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yearziro

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 31, 2009
39
0
Like the title says....

I ask this because I bought an iPhone 5 went to a sprint store checked the ESN/IMEI and the numbers were/are clean but is still linked to an iCloud account which renders the phone useless have talked to Sprint/Apple and local (PD to see if the phone was reported stolen) and the run around I got from both apple and sprint was you gotta talk to them......and we can't give out a customers info.....

Fair enough but when/If someones phone is stolen giving someone the following
info see pic its kinda hard to contact....... d*****@yahoo.com should apple have a way of contacting an owner and saying hey was your phone stolen.....If not please unlink your device.....

I have no problem giving the phone back if it is stolen but seems like apple doesn't care about people getting their device back with the way things are setup at present time.....

Also I did bypass the iTunes activation and tried calling and texting the persons number that came up to no avail
 

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Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
No.
For many obvious safety and privacy issues.
you want any thief or scammed buyer contacting you and harassing you to release the phone from your account or take the risk of anyone trying to contact you and find you?
Nonsense.
Move on, you bought stolen property.
Leave it at the police station and next time don't guy used on CL.
That's where most people unload stolen goods and the good deal is not a good deal at the end.
Also you bought an iPhone still linked to another iCloud account. Big red flag.
If the seller cannot turn that feature off or for whatever reason they don't know the password then you walk away.
 

boomhower

macrumors 68000
Oct 21, 2011
1,570
56
With the current security features if your buying used then you need to activate it in the store at the time of transaction. Which you should always do. The classic scam of selling and going home reporting stolen is way to old for people to still be falling for.
 

nox5

macrumors 6502
Oct 16, 2013
415
49
I think there should be a way to send request to apple to contact original owner and original owner should decide if he/she wants iPhone back or just release the iPhone from iCloud .

But the way it is right now is good business for apple to take those used iPhones out and sell more new iPhones.
 

DerekRod

macrumors 6502a
Jan 18, 2012
820
0
NY
I think there should be a way to send request to apple to contact original owner and original owner should decide if he/she wants iPhone back or just release the iPhone from iCloud .

But the way it is right now is good business for apple to take those used iPhones out and sell more new iPhones.

Yeah because I want Joe Shmoe from Brooklyn contacting me and/or coming to my house and stabbing me.No thanks.You make check the phone before you buy it to make sure it works.Sorry you got ripped off.I remember being 15 and sending my iPod mini to Nigeria.Its a terrible feeling but you live and you learn.Try and contact the seller sometimes they may just be as ignorant on activation lock as you(not intended as an insult)
 

yearziro

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 31, 2009
39
0
No.
For many obvious safety and privacy issues.
you want any thief or scammed buyer contacting you and harassing you to release the phone from your account or take the risk of anyone trying to contact you and find you?
Nonsense.
Move on, you bought stolen property.
Leave it at the police station and next time don't guy used on CL.
That's where most people unload stolen goods and the good deal is not a good deal at the end.
Also you bought an iPhone still linked to another iCloud account. Big red flag.
If the seller cannot turn that feature off or for whatever reason they don't know the password then you walk away.

So your saying apple is in the right when I call and say I may have someones stolen phone and would like to give it back to them they should say no? how would you like it if someone was trying to do something right only to have a company basically say "welp".

I thought the point of this whole iCloud thing was to enable people to get their phone back?

The whole point of me asking about tweaking is there are other ways such as contacting apple and/or carrier and having them contact the person and verifying the device has/hasn't been stolen and going from there.

----------

Yeah because I want Joe Shmoe from Brooklyn contacting me and/or coming to my house and stabbing me.No thanks.You make check the phone before you buy it to make sure it works.Sorry you got ripped off.I remember being 15 and sending my iPod mini to Nigeria.Its a terrible feeling but you live and you learn.Try and contact the seller sometimes they may just be as ignorant on activation lock as you(not intended as an insult)

I would because then you have an IP or phone number to give to police to get your phone back....

----------

With the current security features if your buying used then you need to activate it in the store at the time of transaction. Which you should always do. The classic scam of selling and going home reporting stolen is way to old for people to still be falling for.

Phone is not reported stolen/lost from the carrier etc......
 

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foodmeanoff

macrumors newbie
Jun 29, 2014
2
0
that right,The classic scam of selling and going home reporting stolen is way to old for people to still be falling for.
Rbd4ru
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
So your saying apple is in the right when I call and say I may have someones stolen phone and would like to give it back to them they should say no? how would you like it if someone was trying to do something right only to have a company basically say "welp".

I thought the point of this whole iCloud thing was to enable people to get their phone back?

The whole point of me asking about tweaking is there are other ways such as contacting apple and/or carrier and having them contact the person and verifying the device has/hasn't been stolen and going from there.
..


Exactly what Im saying.
Apple is not in the business to try to chase down owners of lost or stolen devices or fetch back and deliver their lost or stolen items.
Its just a feature to disable the device and make it useless to thieves. That's all. Nothing more than that. Its NOT a feature to reunite people to their stolen items.
Just like any other stolen property you leave it at your local police station and then if the owner calls and reports it they can try to trace it that way or not even bother if they choose to.
There's no way to contact apple or the carrier and contact the owner or anything to that effect. Its disabled and activation locked. Move on, there's nothing else that can be done legally.
 

regkilla

macrumors 6502
Mar 19, 2013
297
49
California
Yeah because I want Joe Shmoe from Brooklyn contacting me and/or coming to my house and stabbing me.No thanks.You make check the phone before you buy it to make sure it works.Sorry you got ripped off.I remember being 15 and sending my iPod mini to Nigeria.Its a terrible feeling but you live and you learn.Try and contact the seller sometimes they may just be as ignorant on activation lock as you(not intended as an insult)

Why would you send your iPod Mini (what is that anyways?) to Nigeria?
 

960design

macrumors 68040
Apr 17, 2012
3,691
1,548
Destin, FL
Like the title says....

I ask this because I bought an iPhone 5 went to a sprint store checked the ESN/IMEI and the numbers were/are clean but is still linked to an iCloud account which renders the phone useless have talked to Sprint/Apple and local (PD to see if the phone was reported stolen) and the run around I got from both apple and sprint was you gotta talk to them......and we can't give out a customers info.....
No, activation lock is just about perfect. I can remove it remotely from an enterprise level device, but not from a consumer device. This is exactly the way it should be.

The true owner has the option of adding a message and phone number if they want the device returned when erasing it. The message and phone number (if provided) will display when the device is turned on and when the Activate iPad screen displays.

Let the person you purchased it from know that you have informed the police that you are in possible possesion of stolen goods and are in the process of attempting to verify a fair sale. If the seller cannot assist you in removing the activation lock you will claim a breech of contract of sale and turn the iPad over to the police to take you out of the 'theft' loop.

In your case all you should contact the seller and ask for them to log in to their iCloud account and 'Remove Device'. If they come up with some crazy story, like I bought it from someone else and don't know how to get in touch with them. Let them politely know that you are turning the phone into the police as possible stolen property and claim a breech of contract of sale. In my state stealing an iPhone is a felony.

I'm sorry you were duped. Call it lesson learned. The original owner of the iPhone has lost money and so have you. Thankfully you've lost less.
 
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madsci954

macrumors 68030
Oct 14, 2011
2,725
658
Ohio
I thought the point of this whole iCloud thing was to enable people to get their phone back?

No, the original purpose of Find My iPhone was to locate it if YOU misplaced it, not if someone ripped it out of your hands. It helps to have it, yes, but it isn't the original purpose. Activation Lock is there because a thief tried to activate it but hit that barrier.

Only thing you can do is take it to Apple or the police.
 

960design

macrumors 68040
Apr 17, 2012
3,691
1,548
Destin, FL
I thought the point of this whole iCloud thing was to enable people to get their phone back?
I don't believe so, the whole point is prevent the theft in the first place. Stealing useless junk that could be a felony is dumb and too risky for criminals. Apple really wants you to purchase another phone.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,362
546
I wonder if Apple will unlock a device where you are clearly the owner

You show credit card/Apple receipt matching the IMEI number. The credit card receipt clearly shows your name also.

The numbers and the person match.

Some people do forget their iTunes or iCloud passwords. I setup the iPhone for my mother. She doesn't remember the password unless I tell her.

So what happens in that situation where the person can prove they are rightful owner of iPhone that is "locked"
 

bassett700

macrumors member
Jan 8, 2009
93
12
Dingus, VA
I wonder if Apple will unlock a device where you are clearly the owner

You show credit card/Apple receipt matching the IMEI number. The credit card receipt clearly shows your name also.

The numbers and the person match.

Some people do forget their iTunes or iCloud passwords. I setup the iPhone for my mother. She doesn't remember the password unless I tell her.

So what happens in that situation where the person can prove they are rightful owner of iPhone that is "locked"

Unless I'm missing something in your question, using the scenario of your mother, just follow the instructions to reset the password:

https://appleid.apple.com/

This works provided she (or you) remember her Apple ID (email address). When most people ask about unlocking an account, they don't have the AppleID and the associated email, so they can't follow through with the password reset process. That problem does not appear to be the case for you.
 
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