Blocked iPhone 5?

[Namocol]

First of all, I don't own an iphone, my wife has one but I've never really used one other than messing around a little bit with my wife's, so please bear with me.

We live in Venezuela, because of the economy getting good phones is rather hard. My wife has three sisters, two of them live abroad (in Germany and Switzerland). They both had iPhones 5, they eventually got iPhones 6 (I think one of them a 7 now), so the 5's went to my wife and the other sister that lives in Venezuela.

This year, however, when iOS 10 came out, my wife's sister upgraded her phone and it got blocked, she said it asked her for a number that was given at the time of purchase basically bricked itself when she didn't know it... thing is, both iPhone 5's were bought used, so we're the third owners, the original owner said that she had a number given on a piece of paper when she bought it, but so long ago that she lost it and has no idea what could it be.

So basically now my wife's sister has a bricked iPhone that can't do anything with, my wife doesn't want to upgrade her phone at all in fear of getting it blocked as well, and I really don't know what number or code they mean so haven't been able to find anything about it (I'm guessing it's not the PIN number).

Anyone have any idea about what that number might be, and what to do about it to unlock the bricked one and just in case, prevent it from happening to my wife's?

 

[C DM]

First of all, I don't own an iphone, my wife has one but I've never really used one other than messing around a little bit with my wife's, so please bear with me.

We live in Venezuela, because of the economy getting good phones is rather hard. My wife has three sisters, two of them live abroad (in Germany and Switzerland). They both had iPhones 5, they eventually got iPhones 6 (I think one of them a 7 now), so the 5's went to my wife and the other sister that lives in Venezuela.

This year, however, when iOS 10 came out, my wife's sister upgraded her phone and it got blocked, she said it asked her for a number that was given at the time of purchase basically bricked itself when she didn't know it... thing is, both iPhone 5's were bought used, so we're the third owners, the original owner said that she had a number given on a piece of paper when she bought it, but so long ago that she lost it and has no idea what could it be.

So basically now my wife's sister has a bricked iPhone that can't do anything with, my wife doesn't want to upgrade her phone at all in fear of getting it blocked as well, and I really don't know what number or code they mean so haven't been able to find anything about it (I'm guessing it's not the PIN number).

Anyone have any idea about what that number might be, and what to do about it to unlock the bricked one and just in case, prevent it from happening to my wife's?

More than likely it's basically iCloud Activation Lock: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201365

You can try checking to see if the phone is Activation Locked at https://www.icloud.com/activationlock/

If Activation Lock does kick in, like after an update, or for some other reason, and it's not your wife's account or her sister's, but someone who had the phone before, short of being able to get in touch with that person to disable it there's not much that could be done at that point.

 

[Phil in ocala]

I have had apple products since my Powebook 150 and the iphone is the worst product with more problems than anything that they have produced. I have a 5c and its nothing but problems at best.

 

[Applejuiced]

I have had apple products since my Powebook 150 and the iphone is the worst product with more problems than anything that they have produced. I have a 5c and its nothing but problems at best.

You will have problems if you buy lost or stolen iPhones like the op above.
The iCloud activation lock is an anti theft feature and it works like it's supposed to and it cannot be bypassed without proof of ownership.
The iPhone is the best device Apple has produced and I would never use another smartphone that's not an iPhone.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Looks like Apple's security services is working perfectly. Our stolen phones are showing up in countries like this by the thousands and Apple is shutting them down.

 

[decafjava]

I love when folks like contradictory posts. Anyhow, good job Apple on blocking stolen phones.

 

[C DM]

I have had apple products since my Powebook 150 and the iphone is the worst product with more problems than anything that they have produced. I have a 5c and its nothing but problems at best.

And what does any of that have to do with this thread?

 

[macTW]

You will have problems if you buy potentially lost or stolen iPhones like the op above.
The iCloud activation lock is an anti theft feature and it works like it's supposed to and it cannot be bypassed without proof of ownership.
The iPhone is the best device Apple has produced and I would never use another smartphone that's not an iPhone.

Fixed your comment.

 

[Applejuiced]

Fixed your comment.

Potentially huh? if you buy an idevice with someone else's iCloud still logged in then that is your own fault.
Potentially you should have done a better job protecting your self from purchasing stolen property.