Update apple ID. Someone is using my email address as their ID

So what is obviously a Google Mail issue is the fault of Apple.

No I do not use Google for my personal email address.

You have tagged onto a thread where using Gmail seems to be a common factor. The issue identified is that Gmail does not recognize email addresses with periods between digits.

If your issue is different, you and Apple are both better served by starting your own topic and explaining in detail what the issue is and what you have done to resolve it, however unsuccessful. Instead of an obscure rant on someone else's mostly dead thread.

This is not a Gmail issue, this is an issue with Apple not verifying email addresses when someone uses one as their Apple ID.

I'm an original poster to this thread quite a long time ago and have verified this issue several times.

I have created Apple ID's with email addresses that do not even exist, and there is no verification of any kind. In the example I cited earlier I could use Barack.Obama@usa.gov and Apple will happily let me use that without ever verifying that I in fact own and use that email address.

So if I do that, and Mr. President decides he wants to set up his Apple ID with that same address, which he in fact owns, he cannot, because I've already done so and am squatting on that address.

I encourage you to try the same yourself with any fake/non-existent address and see for yourself.

As I read this thread - there is only a partial solution. Since my problem like some others on this thread is not related to Gmail it is not a solution to my problem. I am researching a solution as we speak because someone who can not receive e-mail at my personal e-mail address has used my personal e-mail address for their Apple User ID.

You can defend the stupidity of this situation if you like, or try and deflect the validity my issue but it really is not defensible. So unless you have something helpful to add please don't waste my time with the obvious. I know this thread does not resolve my problem.

So can I assume that Apple is unwilling to revoke that ID?

How could apple revoke it? It's a catch-22. They can't (or won't) verify ownership of the email address so how could they conceivably revoke it? They could be revoking a perfectly legitimate ID. This would lead to nothing more than ID hijacking.

It's a very simple fix. Apple must verify all email addresses when a new Apple ID is created. You enter your email ID, you get a confirmation email, you click a link, and *voila* they have verified that you own that email address.

It's only how millions of self-registration websites/portals handle things.

Of course you are correct about what they should do, but while they may not want to be authoritative it is certainly possible for them to enforce retroactively. In the event of a dispute it would take little effort on the part of myself to prove I am the legitimate owner of that e-mail address.

Nobody can tell me Apple can not easily contact that other user and offer them the opportunity to prove they own that e-mail address or select another username. Once it is proven that that e-mail address is not controlled by the other user - Apple should award that ID to me.

I seriously doubt I can do anything about this issue especially considering you have worked for years on this issue yourself, but if I do get satisfaction I will certainly let you know. Question is where do you go to complain about something like this.

It's a good question and one I can't address.

Personally, I've spoken with my wallet. I purchase absolutely nothing via iTunes, the App Store or my Apple ID. I've abandoned iTunes completely as a media management tool (thanks Rdio) and ultimately my Apple ID does nothing but backup my iPhone to iCloud. Since any Apple device I posess are provided by my employer, I have not given Apple one single penny of my own, nor will I ever until this, and other issues like it, are resolved.

I submitted an e-mail for support where I stated my case and asked for help. I receive an automated response in Spanish from the "iTunes Store". To bad I don't read Spanish. They were kind enough to include in this response my original comments - my name, e-mail address, language preference and support topic that has nothing to do with "iTunes".

I hope the follow up promised in 24 to 48 hours is not also in Spanish.

Hi Guys,

I've had a similar issue today about half an hour ago

I received emails from Applie saying that somebody had signed up to AppleID with my Gmail address and needed it confirming. The strange thing is the users name was my moms name from a previous marriage?

It says that they're using a 5s, disabled the find my iphone feature and they now have FaceTime and the other messenger activated.

I did not verify the first email. What I have done is log in to appleid using my email and forgot password feature and reset the password.

Could someone shed some light on this? Thanks in advance 🙂

I'm new to Apple and this is the welcome I get? I tried to create my Apple ID account with my personal email, the one I've been using for more than 10 years and I get a warning that the email is not available. Out of curiosity I proceeded to reset the address (knowing that I've never created an Apple ID before) and I got an email from Apple in German. With the help of a translator I completed the reset and I'm greeted with an strange name. How could have this happened?

Should I trust Apple any further with my credit cards and personal information? Since I don't see a way to delete this account, there's NO WAY I'm using this same account. I will use my alternate email instead. But I can say that this has made me very suspicious.

If your issue isn't for using a gmail address to create the Apple ID, then you have a different issue than is the main topic of this old thread.

After 3 years you still don't understand the issue.

Someone typed in my email address when they created their apple id. It's never verified because I didn't click on the verify link on the email address. The person can still use the appleid account regardless of the fact that it was never verified. That's the problem. I don't know why you would someone else email account when signing up for something but it happens all the time. It's stupid. Some people just don't get how the internet/email works.

The verify email should come with a disavow link, so that this other person can not use my email address. Gmail does this, Twitter does this, why can't Apple? Forward this to your bosses and get this resolved. It's been three years for god's sake

Apple is not here. Apple does not answer questions here. I do not work for Apple.

This is a user to user tech support forum. Everyone here is a user of Apple products, just like you.