Hey everyone,
I'm in a really tough situation with my daughter's iPhone. She was tricked by some scammers into signing into their Apple ID, thinking they were helping her install an app. Now, her phone is completely locked, and we're at a loss for what to do next.
We've reached out to Apple Support with all the necessary documents and proof of purchase, but after a week of reviewing our case, they denied our request to unlock the device. I'm hoping someone here might have experienced something similar or have suggestions on what options we have to recover her phone.
Any insights or advice you could share would be hugely appreciated!
3 Answers
There are a couple of scenarios to consider. If any unauthorized use of the Find My system was involved, you might have to escalate the issue to higher-level support at Apple. You’d need proof of purchase and possibly a police report, along with any messages from the scammers demanding money. This adds another layer to your situation, especially if they put it in Lost Mode.
But definitely check out this link for Activation Lock support: https://al-support.apple.com/#/al/agreement. Just be aware that if the phone's in Lost Mode, unlocking might not be possible right now.
It sounds like you're dealing with a tough case. From what I understand, once they signed into that scam Apple ID, the phone likely got locked under their account. Apple only sees the Apple ID used to sign in as the legitimate owner, which complicates things.
If the scammers enabled Lost Mode, Apple won't unlock it, unfortunately. The only real option is to try and request Activation Lock removal, but you need to provide proof that the device isn't in Lost Mode. It's a tough lesson, but always be cautious about sharing account info.
Here’s the link to Apple's support page on this for more details: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108934.
Also, don’t fall for the scammer’s tricks if they offer to remove it for a fee. They’ll just keep asking for more money without helping. It’s a rough learning experience for your daughter. How old is she?
I'm really sorry to hear about this! If it's asking for a passcode instead, try entering the last known passcode to see if it unlocks the account. I’d also recommend setting up strong parental controls to prevent similar situations in the future. Such a shame this happened to her.
The phone is placed in lost mode.