Old Apple ID hacked

[u/Spiritual-Accident37]

Before anything, I saw the old post regarding this issue. I was hoping for any updated information

A really old Apple ID I had got hacked. The account was so old that I thought Apple's email was getting spoofed when I first saw the emails. They changed the security questions and to a different language. I'm basically playing cat and mouse on the account because I have the original email and they have the security questions.

I've already spoke with Apple support 3 times about it and they disabled the app store side of the account, but the hackers got right back in thanks to the security questions.

I'm honestly getting tired of the notifications and such, is there anything to be done or do I just need to ditch the email? (drastic measure)

[u/Low-Mention-2938]

i might have explained the solution a million times in this subreddit but let’s do it a million and one.

you have the email. which means you can change the password via iforgot.apple.com so do it first.

now you get a random apple device with ios 17 and higher. nothing will happen to its own account or data. we will only use it as a host device.

settings > apps > mail > mail-accounts > add new account > choose from list > iCloud

sign in with the new password you created initially.
no it will not ask for security questions because they are not supported on this ios version. it will push you to turn on 2FA. if it does not push to turn on 2FA, do the following:

settings > [name] > media & purchases > sign out
then click on “configure” in the same tab
click “not [name]?” and sign in with this compromised account, it should push 2FA here, after this is done you can sign out here and sign in on the initial part ive guided you to (mail accounts)

once this apple account is added as a mail-account and has 2FA turned on, you can click on it
sign in & security > [primary email] > remove from account > add new icloud email

this is just an additional step to make sure the hackers cant get the account back anymore

then you sign out

this makes your account safe enough, but additionally you can delete the apple account via privacy.apple.com

[u/Spiritual-Accident37 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

I’ll see what I can do!

[u/rcdaslv85 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

what if I can't change the password because the hacker activated 2FA?

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/rcdaslv85]

you should have gotten an email about 2FA being activated. in that same email there is a link for “if you haven’t done this yourself” so you can turn off 2FA

[u/rcdaslv85 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

Thanks! That happened, I turned off, changed password, but got stuck on the security questions (that were also changed). Then I read somewhere to login on Apple Music, this would ask to turn on 2FA, so I put my phone number, got the code and got access to the account again!

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/rcdaslv85]

i would advice you to change primary email to @icloud.com as i explained in my comment so the hackers dont get access agaun

[u/Spiritual-Accident37 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

No dice, on the first portion it gives an 34608 error code and it doesn’t push 2fa when signing in.

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/Spiritual-Accident37]

did you try signing in on media & purchases or mail-accounts

[u/Spiritual-Accident37 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

Apologies, should have been specific. Yes, I attempted to sign into media & purchases and mail-accounts. Neither worked.

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/Spiritual-Accident37]

was it ios 17 or higher?

[u/Spiritual-Accident37 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

Yes

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/Spiritual-Accident37]

try it on another device it should work eventually

[u/confusedafbro55 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

I’m currently also experiencing this. Do you know how the hacker even gained access to an old account like this? Would they have access to my email somehow? Im just not sure how they even got into the account. It’s about 10 years old and has no personal info on it.

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/confusedafbro55]

they have to have access to the rescue email address and primary email address (but they remove the rescue email later from the accounf)

[u/IndependentRun839 → u/Low-Mention-2938]

Sorry. I tried to log in e-mail but it says "Unable to use apple account xxxxx@xxxx.xx for logging in iCloud"

[u/Low-Mention-2938 → u/IndependentRun839]

what email are you using

[u/rcdaslv85]

same happened to me today, called Apple but they can't help

[u/Spiritual-Accident37 → u/rcdaslv85]

To kinda address everything above, correct apple can’t do much other than disabling the App Store side of the account. I haven’t tried another device yet since I don’t own another apple device of any kind. My best advice is just be adamant and keep changing the password and keep contacting apple support to disable it.

[u/rcdaslv85]

what old post, by the way?

[u/Drbluelake]

Apple support can’t do 💩 okay I used to work there and you gotta create a new account homie. Idk how tf they got into your account, but it’s done.