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iPhone 7 activation issue

I bought an iPhone 7 online a couple of weeks ago.

Checked before I bought it, it has no iCloud lock, no carrier lock, no sim lock nothing.

Checked on Apple support page, it has a valid purchase date, valid warranty, valid tech support.

Everything looked ok but when I got the phone did an iOS restore and now it won't activate. Was working fine before restoring it.

Run an IMEI report and the only thing that I noticed not being right is under "Next Tether Activation Policy Description" it says "Chimaera Device Policy Applied".

Apple support was't much help figuring out what's wrong with it.


Anyone knows what this means and most importantly how can I fix it?

iPhone 7, iOS 10.2.1

Posted on Feb 15, 2017 5:31 PM

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Feb 15, 2017 6:24 PM in response to Allan Eckert

Spoke to them on the phone. They said their system shows that this iPhone is still at the apple store and it was not sold. But when I pointed out that on their support page shows a valid purchase date, warranty etc they said yes it doesn't make sense we need to check.

Make a long story short they are still checking and I'm stuck without a phone.

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Feb 16, 2017 11:41 AM in response to Yianni75

What that policy is and what it means is NOT relevant at all. Getting an answer from us will not change the fact that NO ONE HERE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND NEITHER CAN YOU. Your options are to return the phone for a refund if you're able and go buy one fro a legitimate source or wait for Apple to get back to you.

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Feb 16, 2017 12:17 PM in response to Yianni75

Where, exactly, did you buy the phone? A legitimate source would be defined as Apple, or an authorized Apple reseller. In the case of phones, that means an authorized carrier or the agent of an authorized carrier. There is no such thing as an authorized source for a 'used' phone. You buy a used phone, you take your chances. Sometimes it works out fine. Other times, not so much.. as you are discovering.

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Feb 16, 2017 8:15 PM in response to Yianni75

Hi there, I have the same issue, except i bought this phone and it already had the problem. I can also confirm the "Chimaera Device Policy Applied" listed as the next activation, as applecare told me this was the issue both over the phone and in person in the Apple Store. What country are you located in? there is one guy on reddit claiming that it can be used in the US (thread can be found here). There is another thread on some random forum claiming that this device was "unlocked using worldwide method" whatever that means, and that apple has since locked the device once they discovered this. (thread here)


I was hoping apple would just replace the device but no such luck.


If you get it sorted post back here!

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Feb 17, 2017 8:22 PM in response to Yianni75

I had an issue with my original Iphone 7 plus and Apple replaced it. The replacement has this Chimaera Device Policy (Apple informed me about it). I can't activate it. I have been in touch with second level support by phone and e-mail for more than a week and they told me that it cannot be fixed. I was told that Apple won't replace again my phone because all replacements will have the same issue. Go figure... Furthermore, the warranty on my iphone is all messed up ant it says that the phone has never been activated. They don't even answer my e-mails anymore. I'm seriously considering legal action. They have all kind of other issues with the activation (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/users-report-some-iphone-7-and-6s-models-ac tivation-locked-with-wrong-apple-ids.200…). I had all Iphones since the first one, but this is the first time that Apple can't work out a solution.

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Feb 19, 2017 5:09 PM in response to MMaus

Interesting, when I was in the apple store they said their info on my specific device was all screwy. Lack of purchase location, a ship date prior to the official ship date, and i think even the date of manufacture was after the date of sale. It was also missing a bunch of entries for other details about the phone i guess. Sounds a lot to me like this issue is completely apple side.

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Feb 19, 2017 7:31 PM in response to BarnBasher

I'm having the same issue with apple support. They told me that their system shows that my phone is still at apple store and it was never sold. When I showed them their own apple support web site where you can enter the phones serial number and get all the warranty info and they saw that it has a valid purchase date, a valid warranty, a valid tech support date and that I can still buy apple care for it, they couldn't explain it. They've been trying to figure it out for 3 weeks now.

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Nov 19, 2017 3:03 PM in response to KiltedTim

Please dont be confused. Chimaera Device Policy Applied is set by Apple to Blacklist iDevices. This means this IMEI don't have a Valid Purchase Date! Probably this device is stolen. And its not Carrier Blacklisted at all, this device is only Blacklisted by Apple and you will never be able to Activate this device.

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Dec 26, 2017 7:02 AM in response to Yianni75

I received a chat where the customer had purchased the iPhone 11/2017 and it wasn't activated til Christmas for his son 12/2017 he said. He also said that this was through/via the Apple Upgrade program. When sending this up for the RTA, it was denied and I gained clarification on this chimaera issue listing. This may help you too: Devices with a Chimaera policy shouldn’t be in consumer hands and aren’t devices that are officially sold or issued through the upgrade program.

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iPhone 7 activation issue

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