Purchased Apple Laptop From Deceased's Brother Apple Initiated an Activation lock

[zfistula]

I received an Apple 2019  MacBook Pro Computer July 21st. which I'd ordered July 17.  Unknown to me at the time was that the seller was the brother of a deceased person who had  owned the computer.  He sent the computer to me and instructed me to use his Apple Login and Password.   The father of the two brother's was the executor of the estate and Apple changed the computer for the brother to use.  However since I'm not a family member and the brother did not properly prepare the computer for sale (wiping all information and reverting the computer back to as if it not been owned.  He gave me his Apple ID and Passwords for login after ten attempts to login none of which succeeded and the computer now has an "activation lock" on it create by Apple.  

When I first contacted Apple I was told they could do nothing without the original sales receipt for the computer...knowing full well that the computer was given to the original now deceased person by Apple as a donation thru the Make a Wish Foundation.  In other words there was no receipt  since it was donated to him by Apple.  Make a Wish was kind enough and extremely helpful to look thru their records and found two documents.  One from an Apple PR person asking them to write a letter for tax deduction purposes of their donation of the computer to Make a Wish and the other a thank you letter from Make a Wish acknowledging receipt of the computer and other donated items for the now deceased original owner.  In subsequent discussions with Apple and their Legacy Department which deals with these sorts of issues even though I'd provided the proof of origin of original owner they then asked me to contact the father who is the executor of his deceased son's estate to OK the computer's use to a third party..me...the person who had purchased this on EBAY.  

Neither the seller or the father has chosen to communicate with me despite emails and phone messages.  Since the time has passed for a refund from EBAY I'm left with an over $2500 purchase which I cannot use and have never been able to use.  After over 2 months of inaction on EBAY's or the seller part I'm seeking advice with this community.  

By the way when I indicated to the seller there was an "activation lock" he intimated I was not a knowledgable computer operator.  That was his last communication to me.  I was an Apple dealer for 10 years and a VAR (value added reseller) of Apple computers and other products.  I own several Apple Computers and I consulted and trained large publishers of both newspapers and magazines thru out North America on how to migrate to digital production from analog in the 1990's.  I would appreciate any suggestions people may have to remedy this problem...Thanks

[lakefor94]

eBay has a 30 day Money Back Guarantee. 

You will have to go to your credit card issuer or PayPal if you used one of those to pay.

File an Item Not As Described case and allow them to work it out for you. 

If you file thru Paypal, you might have to pay to ship the item back, but that would be chump change in the big picture. 

[simba6]

Unless purchased from an Apple dealer you never really own or have clear title to it.   I hope you paid by credit card. 

[albertabrightalberta]

Had you opened a NAD return request by August 21, you would have been able to return the computer. 

Unless you're able to do a dispute through your payment provider, you are SOL. 

[zfistula]

Here is an update.  I will receive full reimbursement from my great credit card company.  I drove to Chicago a couple days ago and tracked down parents so I could return the computer.  They were shocked the son had sold the computer  without them knowing.  They had given the computer to him in hopes he would go back to school and instead almost the day he got it he sold it on EBAY.  Why doesn't EBAY require proof of ownership?

I was working in Ireland on a documentary for 5 weeks two days after I received the computer the culprit knew I was leaving and timed it so it would be more difficult to return it.  If you think contacting a person at EBAY or PayPal is difficult here try contacting them when you're abroad. I'm pleased I'm no longer dealing with such a time consuming and anxiety filled experience.  Thanks for your suggestions this is a good forum which compensates for the almost total inability to speak with a human being on EBAY or PayPal with such a complex situation

Apple Corporate contacted me yesterday to see if they could help in some way but I relayed to them that I'd returned the computer to the parents and that all appears to be taken care of with my credit card company reimbursing me in October.  I've since purchased another computer from a  dealer on EBAY.

[bamorris]

Not sure if this would work with laptops, but I've had success unlocking iPhones bought on eBay.

https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support