I purchased stolen/lost iPhone 5, how can I use it?
I bought a used iPhone 5 from someone over the internet for cash and it turns out the phone was reported either lost or stolen and has a passcode lock. I tried getting ahold of the seller, but he is long gone and I have no way to track him down to get my money back. I went to the sheriff's office in my town and they held it for 30 days hoping to find the owner or have the owner come claim it, to which they had no luck.
So, I was given the phone back and told that since the seller/owner could not be found it is now mine. I spent a couple hundred dollars on an iPhone that has a passcode lock and don't know what to do with it. Since I spent the money I would like to try and get some use out of it. Does anyone know how I can get it to work as a phone, or if not, at least to use as an iPod?
If the phone has been reported lost and/or stolen, you can forget about using it with any carrier. The phone has been blacklisted.
If the iPhone doesn't have an iCloud lock, your best bet will be to restore it to factory settings using iTunes. Most likely upon doing it will it require you to enter your Apple ID password, which only the original owner would have (as it is his/her account).
You're sh*t out of luck, son.
2 things:
1. The passcode fix:
http://support.apple.com/.../kb/ht1212
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/apple/3501008/how-reset-forgotten-ipad-or-iphone-passcode/
2. Once the first step is done it gets harder. IF it is listed as stolen the electronic serial number (the IMEI) has been blacklisted and will never be reactivated by any US carrier--ever. You'll need to locate the IMEI of the phone.
http://support.apple.com/.../kb/ht4061
3. See if the IMEI is good. If it's not, you'll still be able to use it on Wi-Fi as an iPod.
Check the number here:
http://swappa.com/esn
If it's good then you'll still need it unlocked from the original cell carrier so you can use on the one you want. That's a whole other story.
Best luck.
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