Aunty Acid by Ged Backland for March 16, 2025

Their Relationship Is About To Get Even More Out Of Sync

I do tech support for a large technology company. This guy called in stating that his phone had been stolen, and his messages weren’t showing up on his tablet. (Your messages show up on all [Company] devices including computers if you have [Company] Message turned on under [Company] Cloud settings on the devices you want them to capture.) So, I helped him turn them on.

I had him go into his Cloud settings and turn on Messages sync. They still weren’t showing up. I told him to turn off his tablet. I sent a “verify” request to verify his identity so I could check on our end to see if his device was signed in.

Me: “The verification request will show up when you turn your tablet on.”

Customer: “It came through on my other phone that belongs to my girlfriend.”

I then educated him on how it is not a good idea to share [Company] IDs, advising that she should have her own. He insisted that she did, but it’s not possible for two [Company] IDs to be signed in at once.

He turned his tablet on and noticed that his girlfriend’s Message conversations were now syncing to his tablet — further evidence that she was signed in with his [Company] ID. I then reiterated:

Me: “These problems can occur when you share IDs.”

Customer: Snapping “We’re not sharing IDs!”

Controlling people tend to make their significant others share [Company] Fruit IDs so they can keep tabs, so no shocker here.

Then, I could almost HEAR the bell go off in his head.

Customer: “Wait. If I can see her conversations… Oh, no. That means she can see mine. I’m so screwed, and you have no idea…”

He trailed off into mumbles.

Me: “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

Customer: “You guys at [Company] have no idea how bad you’ve screwed me!”

He then demanded to know how to have only his messages sync and remove hers. I replied with the only correct answer.

Me: “Your girlfriend needs to sign out of your [Company] ID and into