Apple ID "Apple ID is not active"

[TheIntruder]

Received an unhappy surprise yesterday, when my phone asked me to enter the password to an Apple email account that dates back to iTools, from 20+ years ago. Never had any memorable, or recent issues with this account.

Entered the password, no dice. Then tried to log on via the iCloud web site. No dice.

Ok…try to reset password -- "Apple ID is not active."

Contact Apple support for phone call back. (*Tip--disable Silence Unknown Callers first, and expect a call from a number in Austin TX)

Rep sees account is locked, but even they can't tell why. Only thing they can do is submit a request to unlock, and wait during 24 hr period.

The rescue email address linked to the account works, because Support sent messages to it acknowledging the callback request, and also wondering why there was no one answered the call*.

I remain cautiously optimistic the account will be unlocked, but can't discount the possibility that they'll refuse. And not give any reason or explanation either way. I have no idea, on my part.

It would stink to lose such an old .mac address, but everything important that goes through it has been backed up and accessible elsewhere, like receipts and such. The real hassle would be to figure out where they address has been used and have to change each of those account settings for a new email.

Anyone else been through this process?

 

[Bigwaff]

Your experience is scaring the hell out of me as I still heavily rely on my old “.mac” email address. I’ve just had it for so very long, I don’t even think about it.

 

[simers]

My mum is experiencing the same - again a .Mac email address that dates back 20 years. Waiting to hear back from Apple Security dept.

 

[TheIntruder]

Happy ending.

Roughly 12hrs after contacting support, received email saying the account had be reactivated, but little else.

We’ve reviewed your request and your Apple ID has been reactivated.

Still have no idea why it was deactivated to begin with.

The only possibility I can think of is, because I have this account forward all messages to another account, including the copious amount of spam iCloud fails to catch, it might have been machine flagged as a potential spammer.

But I am glad that I sort of "silo" my accounts for specific use cases, with all my App Store transactions made with a different Apple ID that's used primarily for that, and other purchases, and another email for my mobile devices, and public exposure.

If all my eggs had been in this one .Mac account, it wouldn't have been pretty to lose it.

Also thankful that Apple offers live human support, with domestic reps with no language barriers, who seemed to be sharp and on the ball when discussing the issues I experienced.

However, I do wish iCloud's spam filtering was better. Within the past year or so, the daily number of spam messages has exploded, all addressed to the .icloud alias for this account I've never used.

 

[simers]

Happy ending.

Roughly 12hrs after contacting support, received email saying the account had be reactivated, but little else.



Still have no idea why it was deactivated to begin with.

The only possibility I can think of is, because I have this account forward all messages to another account, including the copious amount of spam iCloud fails to catch, it might have been machine flagged as a potential spammer.

But I am glad that I sort of "silo" my accounts for specific use cases, with all my App Store transactions made with a different Apple ID that's used primarily for that, and other purchases, and another email for my mobile devices, and public exposure.

If all my eggs had been in this one .Mac account, it wouldn't have been pretty to lose it.

Also thankful that Apple offers live human support, with domestic reps with no language barriers, who seemed to be sharp and on the ball when discussing the issues I experienced.

However, I do wish iCloud's spam filtering was better. Within the past year or so, the daily number of spam messages has exploded, all addressed to the .icloud alias for this account I've never used.

Same here - my mum's account was reactivated after about 24hrs but with no explanation or apology for the loss of service

 

[bertimus2002]

We just had this happen to my son's account. Deactivated without providing a reason. And, after trying Apple Support, we have been told they will not be reactivating it.

So, now we have to try and get Activation Lock removed from his phone AND watch with our receipts so we can create a new account.

This is extremely jarring, hard to process and walk through. I don't wish this on anyone.

 

[TheIntruder]

We just had this happen to my son's account. Deactivated without providing a reason. And, after trying Apple Support, we have been told they will not be reactivating it.

So, now we have to try and get Activation Lock removed from his phone AND watch with our receipts so we can create a new account.

This is extremely jarring, hard to process and walk through. I don't wish this on anyone.

Unfortunately, people have become so tethered to their tech, and put so much power and faith in these megacorp tech companies that it can really be quite a hassle to sort out. When things go wrong, we are essentially powerless, and given no explanation, or any sort of due process.

And this is for stuff we sign up for, with Apple being less "evil" than most, and easier to deal with. If it was a Google account, there would be nobody to call, and even fewer craps given.

Then there are are places that we've never signed up for, or given explicit consent to, that hold even greater keys to our lives.

For me, this incident has served as a call to rationalize my online affairs and really sort out and prioritize them to better mitigate the risks like this.

I've always resisted calls to register for online accounts, apps, and other frivolous stuff that companies try to hard to push, and there are still way too many entries in my password manager.

 

[bertimus2002]

So, good news is, we had the receipts from the phone. Bad news, the apple watch was a gift and we do not have the receipt (included asking the person who gave the gift). The watch is now just a paperweight.

Without proof of purchase, Apple won't unlock the bad apple ID that got hacked off of the watch so we can re-pair it with the new apple ID created after this whole mess.

Series 7 watch, still had a lot of life left...tough experience for sure.

 

[simers]

Same here - my mum's account was reactivated after about 24hrs but with no explanation or apology for the loss of service

This has happened to my Mum's account once again. What is going on??

 

[TheIntruder]

This has happened to my Mum's account once again. What is going on??

Of course, you'll have to contact support again, but try to reach beyond L1 support.

I don't know how the folks in Cork(?) handle things, but my experience with the U.S. team in Austin was good. They understood the problem (a hurdle that can be hard to overcome in many support instances), and didn't hesitate to escalate to more senior levels when I wanted to discuss other issues.

 

[simers]

Apple very unhelpful. They say my Mum's account breached their T&C's but won't say which ones. The account is only used for the very occasional email so I can't see how it could breach T&C unless it had been hacked or spoofed. Essentially they have completely deactivated the account and washed their hands of her with the only recourse being a letter to be sent to their head office in Cork. Email not an option. Considering she has had this account since 2000 it is not a great way to treat a long standing customer.

When you think of what is stored on the average iCloud account it makes me really worried that they can just turn off any account without any warning or any comeback.