I bought a second hand ipad4, it keeps asking for iCloud password for old user!

[buerkletucson]

Just wondering outloud.....

Why would anyone that sold a device not cooperate and help with a simple 1 minute task of logging into his account and disabling this, so the new owner can use it?
Is the seller just a jerk or is there more to this story than we are hearing???


Good luck nonetheless....

 

[Popsc]

I can tell you that Gumtree are investigating it and said all they'll be able to do is ban him off their site....which means he'll just use another email address to sell from!!. They also advised going through small claims court! I'm gonna leave it till next week and give this person a little time before I do anything else. I can also a sure you that there's nothing more behind this story. Thanks for all your replies. .....I may need to book a ticket to the USA to go and see Apple to get them to change their policy, no other innocent souls get in the same situation as me!

 

[Pinkpoison]

I can tell you that Gumtree are investigating it and said all they'll be able to do is ban him off their site....which means he'll just use another email address to sell from!!. They also advised going through small claims court! I'm gonna leave it till next week and give this person a little time before I do anything else. I can also a sure you that there's nothing more behind this story. Thanks for all your replies. .....I may need to book a ticket to the USA to go and see Apple to get them to change their policy, no other innocent souls get in the same situation as me!

Good luck, I hope you get a good result, please let us know how it goes.

 

[buerkletucson]

.....I may need to book a ticket to the USA to go and see Apple to get them to change their policy, no other innocent souls get in the same situation as me!

While I have no reason to doubt your story................and while I sypathize with you if all that is said is 100% true, you need to look at the whole picture........

The simple fact the "previous owner" is not cooperating is suspicious at best.
Who says this unit is not stolen? Just because you may be an innocent victom doesn't change that.

There are simple proceses in place by Apple that prevent this scenerio.
If the previous owner would of reset the unit properly or would simply log into their account this issue would not exist.

Buying used is always a risk.........a good deal may not always turn out that way in the end.
Good luck......hope things turn out for you.

 

[willerz2]

When buying used products, particularly since iOS 7 is released, buying devices that are unsealed are at your own risk. Buying sealed products is the safest. If you're to buy an unsealed device on iOS 7, local meetups is a must so that you can go through a buyer's checklist before paying for it. Otherwise, the owner will take advantage of their insurance by reporting their devices stolen and getting a brand new device while profiting off of the buyer's ignorance.

Particularly in the States, this is a major issue.

 

[AQ_OC]

I may need to book a ticket to the USA to go and see Apple to get them to change their policy, no other innocent souls get in the same situation as me!

I feel your pain, I really do. But this is a policy that I'm glad Apple has in place....because if that is a stolen iPad, then the original owner knows that no ones is going to be using that iPad. Also, this feature is going to make iPad a much less likely target for thieves. So while this is hurting you, it is helping the 170 million other iPad purchasers, of which I currently own two!

Still, it sucks to be in your position and I totally get how you feel right now.

 

[geofflukins]

What is to say that the guy on Gumtree hasn't stolen this particular IPad and then sold it on Gumtree. I have heard of a lot of wrong doings on this particular site. I would think that any reasonable person who has nothing to hide would be glad to give you their details to enable you to use a purchase from them. This sounds very very dodgy to me.

 

[Popsc]

I've emailed the person today. I'm gonna leave it till next week and then I'll see if I can get the police to do something, because if it is stolen why hasn't it been disabled and Apple been notified. Thanks

 

[Rperez414]

You could buy a cheap damaged ipad with a broken screen and transfer your parts over if you get no help from Gumtree.

 

[gedansky]

I don't understand... I've done factory resets and been asked if I wanted to log in as myself or someone else. I've also done full restore of the OS, opted NOT to restore my data, and set up a totally new device name through iTunes.

Am I missing something that the device is flagged in the cloud as stolen? If so, assuming the email address and phone are still active, he can engage the police. But, if he is overseas, that can be hard. He MAY be able to accept the lesson learned (I know, tough to do, believe me), trade it in at Best Buy for about $325, and pay the balance to buy a new one. That is, if they accept it.

 

[Pinkpoison]

I don't understand... I've done factory resets and been asked if I wanted to log in as myself or someone else. I've also done full restore of the OS, opted NOT to restore my data, and set up a totally new device name through iTunes.

Am I missing something that the device is flagged in the cloud as stolen? If so, assuming the email address and phone are still active, he can engage the police. But, if he is overseas, that can be hard. He MAY be able to accept the lesson learned (I know, tough to do, believe me), trade it in at Best Buy for about $325, and pay the balance to buy a new one. That is, if they accept it.

Have you read the whole thread? This device cannot be activated without the original owners password or the original owner disabling Find my iPad.

 

[gedansky]

Have you read the whole thread? This device cannot be activated without the original owners password or the original owner disabling Find my iPad.

I have read it quite carefully. What I don't understand is why? I have taken my own iPads (1st and 4th gen) back to out of the box status, And it asked me specifically if I wanted to log in under an existing ID or a new one, and it NEVER required my original password to do it.

One time, to help with trouble shooting a problem, I created a new ID and it let me without requiring my original user id and password.

Several other times, I reloaded apps fresh, NOT from backup and it let me create a new ID.

With my wife's device, I have been able to log her in with HER user ID and password for iMessage, but MY user ID and password for the App Store so she doesn't have to re-purchase all the apps I already own.

Last but not least... I have moved devices around from PC top MAC and back again. When trying to sync to a new desktop/laptop, it would tell me that the device was NOT synced with that system and that copy of iTunes and I could either disconnect, or elect to have iTunes wipe the device back to factory spec. It NEVER required a user id and password to wipe the iPad and pair it with that desktop/laptop device.

This has been all the way from IOS 4.X up to IOS 6.X.

Put simply, unless the device has previously been registered as stolen, prior to the OP's purchase, or there is something completely new in iOS 7 that now requires this, there is no reason it would EVER require the old user's ID and password. It would just wipe the device and move on.

 

[Pinkpoison]

See this-
[FONT=Conv_DagnyOffc]Are you looking to trade up for the next iPhone? If you’re using iOS7 (the latest operating system update from Apple, released in 2013), you need to turn off Activation Lock first. Activation Lock is a new security feature found in iOS7 that makes it difficult for someone else to use your phone if it is lost or stolen.[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_DagnyOffc]Apple introduced Find My iPhone back in 2010, and since iPhone owners have had great success in locating their lost and stolen iPhones. With success stories all over the web, Find My iPhone seemed to be a great way of locating and remotely erasing your iDevice. The one big flaw in Find My iPhone was blocking the ability to restore and erase the device if it gets into the wrong hands.[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_DagnyOffc]Now with Activation Lock added to Find My iPhone in iOS7, it requires your Apple ID and password in order to restore or erase your device. Activation lock is turned on by default as long as you log in with iCloud when activating iOS 7. [/FONT]

 

[scifan57]

I have read it quite carefully. What I don't understand is why? I have taken my own iPads (1st and 4th gen) back to out of the box status, And it asked me specifically if I wanted to log in under an existing ID or a new one, and it NEVER required my original password to do it. One time, to help with trouble shooting a problem, I created a new ID and it let me without requiring my original user id and password. Several other times, I reloaded apps fresh, NOT from backup and it let me create a new ID. With my wife's device, I have been able to log her in with HER user ID and password for iMessage, but MY user ID and password for the App Store so she doesn't have to re-purchase all the apps I already own. Last but not least... I have moved devices around from PC top MAC and back again. When trying to sync to a new desktop/laptop, it would tell me that the device was NOT synced with that system and that copy of iTunes and I could either disconnect, or elect to have iTunes wipe the device back to factory spec. It NEVER required a user id and password to wipe the iPad and pair it with that desktop/laptop device. This has been all the way from IOS 4.X up to IOS 6.X. Put simply, unless the device has previously been registered as stolen, prior to the OP's purchase, or there is something completely new in iOS 7 that now requires this, there is no reason it would EVER require the old user's ID and password. It would just wipe the device and move on.

The problem described in this thread is a result of the new security features of iOS 7, making it mandatory to enter the Apple ID and password of the original owner to turn off find my iPhone and erase the iPad.

This is why it's so important to verify that find my iPhone is turned off and the original owner's iCloud account has been deleted before buying a used iPad or other iOS device.

 

[gedansky]

The problem described in this thread is a result of the new security features of iOS 7, making it mandatory to enter the Apple ID and password of the original owner to turn off find my iPhone and erase the iPad. This is why it's so important to verify that find my iPhone is turned off and the original owner's iCloud account has been deleted before buying a used iPad or other iOS device.

Ah. I tend to think it's as much to hinder the public's ability to purchase aftermarket IPads and iPhones as it is to protect the owners. But, I suppose it's no worse than having to make sure the ESN, HEX, or DEC number on any phone is clean before you buy it.

Personally, I MIGHT buy a late model on sale somewhere, I would definitely buy refurbed from Apple to save a few bucks, but I will never buy used from a third party.

Best of luck to the OP in his quest. It may be the best option to trade in to Best Buy for $325 and get a new one.