I've heard and read that too many times. There are cell phone service counters that might unlock it but it's a small fee (worth it to those that didn't backup their stuff.

-> The data on phones is just a few feet away from loss so I always wonder why there is no backup.

TL;DR. Ask a cell phone service counter to unlock. They have the Cellbrite machines (yes you could buy one but that's a thousand or more bucks.)