Can't restore an used iPhone 4S

Good evenin' people!

I bought recently an used iPhone 4S and the owner gave it to me "restored". So I picked language and all the basic stuff before using it.

The catch is... it didn't let me log into my own App Store account. It says that "there are too many accounts already" and no matter how much I restore it: I can't get it to work.

Someone told me (recently) that I can't use it, that I have to ask the original owner for his ID in order to switch. I call "lies" and come here to ask... because if I need to do that: I'm going to return this freaking phone to his original owner for a refund.

It can't be possible that he can't relinquish the phone he doesn't want anymore just because of some stupid single-user lock policy.

Is the app store message saying you already have too many devices associated with your Apple ID? There is a limit of 10 devices you can authorize with your ID. Computers, iPads, iPhones, iPods. You might have to unauthorize one device in order to make app (and iTunes) purchases on the iPhone.

MYmacROX said:

There is a limit of 10 devices you can authorize with your ID.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the speedy answer!

The account is new and I made it through the phone. I can't recall using my old account on more than two or three devices and also bounces out with the same error message.

How can I set this option you're telling me? I might as well give it a spin.

Is the device running iOS 7?

iOS 7 has a security feature built-in which would stop you configuring it as a new device if the seller hasn't unlocked it first.

dbm said:

Is the device running iOS 7?

iOS 7 has a security feature built-in which would stop you configuring it as a new device if the seller hasn't unlocked it first.

Click to expand...

That's the nail on the head right there.

If it had iOS7 on the previous owner needs to dis-associate that device with his/her iCloud account.

Ask the previous owner to log into iCloud.com/find - from there select Erase - then Remove from account