I'm stuck in a frustrating situation with Apple after blocking my card due to unauthorized iTunes charges. When I tried to log in to investigate, my account got locked, asking for verification with a trusted phone number that I don't recognize at all. It seems the hacker may have changed my recovery information. I spent over 40 minutes on the phone with Apple Support, but they told me that without confirming the full number, there's nothing they can do and I should just create a new account. I still have access to my original email and the bank records showing the fraud. Has anyone been able to escalate this issue beyond the basic support? It feels incredibly unfair that I'm locked out of my own account due to a hacker's actions.
5 Answers
Did you set up two-factor authentication on your original number before this happened? That would have provided an extra layer of security, which is really important.
I have to ask, why didn't you have 2FA turned on? Without being able to prove ownership of that number, it seems Apple is stuck and the account isn't yours anymore.
Unfortunately, if you don't recognize your trusted number, it puts you in a tough spot. Do you have any other devices where you could possibly use two-factor authentication instead? That might help you get back in.
One possible (but costly) route is to consider legal action. A lawyer could help you get a subpoena for your account records, then you might be able to challenge the phone company with evidence that the number was involved in fraud. I know it's a long shot, but it seems worth exploring if you feel strongly about it.
There really isn't anywhere to escalate within Apple. If you can't remember the phone number tied to your account, they might not be able to assist you at all, which is super frustrating.
That would be great if they could check the history of the trusted number to verify what was changed.