Brand New Phone, Bad IMEI?

[xsong]

Hello!

As you can tell I'm new around here and I'm planning on posting here frequently as I am planning to buy a new Galaxy Note II off Craigslist.

Now I know all about IMEI #s. I know how they can be reported stolen after I bought them.

I have a question though.

If I can call them and verify that the phone has never been activated and that its never been put to use with a contract, am I in the clear?

The reason I ask is because I was thinking...If I call them and they tell me there was never an account with that phone then....

How can they later tell me that they blacklisted the phone due to the previous owner not paying his bills if they already confirmed me that there was never a previous owner and the phone was never tied to an account?

Also, how can they blacklist the phone in 2 weeks telling me it was reported stolen if there was never a previous owner? Don't you need proof of ownership to file a lost or stolen phone? What information do you need to report a stolen T-Mobile phone?

So I was thinking as I buy this new phone, wouldn't I be in the clear if I get the IMEI# checked and everything's okay?

Again, this is a NEW phone.

Now I understand the scenario where somebody might renew a contract, never open it and sell it to me without paying off his contract but that shouldn't be an issue if tmobile confirms that the phone was never tied with a contract correct?

Also I understand phones can stolen off trucks and from stores. In that case, would I not be able to call T-Mobile and ask if the IMEI has been reported stolen? I don't want to use it for 2 weeks then have them blacklist it so I was wondering if there was a way to tell if it was even reported stolen?

Thanks!

 

[Metroid Prime]

Merged and moved thread to Android Lounge section.

 

[ouch1976]

Just call your carrier prior to buying the phone and have them run the ESN. If it comes up clean, have them note it on your account so you can have it on record. You should be good to go afterwards.

 

[mikedt]

Where did the seller obtain the phone? Did they buy it unlocked, off-contract, and paid full price for it directly from Samsung or an authorised dealer.

On the other hand if the seller obtained it subsidised from T-Mobile, and it's SIM locked. More than likely there will be a two year contract associated with that phone, that has to be fulfilled and paid. And if it goes into default T-Mobile can and will blacklist the phone's IMEI.

 

[xsong]

Just call your carrier prior to buying the phone and have them run the ESN. If it comes up clean, have them note it on your account so you can have it on record. You should be good to go afterwards.

THanks for the response, but don't a lot of people just report it lost after they sell it so 2-4 weeks after I buy it it gets blacklisted?

Where did the seller obtain the phone? Did they buy it unlocked, off-contract, and paid full price for it directly from Samsung or an authorised dealer.

On the other hand if the seller obtained it subsidised from T-Mobile, and it's SIM locked. More than likely there will be a two year contract associated with that phone, that has to be fulfilled and paid. And if it goes into default T-Mobile can and will blacklist the phone's IMEI.

I won't trust the seller, whatever answer he gives me. However if I just call T Mobile and ask if the IMEI number has ever been associated with a contract and they tell me no, then there's no way they can blacklist the phone for not paying bills right?

 

[xsong]

Also, I can't believe I never thought of this before. Wouldn't it just be better to get an ATT one and unlock it for T-Mobile? That way even if it's blacklisted I can still use it.

I do have T-Mobile BTW

 

[Davdi]

Why not just buy a phone from a Legit store and avoid these potential pratfall issues.

 

[Droidwerks]

If it has a bad ESN with one carrier (i.e. ATT) you can just have a flashing service flash it to another carrier for you. There are hundreds of phones with bad ESN's being sold everyday on feeBay alone, and those folks aren't throwing them in the trash.....

 

[EarlyMon]

If it has a bad ESN with one carrier (i.e. ATT) you can just have a flashing service flash it to another carrier for you. There are hundreds of phones with bad ESN's being sold everyday on feeBay alone, and those folks aren't throwing them in the trash.....

And a great of many of those are bad because they were stolen - so basically, you could be advising someone on how to traffic in stolen goods, right there.

You really don't know if you just did that or not.

This really isn't a simple area legally, despite what Mr. Google says about that - not everything on the internet is true.

And OP - wanting something to work out in two weeks assumes a lot about paperwork and reporting time for stolen goods.

Your only defense as a consumer is to buy from trusted sources. In all other cases, let the buyer beware.