Support has not provided a solution since I bought it 3 months ago.

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this.

I am contacting Apple Support again because my case has been unresolved for over three months, and I still cannot use a MacBook Air that I legally purchased at an official public auction held by the City of Cologne Lost and Found Office (Fundbüro Köln) on July 9, 2025.

The device is still Activation Locked.

I have already:

• Contacted AppleCare multiple times (phone, chat, and in person at the Apple Store Cologne).

• Been told repeatedly that the lock can be removed if valid proof of ownership is provided.

• Submitted all documents: the official purchase receipt from the City of Cologne, a Blancco report, photos of the Activation Lock screen, and Apple’s own rejection email.

• Sent two postal letters (Einschreiben/Rückschein) to Apple Germany on September 24th. Both letters were successfully delivered on September 25th, but Apple has never responded.

• Contacted the Verbraucherzentrale NRW, who informed me that they cannot assist because this was a public auction.

• Contacted the European Consumer Centre (ECC), who recommended insisting again with Apple.

At this point, I am stuck in a loop where every department tells me “we cannot help, contact another department,” but no department takes responsibility.

I urgently need to use this MacBook for studying the German language, preparing job applications, and continuing my professional development. I trusted Apple products because they are presented as simple, reliable, and user-friendly, yet the current system makes it impossible to unlock a device that I own legally.

This situation is also environmentally harmful: refusing to unlock a fully functional device purchased from an official government auction forces me into e-waste and prevents me from giving it a second life.

All I am asking is clear, actionable help, or the correct escalation pathway.

Could you please:

1. Escalate my case to a department that can review Activation Lock cases involving official public auctions?
2. Provide a written explanation of why Apple refuses to unlock a legally purchased device?
3. Inform me of the correct Apple entity or address responsible for making a final decision in cases like mine?

Thank you for taking the time — I truly hope someone at Apple can help me resolve this

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