I just bought a Sprint S5 with a bad ESN and I was wondering if it would work on T-mobile. I heard that the Sprint version already comes GSM unlocked but I wanted to get some confirmation here.
devo3d said:
I just bought a Sprint S5 with a bad ESN and I was wondering if it would work on T-mobile. I heard that the Sprint version already comes GSM unlocked but I wanted to get some confirmation here.
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You wont ever get it unlocked because sprint has to and they won't unlock a bad esn .... won't even consider it flash it to cricket or some other but not gsm
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Xda doesn't condone helping ppl with phones they bought with bad esn
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gtuansdiamm said:
Xda doesn't condone helping ppl with phones they bought with bad esn
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Whats wrong with buying a phone with bad ESN's. Most of the people that flash their devices to other carriers do so because its a phone with a bad ESN that they bought for a lot less than the normal price. Nothing immoral or illegal going on...just need to relax and stick to helping people, "with all due respect".
devo3d said:
Whats wrong with buying a phone with bad ESN's. Most of the people that flash their devices to other carriers do so because its a phone with a bad ESN that they bought for a lot less than the normal price. Nothing immoral or illegal going on...just need to relax and stick to helping people, "with all due respect".
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because that bad ESN phone was most likely stolen from someone
You are so wrong!
dlinfiniti said:
because that bad ESN phone was most likely stolen from someone
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Most of bad esn phones are because the person did not finish their contract. Back when cricket was still CDMA I had a phone shop and flashed thousands of phones. And most of the ones I did had a bad esn for that reason. Lots of times people had insurance and would sell the phone on craigs list or ebay and then report it lost or stolen as well. Contrary to what you think very few phones have a bad esn as a result of being stolen. So tired of the when a person mentions a bad esn they are put into the stolen phone category.
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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
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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..
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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 ?
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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
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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.
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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
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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?
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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.
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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 .
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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yea im trying
Ek07 : i woukd like to buy it.. Sent u a pm .. Kindly respond..
If you guys don't know T-Mobile has started blacklisting IMEIs of devices with unpaid accounts, stolen devices etc
I've seen a few threads with people saying their phone randomly stopped working one day, the SIM wouldn't pick up signal. There is a few things that could have happened, since SIM cards do go bad. But if it's a phone you bought on Craigslist/eBay/BST forum etc beware you can get screwed down the road. If someone gets a phone on one of the new value plans and decides to cancel service after selling the device and it goes unpaid you will have a brick. If they don't cancel service and sell the phone, then report it stolen, you will have a brick. There is MANY scenarios, people things oh hey this phone is $200, I can sell it for $450 and cancel the line and I've made $250...well the end user will now have a no longer working phone. that's just the start of it.
Just beware when buying phones online, this has always been the case for Sprint/Verizon...but now T-Mobile has started doing the same. not sure about AT&T since I don't have personal experience with them about blacklisting IMEI.
I don't see how this would affect say an att user. They can just sim unlocked the phone and use it
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I might be wrong here, but isn't the signal sent to the SIM? If the IMEI is never actually attached to your line (in the system) theoretically it still wouldn't matter. i.e. I found a Blackberry and decided I would try the $50 TMO prepaid deal. I stopped by the store and bought a SIM but didn't have the phone with me. He said no problem, activated the SIM and sent me on my way and the BB worked.
is this even legal? aren't the phones on contract technically provided as a 'free gift' and therefore property of the buyer from day one?
lawrence750 said:
is this even legal? aren't the phones on contract technically provided as a 'free gift' and therefore property of the buyer from day one?
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I believe it is legal. You first have to realize there is no such thing as a 'free' or 'subsidized' phone. You either pay full price upfront or in payments via the monthly service charge. One way or another, providers are gonna get the phone paid for. T-Mobile is the only major US provider that offers cheaper rates if you own your phone.
But...if you get a phone 'free' or 'subsidized' you have to think of it as similar to financing a car. You get to use the car but the bank has a financial interest in it - actually contractually owns it - until you pay it off. That's why they can legally repossess it if you fail to pay. Similarly, until you fulfill your service contract or pay the exit fee the provider has a financial interest in the phone, and by contract, certain legal rights.
Not a perfect analogy but I hope it makes things clearer.
Registered Linux user #266531. Android user since v1.0.
chibixzero said:
I don't see how this would affect say an att user. They can just sim unlocked the phone and use it
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I don't think the SIM will work if the imei is blocked. sIm lock Is totally dIfferent to ImeI block. Imei is how the phone gets it signal. It identifies the handset(not the SIM).
If an imei is blocked in UK then it will not work on any network in UK, but it will work on networks in other countries as there is not an international imei data base there are only national one at the minute. It is not 100% certain to work in another country but it would more than likely work. But for instance O2 in UK is owned by Spanish company Telefonica so an o2 phone blocked by imei may not work in Spain and vice versa.
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It is possible to change the imei number of a phone, but I know in the UK it IS ILLEGAL to do this.
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Very informative
It's unfortunate that sometimes people are dishonest or unethical even more so when selling anonymously through the internet.
As always in purchasing toys, do your homework and if a deal seems to good to be true..... it probably is.
Thebeast715 said:
It's unfortunate that sometimes people are dishonest or unethical even more so when selling anonymously through the internet.
As always in purchasing toys, do your homework and if a deal seems to good to be true..... it probably is.
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Very very true:thumbup:
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gavmac said:
It is possible to change the imei number of a phone, but I know in the UK it IS ILLEGAL to do this.
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It is in the states as well
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Wow,so att the one company that doesnt practice this
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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.
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garbour said:
Probably need to make sure the esn is clear. If the phone was reported stolen, the esn will identify it as such.
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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:
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When has insurance companies ever cared about "good karma" lol
Pretty sure contacting the carrier is the only way to clear an esn.
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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
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Friend couldn't pay his bill on Verizon and is looking to sell off his RAZR maxx HD as a result. Branded ESN due to lack of payment. I'm interested in buying it off him but only if I'm able to activate it. I was wondering if anyone knew of a safe and LEGAL way of clearing/fixing the branded ESN.
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reply
You'd probably have to contact Verizon and or Motorola
it is all up to VZ, it has nothing to do with Rola:laugh:
HtcOneVprimoc said:
You'd probably have to contact Verizon and or Motorola
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UN5EEN said:
Friend couldn't pay his bill on Verizon and is looking to sell off his RAZR maxx HD as a result. Branded ESN due to lack of payment. I'm interested in buying it off him but only if I'm able to activate it. I was wondering if anyone knew of a safe and LEGAL way of clearing/fixing the branded ESN.
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If you want to get the devices release. Your going to have to do a couple of things.
If services is suspended,
1. Your friend need to call them and set up a promise to pay on the bill. You need to set that up to get the devices cut back on to completed a en change. (The promise to pay is going to need a checking account. You can purchase a PayPal Prepaid card and give them the banking information.
2. Once you have the first one completed, then find an older phone or something that you can complete a esn change and that will release the devices.
If the devices is still activate,
1. Call Verizon and tell them you want to do a esn change on that number.
That should do it for you my friend.
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I am looking at picking up a 2nd nexus for the wife on Craigslist. I can get a good deal on one but the guy is still paying on the payment plan. If he bails on his plan afterward would the phone still work on at&t and T-Mobile OK? I assume sprint would blacklist it and I don't really care about that.
No, the carriers share the black list.
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yup, in the us, and canada it seems, the providers share the same blacklist.
Buy a legitimate phone, or you'll likely end up with a pretty ornament. ?
KJ said:
Buy a legitimate phone, or you'll likely end up with a pretty ornament. ?
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Or you could move.. But by then you could probably buy multiple devices instead lol