How can I clear a bought iPhone 4S that's locked with an iCloud account?

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I purchased an iPhone 4s off of ebay and it is locked with another person's icloud account. I have asked the seller for help and he told me to use icloud find my phone. I contacted Apple and they said that user has to do it through their account. I cannot get the seller to respond and I have opened a case with ebay. Any ideas on how I can get this phone cleared from that account?
 

098v

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

It's pretty much just an expensive paper weight now unless the seller does contact you back, on the bright side you are gonna get your money back so you've got that going for ya.


Tappin' and talkin' from my iPhone 4
 

kataran

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

Welcome to iMore pdigman

The seller can do it remotely from his side but I'm afraid that we see this a lot on here but the good news is you bought it thru eBay so your covered
 

AlexJ92

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

There is nothing you can do, you will have to contact the person you brought it off on eBay


Sent from my iPhone 5S
 

Ariel Babalao

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

That find my phone feature is really amazing actually, there is noway to user lower firmware on the device to by pass icloud authentication, and there is no way to hack the icloud authentication provide find my iPhone was enable prior the lost of the device. I really love that feature in ios 7+
However when some people forget to turn off that feature before selling and giving the phone, there should be a way to deal with that icloud account, what if the seller is missing or dead? From what I've hear, Apple won't help either if icloud was enable on the device. So to date the only way to desactivate find my phone then icloud is to find the original person who ever setup icloud and find my phone on the device.
At the end I understand apple, we can't want something and want it's opposite at the same time, but there have to be a way anyway.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

AlexJ92

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

That find my phone feature is really amazing actually, there is noway to user lower firmware on the device to by pass icloud authentication, and there is no way to hack the icloud authentication provide find my iPhone was enable prior the lost of the device. I really love that feature in ios 7+
However when some people forget to turn off that feature before selling and giving the phone, there should be a way to deal with that icloud account, what if the seller is missing or dead? From what I've hear, Apple won't help either if icloud was enable on the device. So to date the only way to desactivate find my phone then icloud is to find the original person who ever setup icloud and find my phone on the device.
At the end I understand apple, we can't want something and want it's opposite at the same time, but there have to be a way anyway.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

It is reassuring though if our iphone got stolen, that the person that stole it would not be able to access or use the device


Sent from my iPhone 5S
 

HankAZ

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

That find my phone feature is really amazing actually, there is noway to user lower firmware on the device to by pass icloud authentication, and there is no way to hack the icloud authentication provide find my iPhone was enable prior the lost of the device. I really love that feature in ios 7+
However when some people forget to turn off that feature before selling and giving the phone, there should be a way to deal with that icloud account, what if the seller is missing or dead? From what I've hear, Apple won't help either if icloud was enable on the device. So to date the only way to desactivate find my phone then icloud is to find the original person who ever setup icloud and find my phone on the device.
At the end I understand apple, we can't want something and want it's opposite at the same time, but there have to be a way anyway.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

The majority of these situations, by a large margin, are not ?forgotten? passwords or instances of the previous owner ?forgetting? to turn the feature off - they are people who purchase (knowingly or unknowingly) stolen iOS devices. This feature was added by Apple to block the activation of devices in this situation, and it is working well at preventing that. Unfortunately, the thieves are still selling the phones and now reselling them to unsuspecting people.

I?ve only heard about/read about ONE situation where the issue was a phone locked by someone who had passed away. That whole argument is a red herring.

In this case, it?s best to have bought the device through a service like eBay, who, finally, now has the customers? backs. At least they can get a refund. However purchased via CraigsList or for cash, etc, the buyer is out of luck.

Whenever possible, my suggestion would be to purchase used equipment IN PERSON and do it AT THE CARRIER?S STORE. That alone will scare off some sellers, and it will afford the buyer the guarantee that the device can be used after purchase.
 

zerog46

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Re: iphone 4s locked with icloud account

The sad part is that eBay is getting just like Craig's list. It's just not worth buying anything from there anymore.
 

Drewbs

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Hold down home button and connect to iTunes while continuing to hold the home button and you go to iTunes and it will say it has found a device in recovery mode and you should be able to reset it.

Reply once you try this
 

Ariel Babalao

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Hold down home button and connect to iTunes while continuing to hold the home button and you go to iTunes and it will say it has found a device in recovery mode and you should be able to reset it.

Reply once you try this

After the restore is done, he will be prompt to enter the previously set up on the device iCloud user name and password in order to use the device in the manner of "please enter your icloud user name and the password to continue: a.....f@....net
You can't even see the full email address to be able to send a request to him.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

kataran

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After the restore is done, he will be prompt to enter the previously set up on the device iCloud user name and password in order to use the device in the manner of "please enter your icloud user name and the password to continue: a.....f@....net
You can't even see the full email address to be able to send a request to him.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

If the seller was the original owner he can contact him thru eBay messaging and have him turn off find my phone
 

Drewbs

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After the restore is done, he will be prompt to enter the previously set up on the device iCloud user name and password in order to use the device in the manner of "please enter your icloud user name and the password to continue: a.....f@....net
You can't even see the full email address to be able to send a request to him.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I tried this when my iPad froze up and it was locked w/ a passcode and I didn't have to do that
 

HankAZ

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Hold down home button and connect to iTunes while continuing to hold the home button and you go to iTunes and it will say it has found a device in recovery mode and you should be able to reset it.

Reply once you try this

I tried this when my iPad froze up and it was locked w/ a passcode and I didn't have to do that

The guy that posted that has NO idea how the activation lock works. Trust me. If you cannot contact the original owner who enabled the iCloud activation lock, you are S. O. L. You now have an Apple branded paperweight.
 

Ariel Babalao

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I tried this when my iPad froze up and it was locked w/ a passcode and I didn't have to do that

It's not the lock screen pass code. It's the icloud account setup in the device with find my iPhone enable prior the factory restoring. Additionally, if you restore the ios into your phone using your usual computer, it won't ask you for authentication of icloud because iTunes will authenticate the phone belonging to you and was used to sync with that iTunes. In case you do all the factory restoring using a different computer, it will ask you for your icloud user name and password.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

love2bnmaui

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I also have the same problem. I bought the phone from Ebay only because Verizon told me the ISN is clear, and I foolishly assumed that they (Verizon) would clear the account from me or that it would be easy to do. I still have to take the phone to a Verizon store to see if they will help, and I plan to take all the paperwork and messages bath and forth between myself and the seller to prove that I did buy the phone.
 

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