Can I recover an Apple account after the security questions were changed?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
Someone gained access to an old Apple account that did not have two-factor authentication enabled. They changed the security questions and replaced them with answers in Chinese, and I no longer remember the original answers anyway. I still control the email address linked to the account and can sometimes change the account password, but account recovery fails because there is not enough personal information. Apple Support said they cannot restore or delete the account, and I do not currently have any Apple device signed in to it. Is there any legitimate way to secure, recover, or permanently delete this account?
Answers
First, secure the email account itself with a new, unique password and two-factor authentication. Also check for forwarding rules, recovery addresses, unfamiliar devices, and active sessions. Unfortunately, if the attacker can still pass the account’s security questions and there is no trusted device or two-factor authentication, Apple may not be able to restore access through support. In that situation, the account may effectively be unrecoverable.
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Having access to the original email does not necessarily override the account’s recovery requirements. Older accounts that rely on security questions can be especially difficult to reclaim after those questions are changed. It is worth trying the sign-in method on a current Apple device, but do not assume that changing the password alone has removed the attacker’s access.
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If you can successfully change the password, try signing in through the iCloud account option on an iPhone or iPad. On a borrowed device, open Settings, go to the account or Mail account section, choose Add Account, select iCloud, and sign in. This may use the newer sign-in process instead of the old security questions and could prompt you to enable two-factor authentication. Once the account is secured, you may be able to manage or delete it through Apple’s privacy and data-management website.
MellowCedar42: That sounds worth trying since I can still change the password. I’ll make sure the device owner’s account and data are not altered.
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MossyLane31: That is the frustrating part: I can access the email and change the password, but the recovery process still says there is not enough personal information.