Found an iPhone 5s

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Level 1

10 points

Found an iPhone 5s

Found an iPhone 5s, turned it into New York Police Department, and now it has been returned to me, i.e. under New York State's Lost and Found Property statute (Sec 252-258), the iPhone is now legally mine with no history (as if purchased from factory.)

Despite this, have been unable to get Apple to unlock phone: keep being told that corporate policy is that only the original owner can get it unlocked, but I am now the original legal owner.

Point here is that Apple should be encouraging people to turn over lost iPhones to police and if not claimed (the time depends on the state), the phone is theirs and Apple will resent to factory settings. Yet there is no way other than writing this note to get the issue addressed.

Posted on Feb 9, 2016 4:13 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 9, 2016 5:02 PM in response to carroll2135

carroll2135 wrote:

Found an iPhone 5s, turned it into New York Police Department, and now it has been returned to me, i.e. under New York State's Lost and Found Property statute (Sec 252-258), the iPhone is now legally mine with no history (as if purchased from factory.)

Despite this, have been unable to get Apple to unlock phone: keep being told that corporate policy is that only the original owner can get it unlocked, but I am now the original legal owner.

Point here is that Apple should be encouraging people to turn over lost iPhones to police and if not claimed (the time depends on the state), the phone is theirs and Apple will resent to factory settings. Yet there is no way other than writing this note to get the issue addressed.

<Retitled by Host>

Writing the note will not get it addressed; this is a user-to-user technical support forum, and Apple is not present except as moderators. If you have a document from the police saying that you are the rightful owner take that and the phone to an Apple store and see if they will make an exception for you. I know they will for a deceased relative, and they won't for a found phone, but yours falls into a grey area.

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Answer 2

carroll2135 Author

Level 1

10 points

Feb 9, 2016 5:17 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Have gone to Apple Store, had them make a case number (R184405814), but they just repeat the "corporate policy" mantra.

If Apple was serious about encouraging good behavior within the Apple community, this would be a no brainer: even their own people agree, but they say there is nothing they can do except "kicking it upstairs."

What it obvious is that Apple is such a top own organization that no one appears to feel that they have the authority to do anything.

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