Apple locks out iPhone user after he redeems Rs 45,000 gift card: Here’s what happened next

Redeeming a $500 Apple Gift Card, equivalent to approximately Rs 45,000, turned into a nightmare for one Apple developer. Instead of enhancing his digital experience, it resulted in his Apple ID being blocked, effectively locking him out of his entire Apple ecosystem and all of his data.

Dr. Paris Buttfield-Addison, a published author of technical books about Apple's Objective-C and Swift programming languages, and also a co-organizer of the `/dev/world` developer event, shared in a recent blog post that his 25-year-old Apple ID was unexpectedly locked after he redeemed the gift card. No detailed explanation was given.

The problem arose when Dr. Buttfield-Addison attempted to use the $500 Apple Gift Card, which he purchased from a major retailer, to pay for his 6TB iCloud+ storage plan. The card's code was rejected, and his account was subsequently locked. Upon contacting Apple support, he was informed that the gift card was likely compromised, which triggered the account ban. Despite providing proof of purchase and the card's serial number, Apple flagged his account as “closed in accordance with the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions.”

The consequences of the disabled Apple ID have been severe, extending beyond the loss of personal media and paid services. Dr. Buttfield-Addison estimates that he now has over $30,000 worth of unusable Apple hardware. His iPhone, iPad, Watch, and Macs are now mostly non-functional, unable to sync, update, or operate correctly, essentially turning them into expensive paperweights. He reported being signed out of iMessage and denied access to essential Apple services, including his Apple Developer ID.

He described his core digital identity, which includes terabytes of family photos and professional message history, as now inaccessible. "This isn’t just an email address; it is my core digital identity," he stated, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. He also noted the significant financial impact, stating he has over $30,000 worth of “bricked” hardware that was previously active.

Dr. Buttfield-Addison characterized his interactions with Apple Support as unhelpful. He stated that staff declined to provide specific details regarding the ban, claiming that further escalation would not change the outcome. The most concerning advice he received from a Senior Advisor was to simply create a new Apple account. Dr. Buttfield-Addison believes this is a disastrous solution, as creating a new account could be seen as an attempt to circumvent the ban, potentially leading to a permanent ban from the Apple Developer Program, which would seriously threaten his career.

In a recent update, Dr. Buttfield-Addison mentioned that someone from Executive Relations at Apple contacted him and is investigating the matter. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. despite the attention his story has received, it appears Apple has not yet been able to resolve the issue. In a follow-up update, the developer wrote, "No luck so far, and not looking good. Anyone got a good lawyer to send them a letter and/or help me sue them?"