iCloud PSA: 20 Years of Digital Life, Gone in an Instant, thanks to Apple

[bsmr]

This one really doesn't sound nice.

And everyone should be warned that it could happen to them too. So make (real) backups. No Time Machine and don't refer to Apple backups within iCloud (for contacts and so on).

Don't use Apple Passwords (!!!!) and don't use iCloud Mail solely!

20 Years of Digital Life, Gone in an Instant, thanks to Apple

Summary: A major brick-and-mortar store sold an Apple Gift Card that Apple seemingly took offence to, and locked out my entire Apple ID, effectively bricking my devices and my iCloud Account, Apple Developer ID, and everything associated with it, and I have no recourse. Can you help? Email paris...

hey.paris

I am very curious to see how the story will end.

 

[C-Dub87]

This is horrible. I hope they get their account back soon.

 

[kitKAC]

No Time Machine

Time Machine has nothing to do with your Apple ID though.

From that page...

The Trigger: The only recent activity on my account was a recent attempt to redeem a $500 Apple Gift Card to pay for my 6TB iCloud+ storage plan. The code failed. The vendor suggested that the card number was likely compromised and agreed to reissue it. Shortly after, my account was locked.

Looks like Apple blocked that persons account as they thought they were trying to commit fraud.

 

[doogm]

This one really doesn't sound nice.

And everyone should be warned that it could happen to them too. So make (real) backups. No Time Machine and don't refer to Apple backups within iCloud (for contacts and so on).

Don't use Apple Passwords (!!!!) and don't use iCloud Mail solely!

20 Years of Digital Life, Gone in an Instant, thanks to Apple

Summary: A major brick-and-mortar store sold an Apple Gift Card that Apple seemingly took offence to, and locked out my entire Apple ID, effectively bricking my devices and my iCloud Account, Apple Developer ID, and everything associated with it, and I have no recourse. Can you help? Email paris...

hey.paris

I am very curious to see how the story will end.

Well, also don't buy Apple gift cards from third parties. Just use a credit card, or, if you really need to do so, buy Apple gift cards from only Apple itself.

This user had way too many photos to fit on an internal drive using iCloud Photo Library and having photos copied to the Mac, so I'd also suggest, if you are in that situation (I am not), export photos in bunches (one for each year?) and store them off of iCloud Drive.