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Locked Account

Can anyone please help us? My wife had her apple I.D. and password hacked before CHRISTMAS!!! and her account was locked by Apple. Whoever had hacked her account apparently initiated two step verification- ( She had not!). She has been unable to update anything via iTunes ever since. She is asked for a "recovery key" that she has never been sent. She is asked to use a trusted device (her iPhone) to unlock the account but the last two numbers of the account (58) that is quoted do not belong to any of our phones.

On Apple Support advice she has restored her phone but to no avail.

They are proving very nice but seem unable to solve the problem.

She has even been to the London Apple Store who seemed clueless!

She is getting SOOO stressed about it!

Has anyone any idea how we can proceed???

Please!!!


iPhone 4S, iOS 9.2.1


iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 9, 2016 8:38 AM

Reply
6 replies

Feb 9, 2016 8:53 AM in response to Christopher Pratt

Apple ID security issues -

Account security issues almost always require you to speak directly to an Apple representative to securely establish your identity as the account holder. You can set it up so that Apple calls you, either immediately or at a time convenient to you.

1. Go to http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/

2. Choose Contact Support and click Contact Support

3. Choose Other Apple ID Topics and choose the appropriate topic for your issue (Security questions or password)

4. Choose, No Thanks, Continue

5. Choose the best method for you for contacting Apple


Late 2012 Mac mini, OS X El Capitan 10.11.2; Apple Watch, 38 mm silver AL, Watch OS 2.1; iPad Air 2 & iPhone 6+, iOS 9.2

Feb 9, 2016 9:52 AM in response to Christopher Pratt

Sadly, the hacker(s) was quite knowledgeable about Apple ID accounts. Activating two-step verification is what locked Apple out of recovering the account for your wife. It is when you initiate 2-step that you identify a trusted device and receive a recovery key. When you get the recovery key, Apple verifies to you that should you loose the key, the account is lost and Apple can't recover it for you.

Feb 9, 2016 10:59 AM in response to Dah•veed

She has been told that her account is dependent on her email address. I agree that she should move on. This is SOOOO stressful. Can she create a new ID? How? She has been told that IDs are email address dependent. So- if she creates a new address- solely for the Apple ID- is this possible? She was told she couldn't but I can't see a reason why not! She has only pence worth of apps.- BUT- She was told that the Apple ID was linked to the serial number of her computer. The phone is inconsequential but she has a massive data base, representing YEARS of work, on her computer and is extremely unwilling to do anything that might compromise it. More importantly- she can't download and update any OS software. Come on Apple- Help!!!

Suggestions???


Question therefore- is the Apple ID linked to the computer's serial No?

What happens therefore if one gives/sells the computer to a new owner?

Does one have to initialise the machine?

She has all her files backed up on an external hard drive of course.

If we have to reinitialise the Mac we will but the mind boggles at her justified response if she loses her research files. Best not go there.


MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!

Feb 9, 2016 11:14 AM in response to Christopher Pratt

As long as she has cancelled any credit cards that may have been registered in the Apple Store and iTunes & Mac App Store accounts tied to that Apple ID, I don't understand how the account has a lot of value to the hacker at this point beyond being able to update and redownload the "pence worth" of content associated with the account.


You may make as many Apple IDs as you deem necessary. It just takes an email address that isn't associated with a previous Apple ID. It's just that Apple can't transfer content from one Apple ID to another per the licensing agreement with 3rd parties. The license is to the Apple ID, not the person.


When one gives or sells a used Mac there are suggested steps to follow to do it in a kosher manner.

What to do before selling or giving away your Mac - Apple Support

She can't accomplish some of it as she doesn't have access to the Apple ID. I wager that very few folks know about or follow those steps.


What I would do is use Time Machine to back up the Mac to an ext HDD. Then I would erase the Mac and set it up as a new Mac with the new Apple ID, just as I suggested with the iPhone. While setting up the Mac, in the process she should be given the opportunity to migrate the Time Machine backup from the ext HDD.

Locked Account

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