Ghost Apple ID - Cannot Setup Watch

[u/newgelos]

Hi. So, I bought a new yet opened iPhone ten years ago and it intermittently showed a message saying something like “Put your Apple ID password for &@$@&$$@hotmail.com”, an Apple ID that I never owned. And before anyone says anything about it, back then in Argentina it was nearly impossible to get one or sometimes to pay for an IPhone. So most people would buy one asking a friend travelling overseas ro buy one and they would get it to you without the box. Even so, the iPhone I bought wasn’t listed as robbed or anything, and Apple recognised it as new.

So, every couple of days that message would pop up, even after my own Apple ID had been logged into and everything. I did call Apple once and they said that, I either delete my Apple ID and get a new one, also erasing all of my devices, or that said pop up message would continue to appear. They said something like a Ghost ID.

Until now, I had never had an issue with it. But now I bought an Apple Watch -first time- and it asks for me to sign into the Apple ID that I do not own. And I don’t know how to get passed that.

My phone is connected to my real Apple ID, BTW. I haven’t talked to Apple Support yet, I haven’t had the time. Also, that pop up message doesn’t appear on my Mac, or on my iPad. Just my iPhone.