Getting out of "Apple ID Blocked" hell ?

[SvenGr]

Yup, Apple has locked my ID for security reasons so I can't even post questions about it in the Apple support forums.

When we travel we buy prepaid sims for our iPhone, country by country. Each time we buy a new sim Apple requires that we verify our Apple ID before they will re-enable our account.

This last time our mail server happened to be off-line so when we requested the unlock instructions the e-mail that was supposedly sent never arrived. We set up a back-up e-mail address with Apple earlier this year and that is a gMail account. Nothing arrived at that address either.

Now our mail server is back up but repeated requests for the unlock e-mail just results in a message saying 'e-mail sent', but nothing ever arrives. I must have tried a dozen times by now.

I also tried the security question route but the answers I would have given are not the ones they have on file. The Apple ID is probably 20 years old and I have no record of ever having specified answers to security questions, I have a record of my passwords over time.

Since I am in Central America I am really stuck. The phone call option won't work because it would be an international call-back for them and they provide no number that I have found where I can call them (internationally).

Kafka would be inspired but I'm just looking for any ideas for how to get out of this impossible situation.

Thanks,

-Sven

 

[casperes1996]

I also tried the security question route but the answers I would have given are not the ones they have on file. The Apple ID is probably 20 years old and I have no record of ever having specified answers to security questions, I have a record of my passwords over time.

Oh yes - I've been there. Remember to try both with capital letters and all lower-case.

But I'm confused as to why phone calls isn't an option. Calling their number should work just fine no matter where you're from, although you might have to enter an area code first.

 

[SvenGr]

Oh yes - I've been there. Remember to try both with capital letters and all lower-case.

But I'm confused as to why phone calls isn't an option. Calling their number should work just fine no matter where you're from, although you might have to enter an area code first.

I didn't find any numbers listed on the support page, only an option to have them call me as soon as possible or schedule a time for them to call. I don't think they will call me in Costa Rica where I am right now. If I don't VPN in to the site via San Francisco it gives me a Costa Rica specific support page which has no contact options at all, period !

I'll try the security questions with different capitalization.

Thanks for the suggestions !!


-Sven

 

[casperes1996]

I didn't find any numbers listed on the support page, only an option to have them call me as soon as possible or schedule a time for them to call. I don't think they will call me in Costa Rica where I am right now. If I don't VPN in to the site via San Francisco it gives me a Costa Rica specific support page which has no contact options at all, period !

To be honest, I find Apple's support page a mess

Here's a page with all of their phone numbers. There's not one for Costa Rica, but just use one of the other ones.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201232

 

[SvenGr]

To be honest, I find Apple's support page a mess

Here's a page with all of their phone numbers. There's not one for Costa Rica, but just use one of the other ones.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201232

Thanks again. I tried the security questions again and this time got a different set and I got in !

I guess it takes a while for the unlock to trickle through the system because when I went to log into iChat it still said the account was blocked.

Of course, it is still a mystery why the e-mail option doesn't work, but I'll just cross my fingers for now.

Really appreciate your suggestions !



-Sven

 

[casperes1996]

Thanks again. I tried the security questions again and this time got a different set and I got in !

I guess it takes a while for the unlock to trickle through the system because when I went to log into iChat it still said the account was blocked.

Of course, it is still a mystery why the e-mail option doesn't work, but I'll just cross my fingers for now.

Really appreciate your suggestions !

Sure - glad to help. And if it works, Wuhu!

 

[simonsi]

I'd suspect those emails are in a spam or junk folder somewhere.

 

[SvenGr]

I'd suspect those emails are in a spam or junk folder somewhere.

That was one of the first things I checked. They aren't.

In the past when this hassle has happened the e-mails did come through but I suspect that since our server was down for more than a week the Apple mail-bot decided that the bounces meant an invalid address and stopped sending even after our server was back up.

Appreciate the suggestion none the less.


-Sven