iCloud Activation Removal: Are They All Scam?

[Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 08:50
Last edited 22/12/2019 - 09:44

Recently I had trouble with unlocking my iPad. It is an old model and has been sitting in my cupboard for about a year. Just like any old man who found his lost treasure, I forgot the pin.

Since I no longer have the box or the receipt, I googled how to bypass it, and end up with this company appleiphoneunlock.co.uk. This company was recommended by https://www.netchimp.co.uk/webdesign/unlock-iphone/bypass-ic…

At first they ask me to pay US$27, and I thought that was it.
Then this is their reply:

Thanks for purchasing iCloud Unlocking assistance from AppleiPhoneUnlock.
Please login to the tracking page and use the tools provided to liaise with Apple or to contact the previous owner.

This so-called-tool is btw simply telling me to email the owner or find the receipt and go to Apple Store.

If you do not have the original purchase receipt, or cannot communicate with the previous owner, you will need the iCloud AutoRemoval® Service.
To upgrade to the iCloud AutoRemoval® Service which removes the iCloud automatically within 24-72 hours please follow this link: https://appleiphoneunlock.uk/unlock/final-payment
OfficialiPhoneUnlock and iPhoneIMEI.net state on the website in several places (pricelist, terms and conditions, when you enter your IMEI, and the page prior to payment) that there will an additional price to pay.

The extra payment is EUR30. I thought this is BS since the information (in bold) they have given is something that is OBVIOUS already. I didn't go on to the payment because of that.

Are they all just scam? Imyfone was also recommended in that website, but is netchimp also a scam?

The good news is I end up figuring out my password and manage to unlock it myself. But I lost US$27 that I will never see again.

Are there no regulator in America or Europe to stop these scammers?

Computing

Comments

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 22/12/2019 - 09:01

    Lol

    • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 09:08

      I see the comedy now. But back then, the website has proper security in Chrome, was not blocked in google, one of the top in the search result too, hard for me to see that it was a scam.

  • pantsparty on 22/12/2019 - 09:06

    Lol

  • mbck on 22/12/2019 - 09:40

    Rip

  • steven6 on 22/12/2019 - 09:58
    +3

    If you paid with credit card then do a chargeback

    • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 10:38
      -1

      I don't get it, why isnt there one reputable source that just say that there is no way to unlock icloud? that should stop scammers.

      • MrHyde on 22/12/2019 - 11:01
        +3

        There is. It's icloud.apple.com.

        Problem is people who think it's not telling the truth and that there must be other ways that they are just not telling.

        • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 11:44
          -2

          It should say specifically that these websites are scams.

          • kerfuffle on 22/12/2019 - 11:47
            +5

            @[Deactivated]: The website would have a very long list at that rate …

          • Ughhh on 22/12/2019 - 12:04
            +3

            @[Deactivated]: Considering how Apple likes full control of all their products ie. lightening cables and ecosystem, isn't it weird and wouldn't it concern you if any 3rd party company can disable/get around a security feature that easily?

            You close one scam website, another will open the next day. The list would be longer than their T&Cs, to the point at which you probably wouldnt even read yourself and will eventually find someone else to blame.

            • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 12:19

              @Ughhh: Good point. I guess I was hopeless. I bet there are millions like me just as hopeless and these scammers are perhaps one of the most successful scams ever.

              They are very tidy, organised and smart. Comes with video tutorial, proof, review (obviously staged). Youtube channel, etc.

          • 0 jingle 0 on 22/12/2019 - 14:52

            @[Deactivated]: If Apple says iCloud activation CAN NOT be bypassed, doesn't that in essence say that anyone saying they can bypass it is a scam.

            A pretty frustrating situation nonetheless.

  • Baysew on 22/12/2019 - 10:54
    +8

    Just buy a new $50k MacPro

  • No Username on 22/12/2019 - 11:21

    iCloud Lock Can Only Be Removed Physically. Unless on a very specific version of IOS.

  • Muzeeb on 22/12/2019 - 12:01

    Thanks for making my Sunday. Cheers op.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2019 - 12:23

      Merry Xmas mate. Cheers

  • veej on 23/12/2019 - 08:11
    +1

    If you forget your password on your iPad/iPhone you can wipe your device and start over with a reset if do it via iTunes and not from inside the device.

    Better to wipe it and start over than to not be able to use it at all.

    *I read you figured out the PIN so all good, but it's good to know anyway.

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306

    • [Deactivated] on 23/12/2019 - 10:37

      It's not true. If you reset it, it will ask for activation password.

    • HeWhoKnows on 23/12/2019 - 22:27

      An iPhone Factory reset erases everything on the iphone including the passcode - correct!

      But the phone IMEI number is registered against your icloud user name and password in a very secure part of thier icloud web site. In fact its also registered against your phone number. The phone number that was used to set up the phone in the first place. So if you change your phone number make sure you reset your iPhone too or you will have problems down the line

      When you set up a factory reset iphone it asks you to connect to the internet via mobile data or wifi so it can check the IMEI number against thier icloud database to see if its locked. This is all about theft prevention.

      If it finds the phone icloud locked it will then ask you to enter the correct icloud user name and password before you can do anything else.
      This is known as "icloud locked" and why you should never buy an iphone which is icloud locked.

      Jailbreaking wont help either so icloud locked iphone is useless other than for some (non-motherboard) parts such as screen, camera, speaker etc

  • Never Pay RRP on 23/12/2019 - 21:30
    +1

    Your money is now partying with the Nigerian Princes on an offshore oil rig.
    To be on the safe side I would also cancel/reissue the credit card you used to pay them (but that may already be part of the chargeback process if you have gone that route)
    Consider this a cheap(ish) lesson in internet scammery

  • HeWhoKnows on 23/12/2019 - 22:19

    They are ALL SCAMS
    I looked long and hard into these icloud unlock web sites some time ago.
    Basicaly there are all operated by the same person.
    And all the so called reviews and independent recommendations of thier web site and unlock services are 100% Fakes.
    You can check them up on website review sites such as trust pilot.
    These icloud unlock guys have 100% negative reviews for icloud unlocking.
    Any positive reviews are very obvious fakes. So easy to tell.

    Now just look at it logically….
    If backdoor icloud unlocking was so easy and freely available (at a cost) then Apple would have closed the loophole since its basically a security breach.

    Apple gives you plenty of ways to help you unlock your apple device.
    But in reality its not in Apple's interest to unlock your Apple device either.
    Since the end result is you will just end up buying a new Apple replacement device.

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