A few months ago, I bought a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro from Swappie. Since then, the Apple Account connected to the phone has shown the message: "This account is locked and can't be used." I contacted Apple Support several times and submitted proof of purchase and ownership, but my requests to remove the lock were rejected. I've since learned that Apple may require the original retail purchase receipt, which I cannot provide because I bought the phone second-hand through a refurbishment company. I'm now unable to use the phone normally and feel stuck despite having purchased it legitimately. Is there anything else I can do, or should Swappie be responsible for resolving this?
4 Answers
Your best option is to contact Swappie and request a return, replacement, or refund. If the phone is still linked to another account or has an Activation Lock, the seller needs to resolve that with the original owner or provide a device that is properly cleared. Apple generally won’t remove Activation Lock without the documentation they require from the original sale.
If the Apple Account itself is permanently locked, you may be able to recover it or create a new account. However, creating a new account won’t bypass Activation Lock on the iPhone. If Find My is still enabled, the realistic solution is for Swappie to remove the lock, exchange the phone, or refund you.
Keep all receipts, support case numbers, and messages from Apple and Swappie. Explain clearly that the phone was sold to you as usable and ask the seller to handle the original ownership documentation. If they refuse to help, check their warranty and return terms and consider escalating the matter through your local consumer-protection process.
The account lock and Activation Lock are two separate issues. An Apple Account can be locked for security reasons, and that usually isn’t caused simply by buying a used phone. Activation Lock applies to the device when Find My is enabled, and it can prevent you from signing in with a different account after erasing the phone. Make sure you identify which message you’re seeing, then follow the matching Apple recovery or Activation Lock process.
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