister to leave it on, and see if a message pops up.

Hope to give you good news 🙂

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Answer 7

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:16 PM in response to fetta

If it was found in the Amsterdam airport and you called the airport and reported it to their lost and found department, that should be sufficient.

Regards.

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Answer 8

fetta Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:31 PM in response to varjak paw

Yes Dave, correct.

If I don't hear from the guy in a few days, I will call Apple back with my case number and make sure they got my email address right, just in case.

Forum question: I want to mark the replies as helpful. But I guess my question is answered? How does it work? It's my first time here. Thanks

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Answer 9

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:38 PM in response to fetta

If your question is Answered (even if any posts did nothing) click Answered at top left of the topic. This shows the question as complete.
If a specific post solved it for you, click Solved at the top of the correct post. Only one post per question can be Solved.
If any other posts here helpful, click Helpful at the top of the specific posts. Only two posts per question can be Helpful.

You can use any/all/none you want but you should at least mark the question as Answered.

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Answer 10

fetta Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:42 PM in response to fetta

Thanks for the replies, I've been thinking for 2 days about how to return this ipad!
I will wait until the owner contacts me, let you know about the happy ending, and then hit "solved"!
I know that solved is related to my question, and it has been solved... but I like to think about it as in "case solved"!
thanks again

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Answer 11

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Dec 1, 2010 2:25 PM in response to fetta

Good karma to you for being honest.

A good reason to make sure you products are registered.

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Answer 12

Dec 1, 2010 2:40 PM in response to fetta

I think i have a solution, if Apple took along timr and didnt find the owner, you can somehow unlock the ipad, and check the owners Email, and then contact him through the registered email on his lost ipad, remember , unlocking is breaking his privacy, but its the last solution to reach the owner.

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Answer 13

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Dec 1, 2010 2:57 PM in response to iPadKisser

Sorry, but that won't be possible. A locked iPad cannot be unlocked without doing a restore on it, and that erases all the data on the device.

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Answer 14

Dec 1, 2010 4:49 PM in response to varjak paw

You might be right, but there is "an under table illegal ways to get it unlocked" i dont know how, but ive seen shops in my country set posters " Unlock your ipad, iphone or blackberry" . So maybe its possible then.

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Answer 15

Dec 1, 2010 9:51 PM in response to Robert Sandhaus

Did you get any reward?

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