Credit Card Requirement

[JohnDuffy]

I have tried to upgrade to the free Yosemite but it is impossible without giving credit card information.

I have had about 20 e-mails with Apple most of which tell me I can download without giving credit card details but all prove to be false.

One e-mail told me I could create a fake I/D but Apple would let me do that without me giving my name and address and telephone number which doesn't help because Apple does not recognise the country in which I live. I was even directed to Spanish speaking Mexico and Portuguese speaking Brazil for help but since I speak neither of those languages, it wasn't much help.

I was told to speak to the U.S. which I have to do on an international call. After several minutes of 'jumping through hoops', I was told I would have to wait five minutes for an adviser. I put the 'phone down.

If Yosemite is free then I ought to be able to click on a download, no questions asked. I paid cash for my last upgrade in an Apple store, no one asked me for anything. What has happened to Apple's legendary service? Gone the way of Microsoft.

 

[Brian Y]

I have tried to upgrade to the free Yosemite but it is impossible without giving credit card information.

I have had about 20 e-mails with Apple most of which tell me I can download without giving credit card details but all prove to be false.

One e-mail told me I could create a fake I/D but Apple would let me do that without me giving my name and address and telephone number which doesn't help because Apple does not recognise the country in which I live. I was even directed to Spanish speaking Mexico and Portuguese speaking Brazil for help but since I speak neither of those languages, it wasn't much help.

I was told to speak to the U.S. which I have to do on an international call. After several minutes of 'jumping through hoops', I was told I would have to wait five minutes for an adviser. I put the 'phone down.

If Yosemite is free then I ought to be able to click on a download, no questions asked. I paid cash for my last upgrade in an Apple store, no one asked me for anything. What has happened to Apple's legendary service? Gone the way of Microsoft.

A CC isn't required. Apple even gives instructions here:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204034

If they don't recognise your country, just put in fake address details. The address sonly used to verify billing information anyway, so with no CC there's no issue.

 

[JohnDuffy]

Credit card requirement

Brian makes a comment about putting in a fake address. I tried that but it would not work. Apple seemed to assume I was in the U.S. and, without a proper U.S. address, it kept rejecting what I was entering.

 

[Brian Y]

Brian makes a comment about putting in a fake address. I tried that but it would not work. Apple seemed to assume I was in the U.S. and, without a proper U.S. address, it kept rejecting what I was entering.

Then put in a valid, US address.

Pick a coffee shop, or something, and use the address.

 

[JohnDuffy]

Credit card requirement

Thanks Brian. I tried that using a Ford Dealer in Miami but it caught me out as Apple realised I was not in Miami but, surprisingly, it let me complete entering the address but in my own country. I am in the process of downloading Yosemite. We will see what happens next.