Someone else created this Apple account using my email address

Question

Level 1

4 points

Someone else created this Apple account using my email address

I just found out that someone else created this Apple account using my email address. I was able to change the password and log in to support and community pages, but couldn't log in to the page where I can configure the account settings. I get a "Too many incorrect verification attempts" message, and any attempts to reset my security questions result in a "We don’t have sufficient information to reset your security questions" message. I needed an Apple account because of Apple TV (I don't own any apple devices) and that's how I found out that someone used my email address. All the information in it is in Japanese and I don't have any connections with Japan, so the account was definitely not created by me. I ended up creating another account for Apple TV, but for this account I still want to make sure that nobody else is using my email address for anything, so I feel like I should take ownership of it. How should I proceed? Thanks!

Posted on Dec 12, 2025 6:10 PM

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Answer 1

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 13, 2025 1:11 AM in response to Tokumaru

I was advised to stop using the account and looking for help here. Looks like the best course of action is contacting Apple by phone.

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Answer 2

Mac Jim ID

Level 9

60,050 points

Dec 12, 2025 7:36 PM in response to Tokumaru

Because there is no positive identification used when creating an email account and even to create an Apple Account. Anyone that has an email address where they can verify the link sent to it when creating an Apple Account is the one that is in control of that account. No one created an Apple Account using your email address unless they were able to verify that they can receive emails from that address by clicking a verification link. Control of that Apple Account from then on is by using the Password used to create the account after the email address is verified. It is not possible to create an Apple Account simply by entering any random email address you want to use.

Email providers have different retention policies for when an email address can be reused after a deletion and Apple is likely to retain the link to that email address much longer. You are not going to be able to access any Apple Account created with an email address if it was used by a previous user. That is also for your protection so no one will be able to access your previously created Apple Account if they now have control over that email address.

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

427,019 points

Dec 12, 2025 7:40 PM in response to Tokumaru

This isn't possible unless your email account is compromised. Even if it wasn't, the added security would prevent you from signing in. Right now you are the position a hacker would be in if you had set up an account and had set two factor authentication or security questions on your account. Those are there so if a hacker gets hold of your email account, they can't get through the second level of security. Even if you do still have access to the email account, those secondary security level measures set up by the other user will now prevent you from being able to sign into levels of the account for changing those measures. So basically, right now Apple is treating you like a hacker trying to get into somebody else's account.

Currently you have access to the email account, but you are unlikely to ever gain access to the Apple account that was set up using that email account. Even if you change the password on your email account, at best it might make it difficult for the other person to actually use the Apple Account, but you do not have access to the information Apple would require to give you access to the account.

Unfotunately even if the Apple account becomes unusable by the other person, and you do take full control of the email address, you won't be able to use it to set up another account with Apple. Even if you can convince Apple to delete the a Apple account, you won't be able to use that email address as an Apple ID for another 6 years.

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Answer 4

Dec 12, 2025 6:12 PM in response to Tokumaru

Contact your email provider.

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Answer 5

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 12, 2025 11:50 PM in response to Tokumaru

Searching my inbox for messages from Apple, after that 2023 message I started receiving daily messages since December 8, 2025 (weird timing, huge coincidence that I subscribed to Apple TV today, just a few days after these messages started), all containing the following (automatic translation from Japanese):

-- message start --

We were unable to reset the password for your Apple Account ( [MY EMAIL ADDRESS HERE] ). This is because you have reached the limit of attempts to answer your security questions. To protect your account's security, we will not be able to reset your password for the next 8 hours.

-- message end --

So I guess this person has been trying to access the account daily via the security questions. I don't think they have access to my email, otherwise they could easily change whatever they wanted.

Despite all the warnings about them not allowing the password to be changed for 8 hours, I was able to change it twice today. But the deal with the security questions does seem to be preventing both of us from accessing the account. Looks like an honest mistake to me, it would be great if apple could intervene and sort things out.

If the person stops trying to answer the security questions daily I may just be able to log in some time and possibly get their phone number to sort things out.

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Answer 6

Limnos

Level 10

427,019 points

Dec 13, 2025 4:51 AM in response to Tokumaru

If they have access to your email account, change the password to a really hard one.

I don't remember what Apple was doing 20 years ago but I very sincerely doubt somebody could have just typed in your email address and Apple would not have required verification that the person could actually read emails sent to that account. That would be the most basic security. Email account providers, on the other hand, have been a lot more lax in security requirements for getting access to accounts.

If the account is asking about security questions, the account must have been created at least 3 or 4 years ago because since then Apple has only set up accounts using two factor authentication.

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Answer 7

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 12, 2025 6:38 PM in response to Chattanoogan

But there's nothing wrong with my email. I used a common Japanese surname for my email address and sometimes people with that surname accidentally sign up for things using my address thinking its theirs. It happened before, and by logging in and accessing the person's information (phone number) I was able to contact them and clear things up, then changed the email address to one that was actually theirs so they could keep their account. The problem here is that Apple doesn't let me log in to the account so that I can see or change the info that the person entered. If I own the email and can promptly respond to any security messages Apple sends me, I don't understand why I'm not able to take ownership of the account.

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Answer 8

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 12, 2025 10:54 PM in response to Limnos

To be honest, I don't care about the Apple account at all, what I'm really worried about is that someone may have hacked my email account, since you say it's impossible to complete the creation of the Apple account without verification of the email account. I don't mind not being able to take control of the Apple account, but besides changing the password on my email account, what can I do keep this person away from my stuff?

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Answer 9

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 12, 2025 11:14 PM in response to Limnos

Are you sure that it was never possible in the history of Apple accounts to start creating an account with some information and fail to complete the process due to not having access to the supplied email account for verification? I understand that NOW it would be impossible to claim an email address like this, but has this always been the case? I've had this email for over 20 years, and not once have noticed any signs of it being compromised (until now).

Like I said, this happened to me before. It was with some music streaming service (don't remember which), a girl accidentally put my email address because it was her surname and was successfully using the account, even though she never completed any email verification. When I received a message from the company I changed the password, got her phone number, messaged her,sorted things out and changed the email address for her.

But with Apple, if I can't log in to see/change my information, then the other person also can't, right? Is this account lost forever linked to an email account whose neither the owner or the hacker that supposedly got access to it can ever use/change? There must be someone I can talk to in order to prove that the email is mine...

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Answer 10

Tokumaru Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 12, 2025 11:29 PM in response to Limnos

I searched my inbox and found messages from 2023 saying that my email address has been assigned as my new Apple ID, and then there was a verification link. The message was unread until today, so I probably didn't click the link (AND the message is in Japanese AND I don't click random links emailed to me). Also, if someone hacked into my account, I don't think they would have left that message behind as proof. I really don't know what's happening here, but it's weird and I'm really uncomfortable knowing someone out there is doing things with my email address, even if accidentally.

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Answer 11

Dec 12, 2025 11:27 PM in response to Tokumaru

Please help me can join my Apple account.

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