Phone blocked, how to unblock?

[Jbraviator]

I bought an S3 off craigslist only to find out the previous owner stopped making payments so T-Mobile blocked the phone. I have talked with T-Mobile and they offer their condolences along with any phone I want for full price. Is there anyway to unblock it from T-Mobile or unlock it for someone else to use on AT&T maybe? Thanks for your help!

 

[Rukbat]

The original owner has to pay the remaining bill.

Which is why all these private deals should take place at the carrier's store - so they can check the phone and the account before you hand over any money.

 

[funkylogik]

Yeah, anyone who does know how to clone a phone isnt gona be able to tell you on here man.
Bad luck
Personally id make the dude refund me

 

[Jbraviator]

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not familiar with cloning a phone. I would love to make her refund me, but of course now she doesn't answer my calls and we met at a gas station so I can't stop by and say "hey". Are you telling me there's nothing I can do about it? I just want to know so I can either move on or do what I can to enable this one to work on T-Mobile or another carrier so someone else can use it. Thanks for the help.

 

[funkylogik]

Id look out for her selling other things on craigslist and then try n trap her.
theres really no other legal solution. Sorry
I dont know how things work in the states but here in the UK, if a phone is imei/efs blocked by a carrier then its basically useless as a phone across the whole of europe

 

[Jbraviator]

Ok. That's what I was afraid of. I had heard that just because one carrier blockes and imei, it wasn't necessarily blocked on all carriers. I heard they were trying to make it that way though. I was hoping to unlock it and sell it to someone on AT&T. Oh well. I guess I have a 4.8" tablet to use on wifi and as a camera around the house now.

 

[funkylogik]

Sorry man. You could be right and maybe the US carriers dont share databases yet. I dont know tbh.
the s3 is a great wifi media/gaming device if thats any consolation lol. I just hope you didnt spend much on it. The seller should have advertised it as "bad EFS" :thumbup:

 

[GTWalling]

Ok. That's what I was afraid of. I had heard that just because one carrier blockes and imei, it wasn't necessarily blocked on all carriers. I heard they were trying to make it that way though. I was hoping to unlock it and sell it to someone on AT&T. Oh well. I guess I have a 4.8" tablet to use on wifi and as a camera around the house now.

At the end of 2013 T-Mobile and AT&T started sharing there block list. Anything from Craigs list and E-Bay is buyer beware.

 

[Rukbat]

Go to the police and report the crime. It'd both larceny by fraud (against you) and probably fraud against the insurance company. And let them know which gas station she's using for her "business".

If you see her email or phone number on Craig's List again, go back to the detective assigned to the case and give him/her the information. Don't get involved - this gal may have a weapon in her cute little pocketbook.

You can also place your own ad in CL - I don't know if they'll allow it to stay, but something to the effect that so and so, with this phone number, ripped you off by selling you a phone that she then reported stolen. That'll quash her game.