[Q] Bought stolen HTC One X - deal gone sour HELP! - AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL

Hi guys,
I bought an HTC One X a while back on Craigslist and was using it for about a month. After purchasing the phone I even went to the AT&T store where I got it activated and running on my account. After using the phone on 2.20 stock (not being able to root) I decided to sell the phone and get a Samsung GSIII. However, a little after I sold the phone, the person who bought it told me that they went to the AT&T store to get a new sim but the phone was reported stolen which I was completely unaware about. I met back with the person and refunded their money. Just to test out of the phone I put my sim card into the phone and it worked just fine. I then went home and put in my mom's sim card (from an iPhone 4) just to test out the call/text features to see if only my sim would work on it (i don't really know why i did this). I switched my mom's sim back into her iphone 4 and for some reason AT&T reports the iphone 4 stolen and blocks it. I called AT&T and they unblocked the iphone for me but couldn't get them to do the same for the One X since it was reported stolen from a different account.
To sum it up, I have a stolen HTC One X and I don't know what to do with it. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions! Thanks!

iKidRobot said:
Hi guys,
I bought an HTC One X a while back on Craigslist and was using it for about a month. After purchasing the phone I even went to the AT&T store where I got it activated and running on my account. After using the phone on 2.20 stock (not being able to root) I decided to sell the phone and get a Samsung GSIII. However, a little after I sold the phone, the person who bought it told me that they went to the AT&T store to get a new sim but the phone was reported stolen which I was completely unaware about. I met back with the person and refunded their money. Just to test out of the phone I put my sim card into the phone and it worked just fine. I then went home and put in my mom's sim card (from an iPhone 4) just to test out the call/text features to see if only my sim would work on it (i don't really know why i did this). I switched my mom's sim back into her iphone 4 and for some reason AT&T reports the iphone 4 stolen and blocks it. I called AT&T and they unblocked the iphone for me but couldn't get them to do the same for the One X since it was reported stolen from a different account.
To sum it up, I have a stolen HTC One X and I don't know what to do with it. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions! Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you seriously asking what to do with stolen property ?? i don't think this is the right place ?!!!
take it up with ATT since they activated it for you, the IMEI has not changed...
MODS PLEASE, can we close this ???

lol why you asking here ? really and if its a one x WHY are you in these forums .. this is for the one XL the one x is the International version if im not mistaken

if this violates any rules, I will agree to close this thread. I was just looking for some advice since I got screwed over. sorry if i broke any rules i did not mean to!

iKidRobot said:
if this violates any rules, I will agree to close this thread. I was just looking for some advice since I got screwed over. sorry if i broke any rules i did not mean to!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you read the rules ? im guessing no

I give u $30 and a bologna sandwich, you mail it to me. Everybody's happy and the world will rejoice. For cereal...
Sent from my One X using xda premium

iKidRobot said:
if this violates any rules, I will agree to close this thread. I was just looking for some advice since I got screwed over. sorry if i broke any rules i did not mean to!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no no i'm sure it doesn't break any rules, especially when the thread advertises stolen property. really ???
.

He didn't know it was stolen. He just wants advice guys..
Yea, it's probably not the best place. But asking for advice for a device 'claiming to be stolen' and saying they 'knowingly bought a stolen device' are completely different. Cut the man a break.

HTC_Phone said:
He didn't know it was stolen. He just wants advice guys..
Yea, it's probably not the best place. But asking for advice for a device 'claiming to be stolen' and saying they 'knowingly bought a stolen device' are completely different. Cut the man a break.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see anyone saying "that he knowingly bought a stolen device" but he does have knowledge now that the device has been stolen as reported by his carrier and is holding on to it (which in itself is illegal). Since the said carrier originally activated the phone i suggested he contacts them, they (ATT) certainly know who the legitimate owner is and may be able to work something out in the best interest of all parties.
I still don't see what such a thing is doing in q&a forum dedicated to phone development.

You won't be able to use it on at&t but you can unlock it for T-Mobile
Sent from my One X using xda app-developers app

Naisaelee21 said:
You won't be able to use it on at&t but you can unlock it for T-Mobile
Sent from my One X using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and there we go, exactly the point I was trying to make...now you're suggesting to "knowingly" make use of a stolen device....
"Bad boy, bad boy wat you gonna do, wat you gonna do when they come for you ?"

Ok folks, this thread is going nowhere fast. XDA does not get involved with shady deals, stolen property, or anything that even touches upon topics of this nature.
Thread Closed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice"
Sent from my Galaxy Note (i717), using XDA Premium.

Related

my one s blocked with IMEI number ?

so my phone lost signal and i called t-mobile and they told me that my phone got block my imei number has been blacklisted i didnt even know they do this thing on tmobile i payed 450 dollars for my phone and i dont know waht to do because i bought it from some guy on GL if anybody works in tmobile that cant help please do
Ek07 said:
so my phone lost signal and i called t-mobile and they told me that my phone got block my imei number has been blacklisted i didnt even know they do this thing on tmobile i payed 450 dollars for my phone and i dont know waht to do because i bought it from some guy on GL if anybody works in tmobile that cant help please do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's very sad, but there's probably nothing you can do except using a different IMEI and just using your SIM card in the One S.. blacklisted IMEI is blacklisted. There's a possibility it was marked stolen or lost, possibly for insurance fraud (claim as stolen, get new device for ~$100, sell 'stolen' device for $450, profit), or possibly for non-payment of bill..
linds6630 said:
That's very sad, but there's probably nothing you can do except using a different IMEI and just using your SIM card in the One S.. blacklisted IMEI is blacklisted. There's a possibility it was marked stolen or lost, possibly for insurance fraud (claim as stolen, get new device for ~$100, sell 'stolen' device for $450, profit), or possibly for non-payment of bill..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i guess thats what happended it worked for a month now is gone , but how would i get a diif imei number i think thats impossible
You cant get a different imei. Long story short you are screwed. Try to sell the device for $200 the most that you can get
dude that is terrible !!
I would hunt that seller down and kill him, Or ring the police on him..
Try explaining to the carrier that blacklisted the phone whats happened, they will know who the previous owner is and they can get him done for fraud
I wouldn't just accept whats happened !! no way, not after paying $450
Or unlock it and use it on att :/ I hope this doesn't happen to me I've just traded my note plus a few.bucks for a.one s its been a week so far way to.many shady people now a days , but what I don't get if.u where using it for a.month shouldn't that imei be under Ur plan ?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
funziebear said:
Or unlock it and use it on att :/ I hope this doesn't happen to me I've just traded my note plus a few.bucks for a.one s its been a week so far way to.many shady people now a days , but what I don't get if.u where using it for a.month shouldn't that imei be under Ur plan ?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I am assuming you called tmo to activate the new microsim card when you got the phone. And when you activated, that imei should have been put on your account. I suggest you ask tmo to clarify how this happened.
chem.manish said:
I agree. I am assuming you called tmo to activate the new microsim card when you got the phone. And when you activated, that imei should have been put on your account. I suggest you ask tmo to clarify how this happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea this a new thing i was reading once the phone is blacklisted all major carriers in the us will block it , i did call they just said to return it back to the store where i bought it smh they said they cannot do anything about it
Ek07 said:
yea this a new thing i was reading once the phone is blacklisted all major carriers in the us will block it , i did call they just said to return it back to the store where i bought it smh they said they cannot do anything about it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would push it further with T-Mobile. I would ask to talk to a manager, and that manager's manager. Tell them you want to know who reported it lost/stolen so you can call the police for fraud. I would also insist on them telling you WHEN it was reported lost/stolen. If it was AFTER you activated the phone on your account then you need to know who reported, again, to report to the police.
I don't suppose you did any type of hand written receipt did you? I NEVER deal on craigslist (accept to sell). Ebay only, they have buyer protection.
EDIT: Then again, there may be privacy reasons that they cannot tell you who reported. Just sucks. You got the guys number still?
Always a danger buying a secondhand phone on Ebay or any other aution style site,
"Selling my Upgrade" then they claim on insurance then get another phone....big win for these people
How did you pay for it? and as someone else posted...did you get a receipt?
frazzeld said:
Always a danger buying a secondhand phone on Ebay or any other aution style site,
"Selling my Upgrade" then they claim on insurance then get another phone....big win for these people
How did you pay for it? and as someone else posted...did you get a receipt?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ebay, payed with Paypal, has buyer protection. If fraud is involved, you can get your money back.
Craigslist, screwed.
setzer715 said:
Ebay, payed with Paypal, has buyer protection. If fraud is involved, you can get your money back.
Craigslist, screwed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
45 days protection with PayPal and usually say buyer eligable for protection on your transaction....I notice a few adverts are appearing with Bank Transfer
If it was.sealed and never activated can it still be.reported ? Isn't that even more of a danger ?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
If what was sealed ? The phone ?
Surely the OP can get a solution to this !!
Im so gutted for him
Yeah my case sounds a lot like something posted above guy said it was an upgrade but he wanted a note he had two one was open to register the sim and the other he said he just kept old sim for the note when I openes it everything was fresh never touched the stickers didn't look like they where pulled from the box either I guess all I can do.is wait and hope .
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
Coming from a tmo insider. Your phone is black listed because the guy you got it from didnt pay his bill. If eq is purchased on the value plan and It's not paid they will disable the device. Only way around is to bring the account it was on current
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda premium
infinityhombre said:
Coming from a tmo insider. Your phone is black listed because the guy you got it from didnt pay his bill. If eq is purchased on the value plan and It's not paid they will disable the device. Only way around is to bring the account it was on current
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i called thats what they said but how im get that account im dont even know where the guy is , im stuck with it
Ek07 said:
yeah i called thats what they said but how im get that account im dont even know where the guy is , im stuck with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best option would be to sell it oversees. The US and EU don't share blacklists.
dc211 said:
Your best option would be to sell it oversees. The US and EU don't share blacklists.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea im trying
Ek07 : i woukd like to buy it.. Sent u a pm .. Kindly respond..

[Q] Lost phone, recovered a few months later. What are my options?

Hi guys,
So about 3 1/2 months ago my SGS3 was lost and now I've got it back. Guess someone felt guilty. Any way, some insurance calls and $130 later, I got a replacement phone and have been using that 'til recently. So my question is, is it possible to give my "lost" phone to a family member to use? I remember them blocking the IMEI number, but I've heard countless stories about people still being able to use "lost and unlocked" phones. What'll happen if I do end up giving it to my brother?
Any suggestions would be great. It would be a pain in my wallet to return a phone I once bought before, and I can't return this replacement phone either.
To keep things legit, that's gonna be a question for your insurance company. Technically the have replaced your "lost" phone.... But now you have it. Don't get yourself in trouble over something like that.
Probably need to make sure the esn is clear. If the phone was reported stolen, the esn will identify it as such.
Sent from my A500 using xda app-developers app
garbour said:
Probably need to make sure the esn is clear. If the phone was reported stolen, the esn will identify it as such.
Sent from my A500 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you check/reset it? Or is it not possible.
You should inform your insurance co. Good karma and that...:angel:
acalmenvoy said:
You should inform your insurance co. Good karma and that...:angel:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When has insurance companies ever cared about "good karma" lol
Pretty sure contacting the carrier is the only way to clear an esn.
Sent from my A500 using xda app-developers app
Either contact the insurrance firm, either use it as an giant ipod. Think about it as being CDMA and u have only GSM available
I think that once it's locked you can't unlock the imei.
But try to contact you insurance anyway
You have to have it removed from the blocked list which only the insurance company can do, but if you read the fine print it covers what you need to do which is send back it to them.
As for changing the IMEI. This is illegal and talking about it is against XDA rules
Sent from Arkham

HTC Thunderbolt activation

Hello all,
So I snagged a thunderbolt from a guy locally who only wanted 20.00 bucks for the phone cause he upgraded to a new phone. I don't think this guy know how much this phone still sells for used, thought it was to good to be true but jumped on the offer anyway and bought it for the heck of it even though I already have a droid X2 running off of page plus. The phone is almost in new condition,called Verizon to verify it was clean for activation and it is
So my question ive heard that http://www.beigephone.com/ will flash the phone to work on page plus, has anyone used this and is it a good company to go though? Also would I have to pick up another 4G LTE sim card since he left is old one in the phone?
I would do it myself, I have been rooting and flashing phones for a few years now but not sure if I wanna pony up the 100.00 bucks for CDMA Workshop since this company only charges 49.99 for flashing.
Sorry for any misspells bad day at work and was kind of drunk when I wrote this
Thanks,
Daniel San
dlahmeyer said:
Hello all,
So I snagged a thunderbolt from a guy locally who only wanted 20.00 bucks for the phone cause he upgraded to a new phone. I don't think this guy know how much this phone still sells for used, thought it was to good to be true but jumped on the offer anyway and bought it for the heck of it even though I already have a droid X2 running off of page plus. The phone is almost in new condition,called Verizon to verify it was clean for activation and it is
So my question ive heard that http://www.beigephone.com/ will flash the phone to work on page plus, has anyone used this and is it a good company to go though? Also would I have to pick up another 4G LTE sim card since he left is old one in the phone?
I would do it myself, I have been rooting and flashing phones for a few years now but not sure if I wanna pony up the 100.00 bucks for CDMA Workshop since this company only charges 49.99 for flashing.
Sorry for any misspells bad day at work and was kind of drunk when I wrote this
Thanks,
Daniel San
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've known of a few people using it on Page Plus. Apparently is the best to go with if you're moving the Tbolt outside of Verizon.
Yes, you'll need to get a SIM and toss his.
Sent from my ADR6400L using xda premium
If you find at least one person who wants to flash their phone to PP... Might be worth buying CDMA workshop.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

[Q] friend bought a phone online, seller reported it stolen. please help

It was working when she got it. Suddenly on wednesday morning, it says "restricted access changed" and when she tries to select T-mobile as carrier it says not permitted on sim card. She went into tmobile and they checked the IMEI and it turns out the user reported it lost. She called the seller and he says he didn't do anything and is not answering calls now.
Is there anything she can do? Go to the police? wrong forum?
Guessing it could also have been a stolen phone that the guy sold off right away and the original owner just reported it.
Unless the owner that reported it stolen calls back to T-Mobile and says it wasn't stolen there is nothing you can do. I would stay away from the police since your friend has received stolen property. Unless they want to give it back to the owner.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
she got scammed, and has the phone number and craigslist listing, and the fact that the original owner already reported it stolen. Why stay away from cops?
Because receiving stolen property is a crime? Do what you want with the criminal aspect of it, but you won't be able to use that device until it comes off the lost/stolen list. Sorry.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Receiving stolen property knowingly is a crime. You basically got scammed so there's no issue in reporting it to the police. Chances are however, they will do nothing to help you. It will probably be more of a hassle for you, and you won't get your money back or the status of the phone changed, but, it may stop the person from doing it to someone else.
Sorry but I think your friend is out of luck.
Buying used phones is fine but I would limit it to either people I know or actual businesses not individuals. I bought mine on Ebay, but through a retailer that have sold thousands of phones with good seller feedback.
You can go straight to the cops, does she have a receipt or bill of sale at all? That's the biggest thing. If she does then she shouldn't be in trouble
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
faehsemc said:
You can go straight to the cops, does she have a receipt or bill of sale at all? That's the biggest thing. If she does then she shouldn't be in trouble
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true. If she has a confirmation or receipt for the sale, then she should be good. Ya, it could be a hassle, is it worth it? Is it worth stopping this a-hole from doing this to someone else?
This biggest thing is, was the phone stolen or lost from a different person other then the seller? I am sure t-mobile can trace the original owner through the imei number.
Sent from my PACmaned SCH-I535
I have bought several phones from individuals on craigslist; to avoid the situation you describe here you must do one simple thing. Before you by the phone pull the battery, call verizon customer service. Read the EIN number to them and they will tell you if the phone has been reported stolen. If the seller refuses to let you do this then you can assume the phone is stolen… don't walk… run away!
Verizon is happy to provide this information to you and you are assured that you are getting a clean phone.
Hope this helps in future purchases.
Rick
nvertigo said:
It was working when she got it. Suddenly on wednesday morning, it says "restricted access changed" and when she tries to select T-mobile as carrier it says not permitted on sim card. She went into tmobile and they checked the IMEI and it turns out the user reported it lost. She called the seller and he says he didn't do anything and is not answering calls now.
Is there anything she can do? Go to the police? wrong forum?
Guessing it could also have been a stolen phone that the guy sold off right away and the original owner just reported it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GTablet said:
I have bought several phones from individuals on craigslist; to avoid the situation you describe here you must do one simple thing. Before you by the phone pull the battery, call verizon customer service. Read the EIN number to them and they will tell you if the phone has been reported stolen. If the seller refuses to let you do this then you can assume the phone is stolen… don't walk… run away!
Verizon is happy to provide this information to you and you are assured that you are getting a clean phone.
Hope this helps in future purchases.
Rick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue was with tmobile not Verizon.
The problem with that strategy is that the phone was not reported as stolen until after she already had purchased the phone. Most people do not report their phone stolen right away because they are hoping that they will still find it. In that time someone can sell the phone which still has a clean ESN. It wouldn't become bad until the original owner reported it which is probably what happened in her case. The phone had a clean ESN days after she purchased it.
It does bring up an interesting thought. At what point does the ESN transfer to the new account? It would have to at some point, otherwise someone who owned the phone 4 years ago could still report it stolen. And it could be not immediately otherwise there would be no point in being able to report it stolen because the person who stole it would have control over the ESN just be activating it.
I'll have to ask a friend who's a manager of Sprint store.
rtan73 said:
The problem with that strategy is that the phone was not reported as stolen until after she already had purchased the phone. Most people do not report their phone stolen right away because they are hoping that they will still find it. In that time someone can sell the phone which still has a clean ESN. It wouldn't become bad until the original owner reported it which is probably what happened in her case. The phone had a clean ESN days after she purchased it.
It does bring up an interesting thought. At what point does the ESN transfer to the new account? It would have to at some point, otherwise someone who owned the phone 4 years ago could still report it stolen. And it could be not immediately otherwise there would be no point in being able to report it stolen because the person who stole it would have control over the ESN just be activating it.
I'll have to ask a friend who's a manager of Sprint store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On Verizon the esn always remains in the history of your account even if you clear it for sell and is used by another account.
I know they have a history of it, but at one point ownership had to be transferred like a car. Otherwise I could sell my phone to someone then report it stolen 2 years later which would make the phone obsolete without the actual owners permission or knowledge. Or, if the phone had several owners it can't be that all of the previous owners have the right to claim it as stolen indefinetly. There has to be a time limit to when a new account is linked to an ESN and the old account holder no longer can claim it as stolen. That would be the time frame that a person would have to sell a stolen phone.
rtan73 said:
I know they have a history of it, but at one point ownership had to be transferred like a car. Otherwise I could sell my phone to someone then report it stolen 2 years later which would make the phone obsolete without the actual owners permission or knowledge. Or, if the phone had several owners it can't be that all of the previous owners have the right to claim it as stolen indefinetly. There has to be a time limit to when a new account is linked to an ESN and the old account holder no longer can claim it as stolen. That would be the time frame that a person would have to sell a stolen phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as it's active on your account it's safe but if you take it off an active line it can still be activated or reported stolen from a previous owner. I had it happen to me before. The time gap was around 2 years or so.
It does not matter which company it was...they all will check the EIN before you buy the phone...
PaulG1488 said:
The issue was with tmobile not Verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is always a good idea to get a bill off sale making sure you note the serial numbers, etc. Also have them fill out their information as it is on their drivers license or identification.

Do not buy used phones: you are powerless!

So I know this type of discussion isn't really related to developing but since this forum was basically THE Android forum for me, I would like to get the word out here. I don't want another victim like me to happen; I hope this will help any future phone buyers from falling into the trap I did. This is going to be a long story but I hope I can clear up all this confusion about used phones, so strap in!
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist; he offered to meet at an AT&T store to verify the clean IMEI and this action alone made me go against my gut instincts, which were telling me this guy looked kind of sketch. He was a white male in his late thirties, pot belly and dressed really sloppily; also had a slight hunch. But you can't judge a book by it's cover right? His story was that this was his wife's iPhone and that he sold his own a few days ago because he wanted a Samsung Galaxy S3; the phone had one more year on-contract and came with the original box so I knew it wasn't stolen. I gave him my $400 after inspecting the phone and left. Fast-forward to this week...
The phone was given to my dad to use on AT&T a month ago; I used the phone on T-Mobile for almost a year and nothing unusual came up. Just two weeks ago, my dad started getting messages saying "This device has been blocked from network use. Please call your service provider..." Not making much of it or even feeling any panic because I was that naive, I thought to myself "no way the previous owner would call in a year later to blacklist his phone. Who would even do that?" I called AT&T and after an hour, the representative was getting annoyed and said "I'll open up a case; wait three days." Three days pass and I had no word from them; I called in again and after another hour l found out my case was closed and got transferred to the supervisor. To sum up what he said: the phone was fine on T-Mobile until it was registered in the AT&T system, the owner can block a phone years down the line because the "30 days since it's loss" translates to "30 days since it's last been used by ANYONE," and that even if I have proof I bought the phone, only the original owner can remove it from the blacklist. So wireless carrier's have this huge hole in their policy that creates victims for people who buy phones secondhand and they honestly don't give a crap because it earns them money. I asked "so there is NOTHING to protect people like me? You can't even tell the police who this guy is?" He brushed me off and told me to call the police and open up a case, even if the police do get involved though, he said their company will stay quiet.
So I ended the call, speechless and dumbfounded. Lost, confused, and frustrated, I went to the police station in my city, but it turns out I lived outside the city limits so I had to call a dispatcher in another county; after the short conversation, the dispatcher told me to wait for an officer to call. The straightforward police officer, being much more friendly and understanding than the people at AT&T told me "since the phone wasn't actually stolen, it's a civil issue; the only thing you can do is try to find this guy and take it to court. We don't get involved in these kinds of matter. I know it's tough to accept but the wireless companies just want profit and this policy that creates victims like you gets them what they want. This happens all the time and us police officers can't do anything about it. I'm sorry for your loss and I really wish I could help but this is the truth; you're left to your own devices now. Whenever you buy a phone secondhand YOU TAKE A HUGE RISK!" I'm hung-up the the phone in a better mood than I was because someone actually had sympathy for what had happened to me. Left here with just an e-mail address, I knew there was no hope of finding this guy; this person that was a criminal in a moral sense, and yet was not in a legal sense. What this guy did, the police officer said it's COMPLETELY LEGAL!
So the best I could do was go on Craigslist again and find someone who wanted a phone with a bad IMEI for parts or use overseas; I guess luck and karma were on my side and this guy quickly responded, wanting to buy the phone for $200. It turns out he worked for a company that fixes phones and ships them overseas to sell. I knew this guy, who was in his late twenties and rotund, was trained in buying phones; he brought a toothbrush, SIM card remover, and various other tools to inspect the device. I was uneasy during and after the deal; left scarred and paranoid from the previous Craigslist experience. To show how paranoid I was, I even went to a bank teller, asking him to check if the money he gave me was fake. After this ordeal, I realized that spending that extra $300 to buy a brand new phone is worth it; all this stress, mental exhaustion, and time is worth saving by putting down that extra money.
But the problem wasn't over; I bought a T-Mobile HTC One on Swappa for myself when I gave my iPhone 4S to my dad, although from a trusted seller, I knew I could not risk it anymore. Even though I know this guy's name, address, PayPal account, and had proof of purchase, I was still powerless; the wireless and insurance companies don't care about the facts. The merit of facts flies out the window and all they do is put their fingers in their ears and scream "OUR POLICY!" But I remembered during the escapade with the AT&T supervisor, he said I could have transferred the ownership of the phone. To get my facts straight, I went to T-Mobile with all the evidence I had saying I bought this phone from Swappa; I didn't bother with the bottom-feeders and went straight to the manager. Guess what he said? "We can't tap into the system and transfer ownership of a phone since it's tied to a contract. The best we can do it make a note on YOUR account that you bought this phone; this won't prevent it from being blacklisted but it will help if you decide to escalate the issue to Asurion (the insurance company)." Now I thought to myself, "would Asurion even give a damn?" The answer: NO; no they would not. They would most likely try to push the responsibility to someone else and dismiss this huge hole that creates helpless victims because their business runs on customers "losing" their phones or getting it "stolen," and then paying them to replace it.
After all this time wasted trying to get to the bottom of things, I'm left with the cold hard truth: you WILL get burned if you buy a used phone and there is NOTHING you can do about it! NOTHING! The best you can do is to take matters into your own hands and sue; the companies don't care and the police can't help! Save yourself from what has happened to me; just spend that extra $300 to buy a new phone. It's worth every penny for that extra security because this world is full of people who will take advantage of you! I can already feel my idealism fading...
yorkies88888 said:
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry this happened, but you purchased the phone off of craiglist!! You should of known better a simple google search would of told you about the dangers.
That was a long read but well worth it sorry that happened to you man, But i think recommending people not buy a second hand phone is somewhat extreme not everyone is a crook and are out to get you.
Anyway glad you were able to recoup half of the money back.
I often meet with someone on the way to sell me a second-hand mobile phone, I did not bother these people.
I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
350Rocket said:
I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Thanks for the info.. glad you told.the story. I know this now heh.. sorry for what happened
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
Thanks for the story.
I think it is pretty safe to buy second hand unlocked phone...
Sent via Tapatalk 2
yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This applies to me as well. Without getting into too much detail: Purchased a late model android phone from Craigslist, an unlocked AT&T branded device and I use T Mobile. Fast forward until 2 weeks ago the phone would no longer make calls and gave me a specific error code which I forget now. Turns out that code meant "stolen or lost device" and it would no longer work on any US cellular networks.
Someone who isn't me was unsuccessful in changing the number that shall remain nameless in order to get the phone working again.... that is all
yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide
Vauvenal7 said:
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Software modifications won't do anything as your IMEI has been blacklisted. The only way around that is a new motherboard.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
@ yorkie8888
*Interesting read, Sorry to hear what happened, everyone else, I'm from London UK and was wondering if anyone else had experienced anything similar to yorkie here in the UK?
Sent from my Revolutionary Htc One X
Anyone know if this affects Canada the same? For example using an unlocked fido/rogers phone on Telus. Do they share a blacklist too?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
This I feel has to be said:
Your spent $400 on a USED iPhone?
Buying used phones entails some downsides, like not getting to claim warranty, and this blacklisting thing is really sad, but, meh, that's why we buy them cheap.
Also, I feel the lesson here is, take precautions when buying second-hand, for instance, leave the phone unused for 31+ days. Buy a bat and work out. Take incriminating photos of the seller, etc.
Anyway isn't it possible -although illegal, I know- to change your IMEI?
Seems to be "common" losing/changing it when flashing ROMs.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Thanks for the info
Sent from my HTC Explorer A310e using xda app-developers app
Thanks for sharing this info.
So what is the point of someone blacklisting a phone a year later? Do they get a insurance claim or something.
I have bought used sprint phones for years, but now that I am using a phone (tmobile) with a sim card/imei it seems that you are more likely to get screwed.
Does swappa and PayPal not protect against this issue? And if not what the hell is swappa charging the customer $10/transaction for?
I am almost positive I got this same error a couple of years ago on a phone purchased directly from AT&T. It was a bad SIM card. I wasn't able to make calls or anything. They replaced the SIM and it worked. So for those who buy a used phone and get that error, check your SIM card first.
I've been buying and selling used phones for the last 2 years and never had an issue. I've don't buy off craigslist though, I stick to swappa or ebay where you have some protection via paypal. Yes you always run the risk of someone reporting the device lost/stolen after the sale, but that's why you only buy from reputable/rated sellers and skip on anything that looks too good to be true.
I'm sorry to hear you got screwed on your iphone, but I wouldn't consider your experience the norm. As for the warranty/insurance issue on your other phone, that's just how it is, do your research. The warranty only applies to the original buyer of the device (when bought through an authorized retailer). Same with insurance, you can only add it in a certain time frame when you've bought the phone from an authorized retailer.
However, some carries do have an "open enrollment" where you can add insurance to your device regardless of when/where you bought it. Verizon actually has it going on right now through Dec 2.

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