Apple permanently disabled iTunes account because of gift code

[bigreat]

Hi,

Apple permanently one of my iTunes accounts because of "multiple gift codes that were purchased fraudulently"

Just make this clear, I was asked to help a guy to write review articles about iPhone apps. it was not something uncommon he provided apps for me to review, so I didn't have any reasons or concerns regarding those gift codes. Plus there was just no way for me to "check" the codes".


However, Apple permanently disabled that account several weeks ago. I have been trying to explain my situation to them, but all i get from an "iTunes Store Senior Advisor" are either "account can not be enabled" or talk to "contact Apple's litigation department".

It's not like i purchase some "illegal" gift cards on eBay. All I did was treating gift codes as gifts. It's like some murder clean and refurbish a knife he used in some crime, and sell the knife on the market to somebody else. Now the person who receive the knife is blamed for the crime even after proving he get the knife from the real murder.

It is not a problem to repurchase all the apps again. However, I have to delete the old apps and then i can repurchase with another account. Apple doesn't allow transfer of apps, that means all my information, some very important and very sensitive, stored in those apps will be lost.

So... what should i do?

 

[iceterminal]

First thing, i would contact Apple / iTunes customer service and explain your issue to them. Let them know that you were paid by this developer with those fraudulent gift cards. He's getting them fraudulently, so they need to be aware.
However they may or may not re-enable your account.

Good news though. You can create another iTunes account for free.
Free iTunes account

 

[bigreat]

First thing, i would contact Apple / iTunes customer service and explain your issue to them. Let them know that you were paid by this developer with those fraudulent gift cards. He's getting them fraudulently, so they need to be aware.
However they may or may not re-enable your account.

Good news though. You can create another iTunes account for free.
Free iTunes account

I have been contacting them for several weeks.
I already have another account. The thing is if i want to REPURCHASE the apps and get update (some related to security issues), i have to delete the apps first. However, delete the apps will result losing those data created and stored in those apps.

 

[Daveoc64]

I have been contacting them for several weeks.
I already have another account. The thing is if i want to REPURCHASE the apps and get update (some related to security issues), i have to delete the apps first. However, delete the apps will result losing those data created and stored in those apps.

I think that if you delete the App in iTunes, buy it again through iTunes (on your computer) and then sync with your device it should preserve your data on the phone (but I can't say 100% for sure).

I had to do this in the past with an account I couldn't use any more.

 

[OneMike]

I think that if you delete the App in iTunes, buy it again through iTunes (on your computer) and then sync with your device it should preserve your data on the phone (but I can't say 100% for sure).

I had to do this in the past with an account I couldn't use any more.

Yep. I download cracked apps all the time. After I test and purchase the app, all of my data is there as it should be using the above method.

As far as Apple I'd say contact a higher up or ask to have your issue escalated. I'm not sure if you are just responding to the same person, or what you're doing.

 

[coochiekuta]

Hi,



It is not a problem to repurchase all the apps again. However, I have to delete the old apps and then i can repurchase with another account. Apple doesn't allow transfer of apps, that means all my information, some very important and very sensitive, stored in those apps will be lost.

So... what should i do?

this is what i like most about drm and buying things we do not own.

no but seriously i dont buy anything on itunes for that very reason. im one of those people who likes being in control of the things i purchase. at least give me the illusion that i own what i purchase.

anyway, have them direct you to where it says you cannot do what you did in their TOA. if it is worth the time, take it to small claims court. you have purchased these items (although imaginary) and have the right to access them if they cannot prove you went against their TOA. GL

 

[Kahnyl]

This is weird. I had an iTunes account for years before running into a problem with stolen / fraudulent gift card codes on eBay. I redeemed the codes in iTunes but I hadn't used the credit before it disappeared and I got a message that my account was disabled. I exchanged a few emails with support, it got escalated and resolved quickly, and my account was re-enabled without that credit. I also got a friendly copy and pasted warning about buying codes on "auction sites" etc. They were extremely nice and helpful throughout. I was left to resolve the code issue with the seller. Thankfully he was kind of an amateur con artist and he actually refunded my money when I contacted him. He gave some non-sensical story about "a problem with the cards."

I reckoned that Apple looked at my spending history and established that this was obviously a once-off, so to them I looked believably innocent. I figured that if my account had been brand new when this happened, and most importantly, I had used some of that credit, that they wouldn't have been so forgiving. Is your account new? Did you use a lot of these codes over a long period of time? I know you'll lose data and have to purchase your apps again but if your data (store spending, and percentage of it that was done with these gift card codes) looks bad to them I can't really blame them. I can see how a perfectly innocent person could set up a brand new account without a credit card, unwittingly redeem a code bought with a stolen credit card, and be called a thief but I can also see the logic in Apple suspecting that.

Think of it from their perspective. You have a bunch of apps no-one ever paid for. On the bright side, they've haven't sent you a bill.

I hope this doesn't come across as harsh.