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I have an issue with my iPhone 7 Plus, which today I wanted to replace with the XS.

After backing it up to a Macbook and then resetting the old phone, I logged in to the Apple ID site to remove the IPhone from my account. However, it wasn't there! All of this took maybe 20 minutes.

Now I can neither restore the backup from the Macbook through iTunes, nor can I set up the old Iphone as a "new Iphone" anymore. Both attempts lead to a screen saying that the Iphone is locked to an account "n*****@icloud.com", which is not me! My account is "a**********@p*******.de"!

The SIM card is not locked in any way, I bought the phone without a cellular plan! The restore doesn't work with or without the SIM card.

I bought this iPhone brand new from a trusted retailer, and the iPhone has always ever only known my own Apple ID!

I cannot reset the iPhone through ITunes, or any other way.

How can this happen and what do I do? I fear I have to go to an Apple store and explain the dilemma. I do have the original receipts and can prove this is my phone that way, hopefully!

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If you have all the original receipts required to prove ownership please go to the next Apple Store (or contact Apple support if there isn‘t a store close by). They should be able to reassign the phone.

PS: Make sure you make a fresh backup after your old phone is unlocked. Don‘t think there is a way to „unlock“ the existing backup.

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  • thanks, this is indeed what I had to do. I have the original receipt from a year ago, which also showed the phone's serial#. I opened a case with Apple support and uploaded the receipt. They assured me the phone will be unlocked in 2-4 business days. It still doesn't explain HOW it happened, given that I have done this many times before with all my older iPhones.
    – John
    Sep 25, 2018 at 20:00

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