HT201441: Turn off Find My iPhone Activation Lock

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Tomnkat0306
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Why can't Apple send a request to have a device released from their account if it was purchased or given legaly but have no way to do it themselves

MY father had purchased a 4th Gen IPad from someone online but the person had mentioned that they did not have the password to there apple ID. My father who have never owned an apple product didn't know the problem and risk of not being able to set up the IPad to a new user because it was never erased before receiving the device. So my question is to Apple support! Why can't Apple upon a request, be able to send an email or message to a linked phone number of a device in that is in question. To have the device taken off of an account if it was purchased or given away legaly or was not stolen. Or if they just don't want the device linked to them anymore?  In my dads case  because he has no clue who the original owner is and cannot contact that person there should be another way by Apple to fix a problem that I suspect many people have that can easily be solved. also it can let others know if it was stolen and what they can do to fix or compensate an owner so a device that is not working can possibly be used once again. It seems Apple could help many people!

iPad 2, iOS 9.1

Posted on Dec 13, 2015 9:52 PM

by gail from maine,Solvedanswer
gail from maine gail from maine
Level 7 (27,041 points)
iCloud
A:

This topic has been discussed at length on several threads in this forum. You have stated the problem clearly in your post. Your father purchased an iPad from "someone online" who "mentioned" that they did not have the password to their Apple ID. How do you know that the person who sold your father the iPad wasn't lying about not knowing the password? What if they didn't know the password because it wasn't their iPad, but rather an iPad that they stole from someone, and then were turning around for a quick buck? What proof do you have that the iPad is "legitimate". The Activation Lock on it, implies otherwise.

 

Any legitimate Apple device owner is not going to tell you they "don't remember" their password. Resetting your Apple ID password is not difficult to do. And anyone selling an Apple device is likely to know about the Activation Lock even if the unsuspecting person they are selling it to does not.

 

Sorry, but your father was defrauded. If the seller was legitimate, they would have taken the iPad back and refunded your father's money.

 

Your situation, based on the way you described it, is exactly the kind of thing that the Activation Lock was put in place for. Sorry if your Dad was taken for a ride, but it sounds like you need to pick a bone with the person your purchased the device from - not Apple or the Activation Lock technology.

 

Best of luck,

 

GB

Posted on Dec 13, 2015 10:46 PM

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Tomnkat0306

Q: Why can't Apple send a request to have a device released from their account if it was purchased or given legaly but have no way to ... more

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  • by gail from maine,Solvedanswer

    gail from maine gail from maine Dec 13, 2015 10:46 PM in response to Tomnkat0306
    Level 7 (27,041 points)
    iCloud
    Dec 13, 2015 10:46 PM in response to Tomnkat0306

    This topic has been discussed at length on several threads in this forum. You have stated the problem clearly in your post. Your father purchased an iPad from "someone online" who "mentioned" that they did not have the password to their Apple ID. How do you know that the person who sold your father the iPad wasn't lying about not knowing the password? What if they didn't know the password because it wasn't their iPad, but rather an iPad that they stole from someone, and then were turning around for a quick buck? What proof do you have that the iPad is "legitimate". The Activation Lock on it, implies otherwise.

     

    Any legitimate Apple device owner is not going to tell you they "don't remember" their password. Resetting your Apple ID password is not difficult to do. And anyone selling an Apple device is likely to know about the Activation Lock even if the unsuspecting person they are selling it to does not.

     

    Sorry, but your father was defrauded. If the seller was legitimate, they would have taken the iPad back and refunded your father's money.

     

    Your situation, based on the way you described it, is exactly the kind of thing that the Activation Lock was put in place for. Sorry if your Dad was taken for a ride, but it sounds like you need to pick a bone with the person your purchased the device from - not Apple or the Activation Lock technology.

     

    Best of luck,

     

    GB

  • by Tomnkat0306,

    Tomnkat0306 Tomnkat0306 Dec 13, 2015 11:23 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 13, 2015 11:23 PM in response to gail from maine

    I Understand there are a lot of scams, it doesn't state on the activation screen that it is a stolen or lost device. My point is that APPLE could easily make it possible for the original owner to say "yes" I release this device from my account or no it is stolen and I would like my device back! And a way of doing so. sure it is most likely the case that it is stolen but there are legitimate cases where there is no foul play and matters can be resolved if there was a link through Apple. i like the fact that Apple has a way of locking a device but I also like the idea of being able to unlock a device through a request from Apple to an owner by request. The owner still has total control of locking or unlocking the device. When my father got the Ipad it was working perfectly fine except for the fact that the icloud account was not deleted every thing else was cleared on the iPad he had his itunes account on it all the other settings and accounts was in his name I told him to restore his iPad and start it as a new device cause I didn't want his personal accounts and passwords being stored on somebody else's iCloud that could be easily used for identity theft. That's why it's in the state that it's in now.  He has no way to contact the owner of the account. All I'm asking is for a way to do so and a simple yes or no to release a device to an account! Is that to much to ask.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Dec 14, 2015 3:56 PM in response to Tomnkat0306
    Level 7 (27,041 points)
    iCloud
    Dec 14, 2015 3:56 PM in response to Tomnkat0306

    Yes it is too much to ask. Apple does not lock the device, the owner does. And Apple will unlock a device that has the original proof of purchase. But Apple has no way to know who the "original owner" of a device is. How would they keep track of millions of devices and who has purchased them? Aside from privacy issues, it is unrealistic.

     

    And, if the original owner wants to remove the lock from their device, they have the ability to do that remotely via iCloud.

     

    So, again, the situation you are describing is simply not supportable. Apple doesn't know who the original owner is and the policy for Apple removing the lock is the original proof of purchase.

     

    Apple does remove the lock in situations where the original owner can prove they are the original owner. That is the only situation other than that where they will remove the lock.

     

    And finally, for future reference, there is a very simple way to determine if a device is Activation locked: Check Activation Lock Link

     

    If you are in a position in the future of purchasing a device from a 3rd party, be sure that you don't pay anything to them without finding this out.

     

    Best of luck,

     

    GB