How can I bypass the previous owner's iCloud information to use my new iPhone?

[fanjelz]

Hello and thanks for your time. I purchased a used iPhone 4s (it had iOS 6 running at the time). My first iPhone, but not my first smartphone. I met the nice lady at the local VZW store and they activated it for me, no sweat. We were both nervous, I didn't want a stolen phone and she had someone trying to get her to give up her vzw account info. Being new to iPhone, I didn't realize that she had not in fact wiped it. So I update to iOS 7 again no problems, yes I have my own iTunes account. Now reading about the benefits, I hear of iCloud... so I look into it. Well I can't sign in because too many free accounts have been activated on this iPhone. Now the phone exceeds all my former experiences with smartphones, face it, I'm hooked. BUT if I restore this phone to factory settings, will I in fact lock myself out, due to her not clearing it before she sold it?

 

[qbnkelt]

Hello and thanks for your time. I purchased a used iPhone 4s (it had iOS 6 running at the time). My first iPhone, but not my first smartphone. I met the nice lady at the local VZW store and they activated it for me, no sweat. We were both nervous, I didn't want a stolen phone and she had someone trying to get her to give up her vzw account info. Being new to iPhone, I didn't realize that she had not in fact wiped it. So I update to iOS 7 again no problems, yes I have my own iTunes account. Now reading about the benefits, I hear of iCloud... so I look into it. Well I can't sign in because too many free accounts have been activated on this iPhone. Now the phone exceeds all my former experiences with smartphones, face it, I'm hooked. BUT if I restore this phone to factory settings, will I in fact lock myself out, due to her not clearing it before she sold it?

You will be unable to do anything really unless you contact her and have her wipe it. You will always be restricted on what you do with the phone unless you take this step.
I'm not sure what you mean that too many free accounts have been activated on the iPhone.

 

[Ledsteplin]

"Too many free accounts"? I didn't know there was a limit. You did this transaction in a Verizon store and it still was not wiped properly? You will have to contact her to do this. You will need her iCloud log in credentials.


Sent from from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[fanjelz]

qbnkelt and ledsteplin,
thank you both for such quick replies. As for the restriction on free icloud accounts, that number is apparently 3.
I am emailing the young lady and can only hope she will release it.
Again, thank you for your time and knowledge.

 

[phreddyl]

Please let us know what happens.

 

[HankAZ]

You will be unable to do anything really unless you contact her and have her wipe it. You will always be restricted on what you do with the phone unless you take this step.
I'm not sure what you mean that too many free accounts have been activated on the iPhone.

"Too many free accounts"? I didn't know there was a limit. You did this transaction in a Verizon store and it still was not wiped properly? You will have to contact her to do this. You will need her iCloud log in credentials.


Sent from from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

qbnkelt and ledsteplin,
thank you both for such quick replies. As for the restriction on free icloud accounts, that number is apparently 3.

Apple limits the number of free iCloud email addresses to 3 per device. You can use other email addresses (user@gmail.com, for example) for your iCloud login, but once there are 3 iCloud email (*@me.com, *@icloud.com) addresses associated (historically), Apple will no longer allow you to create a new free "icloud" email address.

 

[HankAZ]

qbnkelt and ledsteplin,
thank you both for such quick replies. As for the restriction on free icloud accounts, that number is apparently 3.
I am emailing the young lady and can only hope she will release it.
Again, thank you for your time and knowledge.

Even if she does "release" it, you cannot create a new iCloud email address for that device. The ONLY way is to get her to give you the email address and password and let you use it. Extremely doubtful she would do that.

 

[fanjelz]

HankAZ,
thank you for your response as well. I have my phone set to backup through iTunes to my pc.
So I believe I am in the clear.

 

[linsco7s]

I actually encountered the same problem. I contacted Apple and they said that previously customers had been complaining because of insecurity with their devices and icloud accounts hence they started putting limits as to how many free accounts you can make in a certain apple device but there's a way around this which is to wait 90 days and the system will let you make a free account on the device. I still have like two months to go *sigh*

 

[Ledsteplin]

Everyone in this thread refers to "free" accounts. Does that mean there are paid accounts? Can one purchase an account? If not, why are they being referred to as "free"?