Apple unable to remove Activation Lock on auction-purchased iMac

My understanding is that a receipt for a second-hand sale - such as the invoice from the auction house – will not be accepted as a basis for removing Activation Lock. Apple will only consider removing Activation Lock if you have the original receipt from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller and the device is not managed by an organization, or in Lost Mode.

For privacy and security reasons, Apple will not give you the owner's address. Nor will they forward any message to the owner on your behalf.

Unless the auction house refunds your money, or can contact the owner and get them to assist you, that Activation Lock will remain and the Mac will stay a brick.

You should really read the entire topic before responding.

Since the S/N is known in the Apple account Apple could easily check if a device was stolen or lost by just searching for the S/N.

From my previous post:

Apple isn't in law enforcement, and does not get involved in third party sales. If you called Apple and told them a device of yours was stolen, they'd tell you to contact the local police and that would be the end of the discussion.

Serial numbers mean nothing. That would only tell Apple who the original buyer was. It does not tell them how many times that device may have been sold between the original sale and the last owner.

Anyway - I think Apple should be willing to help users in a situation like mine and at least tell me why they could not help with removing the activation lock.

And they will - if you can provide them with a genuine Apple sales receipt. An eBay receipt means nothing. Nor does a sales ticket from a pawn shop. Or any other receipt that only shows you bought something from a third party.

And if I have an official bill from a company in a "trusted" country [sic - company?], they should be able to check if this company is trustworthy and act differently than just denying the unlocking without explaining why.

Still means nothing. A device that's locked is that way because the actual owner locked it. And that's because it was either lost or stolen and they want to - not surprisingly - keep anyone else out of their personal data.

Apple cannot just "helpfully" unlock a device when all you're holding is a general sales receipt. Otherwise, if you think iPhone thefts (in particular) are bad now, they'd be out of control if Apple would unlock anything you had a third party receipt for. There's no way for them to know you aren't the crook. And police have heard every story under the sun from the most gifted liars on the planet.

Say Apple simply unlocks the device with nothing more than a general sale receipt from wherever. Great! Now you have access to everything the person who actually owns the device was trying to keep you out of.

Result? Aiding and abetting. A crime Apple could be charged with.

How about completely erasing the device after unlocking it so you can't get at the owner's data?

Result? Trafficing in stolen goods. Also a crime.

Hello~ You were sold a device that you never could have used because it’s Activation locked. Return it. In the meantime…read the user tip written by *lobsterghost1*

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250001038

~Katana-San~

mattschulz wrote:

hmmm .... so why do they lock me out of my legally buoght device ?

Somebody may buy a device legally but how do they know it wasn't stolen from somebody? Apple's way of helping prevent the resale of stolen devices is to provide ways for devices to be properly prepared for resale. This support article describes what to do before selling or giving away a Mac. --> https://support.apple.com/102773 It is unfortunate that you purchased one that was not properly prepared. It was the responsibility of the auction company but it does not surprise me if they did not know about this. See if you can get your money back from them, though I suspect they sold items on an as-is basis.

Also worth reading https://support.apple.com/104999

Read this support article about what you are encountering https://support.apple.com/108794 and https://support.apple.com/HT208987

why can't Apple tell me the reason for not being able to reset the activation lock ?

• • Is that probably due to the fact that this unit might have been in a company account or such ?
  • Coul Apple give me (or write to) the former ownsers email address to get in touch with me ?

No, that is not something Apple will do. They do not know who the actual current owners are. It is defined either by being the account information that is signed into the device which could be an email address with no personal identification, or it is the person in possession of the original receipt of purchase from Apple. In theory a responsible re-sale would include that. I have a used iPhone and I am the signed in person so I am by definition the owner using that method. I have a receipt for my computer. It has no name on it so I could give it to a new owner and their having the receipt would demonstrate their ownership.

• Am I completely lost and can only just use the iMac as a spare parts carrier then ?

You might not even be able to use it for spare parts. Newer devices are having parts that require owner authorization to be re-used.

• Has anyone gone through this before an have some ideas what else I could do to get the unit back to work ?

Yes, I have seen many, many posts about disappointed potential owners who bought a device that was not properly prepared for a new owner. This support article describes what to do before selling or giving away your Mac. --> https://support.apple.com/102773

• Is there any other way to communicate to Apple about his problem ?

You can communicate with Apple but it won't change their minds. You only have those two ways to remove the lock. Your best bet is to try to get a refund from the auction place. If they won't unlock it then recycle the device.

From: https://www.apple.com/reuse-recycle/ USA version (select your country to read more)

“We’ll make sure your preloved Apple devices and accessories are recycled responsibly or even given a chance to be used again. We also accept comparable devices from other manufacturers and small electronics — no purchase required. Please note that this service is not intended to receive loose batteries nor a device with a swollen, damaged or defective battery.”

The above page only guides you to in-store recycling, but the https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in#:~:text=Recycling-,Does%20Apple%20offer%20recycling page at the very bottom under “Recycling > How do I prepare my device for recycling?” also mentions sending in a device by mail. Contact Apple to find out more about that: https://support.apple.com/106932

You are never going to be able to use that Mac.

• You can't use the Mac because the original owner or more specifically the person who has signed their Apple Account into the device, has enabled Find My that locks the device to their account. Also activation lock cannot be removed on a device where they installed MDM software, typical in a work environment, even if the business no longer exists.
• No, Apple does not contact users to tell them to remove the Activation Lock. Apple does not get involved in any third party transactions. They won't even contact the auctioneer no matter how respectable they may be. The auctioneer would not even be able to access the Mac.
• A receipt from a third party is useless. Consider that I could steal a Mac, then sell it to you and provide a receipt. That is not useful to prove anything and would not give you the right to use the Mac. Owners are not required to mark their devices as stolen where a serial number check would reveal that it was stolen. Activation Lock is automatic and requires no further action on the users part to protect their devices.
• It is widely known that Apple devices that have not been properly reset are useless. Here are the steps that a seller, or auctioneer should do to prevent that. A respectable auctioneer/seller ensures their products being sold would have value, but more likely they sell it "as is", meaning it is useless.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102773

• One thing to note is that the person who does have their Apple Account signed into the device can still view its location. They have the right to do that until they remove their account from the device. On a rare occasion, the user may do that on their own, but it is not likely.

mattschulz wrote:

be honest - if your Apple device was stolen or lost, wouldn't you go to your Apple account and mark it as such ?

Since the S/N is known in the Apple account Apple could easily check if a device was stolen or lost by just searching for the S/N.

If it was, it's fine for me that Apple blocks the activation unlock.

Nope! Could you imagine the backlash if Apple gave your device to someone else, and then blamed you because you did not notify them that it had been stolen or notified them too late?

There is no option to go into your Apple Account and mark it as stolen. You can mark it as lost, but that does not remove the Activation Lock and you would not want it to. You also don't have to do anything if you don't want to and are still assured your device is not going to be reset and used by someone else.

You bought a worthless device and that is exactly what makes the Activation Lock a theft deterrent. Apple is not going to act as a gatekeeper to decide who should be able to use the device, it is solely up the the person who has signed their Apple Account into it where they would use their password, or the one that has the original purchase receipt where in most cases that is from Apple or Authorized Apple Seller, since they do not get involved in third party sales for the same reason.

Chalk it up as Now you Know, and you will be more prepared in any future purchases of used Apple products, and know what needs to be done to determine if it is Activation Locked.

A competent auction house wouldn't have put an activation locked device up for sale in the first place. Return it and have your money refunded.

Activation Lock is an designed-in feature intended to make the device economically worthless. (other than as scrap)

This effectively eliminates the market for stolen Apple products; protecting legitimate owners in the process.

ONLY the locking owner can release the lock.

Apple may assist if sufficiently compelling proof of ownership is presented.

(which in your case, it appears that you simply don’t possess)

https://support.apple.com/en-us/108934

https://al-support.apple.com/#/

The auction house showed that the unit is activation locked.

Well, at least they were up front about it.

The support information from Apple the removing an activation lock with the help of Apple if I have a proof of purchase including the serial number,…

Unfortunately, such a receipt is useless. As far as Apple (or any other company) is concerned, it could easily be a lost or stolen device. Such sales happen every single day on eBay and other selling sites. The seller is often knowingly selling a stolen, locked device. They don't care who gets it, as long as they get some money out of it. This makes any such receipt of sale as worthless as the paper it's printed on. Such sellers also often disappear immediately after the sale.

The auction house is getting a truckload of stuff from a company to sell it and doesn't know in the first place that the unit is activation locked.

Understood, but then it's on them to examine each device before putting it up for auction. In this case, it sounds like they did and noted it as locked.

If the unit was stolen the former owner would have told Apple about that so they definitely know that it is stolen.

Apple isn't in law enforcement, and does not get involved in third party sales. If you called Apple and told them a device of yours was stolen, they'd tell you to contact the local police and that would be the end of the discussion.

Serial numbers mean nothing. That would only tell Apple who the original buyer was. It does not tell them how many times that device may have been sold between the original sale and the last owner.

The entire point of activation lock is to keep others out of your personal data. The fact that it's locked means the previous owner purposely locked it. Locks don't happen on their own. Which indicates the computer was probably stolen.

Agree 100%

IMO any seller who primarily deals in electronics has a responsibility to know what they’re selling is serviceable or scrap.

It doesn’t require an in-depth or detailed analysis.

For more info:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/warranty_of_merchantability

mattschulz wrote:

If the unit was stolen the former owner would have told Apple about that so the definitely know that ist is stolen.

Nope! Owners don't have to tell Apple that their device is stolen and there is not even a mechanism for anyone to do that. The owner (or person who has signed into the device) is the one that has complete control without any involvement by Apple.

The good news is that your devices purchased from Apple or Authorized Apple Seller are also protected and cannot be used by anyone else when you have turned Find My on. You don't need to contact Apple and tell them anything and the burden is not on you to ensure your device is safe and can continue to track it, even if someone else gave Apple a third party receipt. If you wanted to sell it or give it away, you can reset the device in order to do that.

mattschulz wrote:

Anyhow - I will check if I could use the parts (at least I can use the RAM) - it was cheap enough.

Hello once more~ I would not put a lot of work into that either…

https://support.apple.com/en-us/120610

~Katana-San~

Apple isn't in law enforcement, and does not get involved in third party sales. If you called Apple and told them a device of yours was stolen, they'd tell you to contact the local police and that would be the end of the discussion.

hmmm .... so why do they lock me out of my legally buoght device ?

Say Apple simply unlocks the device with nothing more than a general sale receipt from wherever. Great! Now you have access to everything the person who actually owns the device was trying to keep you out of.

Wrong.

When Apple unlocks the unit everything is lost - that's written by Apple in the "activation lock request".

So we have different opinions about that - it makes no sense to me to discuss this any further

Hello again ~ You’re right …you now own an Activation locked device. You don’t own the software though. It may well be that the previous owner can actually see exactly where that device is and may come looking for it…

Differing opinions?? Apple’s opinion is the only one that matters in this case. That device will always remain locked.

~Katana-San~

Kurt Lang wrote:

Apple cannot just "helpfully" unlock a device when all you're holding is a general sales receipt. Otherwise, if you think iPhone thefts (in particular) are bad now, they'd be out of control if Apple would unlock anything you had a third party receipt for. There's no way for them to know you aren't the crook. And police have heard every story under the sun from the most gifted liars on the planet.

+1.

Say Apple simply unlocks the device with nothing more than a general sale receipt from wherever. Great! Now you have access to everything the person who actually owns the device was trying to keep you out of.

Apple's Activation Lock Support request form says that

"If Apple unlocks Activation Lock on your device, all files and data stored on your device will be permanently erased."

I suspect that this is done as an extra safeguard to ensure that even if a clever crook manages to trick Apple into releasing the Activation Lock, the real owner's data does not fall into the wrong hands.

But if my iPhone was stolen, I wouldn't want Apple to unlock the phone for someone else – period. The thief, the fence, and their customers (even unwitting customers) are not entitled to my data or my phone.

Yup, absolutely.

And given the device was marked as having activation lock, getting a refund will be very unlikely. The buyer can't say they were duped.

At this point, it's only good for parts.

Thanks for all the answers - I will check out the links later when I cooled down.

The auction house showed that the unit is activation locked.

The support information from Apple the removing an activation lock with the help of Apple if I have a proof of purchase including the serial number, made me think that I could have a chance to get a working unit at a not so high pricetag.

The auction house is getting a truckload of stuff from a company to sell it and doesn't know in the first place that the unit is activation locked.

If the unit was stolen the former owner would have told Apple about that so the definitely know that ist is stolen.

If ist is not, Apple should consider this a legal process.

Anyhow - I will check if I could use the parts (at least I can use the RAM) - it was cheap enough.

One more thing to end this discussion :

be honest - if your Apple device was stolen or lost, wouldn't you go to your Apple account and mark it as such ?

Since the S/N is known in the Apple account Apple could easily check if a device was stolen or lost by just searching for the S/N.

If it was, it's fine for me that Apple blocks the activation unlock.

And : do you really think one would be so stupid to ask Apple for an activation lock removal being aware that this unit could be marked stolen.

Anyway - I think Apple should be willing to help users in a situation like mine and at least tell me why they could not help with removing the activation lock.

And if I have an official bill form a company in a "trusted" country, they should be able to check if this company is trustworthy and act differently than just denying the unlocking without explaining why.

mattschulz wrote:

One more thing to end this discussion :

be honest - if your Apple device was stolen or lost, wouldn't you go to your Apple account and mark it as such ?

Since the S/N is known in the Apple account Apple could easily check if a device was stolen or lost by just searching for the S/N.

If it was, it's fine for me that Apple blocks the activation unlock.

And : do you really think one would be so stupid to ask Apple for an activation lock removal being aware that this unit could be marked stolen.

Anyway - I think Apple should be willing to help users in a situation like mine and at least tell me why they could not help with removing the activation lock.

And if I have an official bill form a company in a "trusted" country, they should be able to check if this company is trustworthy and act differently than just denying the unlocking without explaining why.

Hello~ Apple has their own rules for removing an Activation lock. If you saw that the device was locked that should have been the end of the discussion…it would have been for me.

We can go over the whys and what ifs but essentially this is Apple’s playground so also it’s Apple’s rules.

~Katana-San~

Bottom line:

The OP was apparently apprised as to the state of the device but had not performed the necessary research to ascertain what that state actually meant.

Once again: If something sounds too good to be true … it probably IS.

I’m also guessing there was not much of a “bidding war” against the “more informed” bidders in-attendance.

hmmm .... so why do they lock me out of my legally buoght device ?

Wow. Just, wow! You think handing money to someone for a device that was possibly stolen makes it "legally" yours?

Hate to tell you this, but that's not how it works. Many, many items over the decades have been taken from the current "owner" and returned (can you say, Na-zi loot?) to the rightful owners.

My own sister-in-law had a vehicle repossessed and returned to the owner. She bought it from a well-known used car dealer. Had to be okay, right? Well, after two years of ownership, it was recognized as a stolen vehicle. The police took it and returned it to the rightful owner. Her? She had to keep making payments to the bank for a vehicle she no longer even had.