I recently bought a iphone5 and icloud was never singed off what can I do? theres no way I get in contact with this person! What can I do???

If you purchased it from ebay or another service that provides buyer protection, file a claim and get your money back if the fact that it is Activation locked was not disclosed.

If you purchased it from an individual and it's truly impossible to contact them, then turn it over to the police as there's a high likelihood that the phone you bought was stolen. That or the seller was simply an idiot. Either way, it's useless to you.

Yes. Next time, stick to an authorized, or at least reputable source. Activation lock is very effective at rendering a lost or stolen phone unusable. It's already been credited with helping to significantly reduce the rate of iPhone thefts.