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> Owners can now remove devices via web site I think. So if folks are saying these are just broken, have owner turn off activation lock

I expect that some means to "phone home" is required. I just had to spend an hour on the phone with Asurion to avoid a $300 fee for returning an iPhone for warranty replacement where the Activation Lock wouldn't turn off despite removing the device via the web site.

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I don’t think asurion spends the time to do the reset flow if the lock is showing as on. In most cases users don’t turn off lock after the fact. I thought reset flow was needed to get network connectivity back which is needed to check lock status.

I think you used to be able to run stolen phones back through insurance claims as broken but I think that has stopped being possible as they take a harder line.

On my call, the rep put me on hold for a few minutes and came back saying that they could verify I'd removed the device, even though the activation screen was showing. It may have also just them giving me a freebie since I've been paying them for well over a decade.

I'm not saying they can't figure it out, but there is a lot of repair flow stuff that may not do that because if the person didn't unlock before mailing not that many will unlock after mailing? Or even know how to?

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