purchased empty mobile phone box from argos help!

dylan1273

unfortunately for him he paid with cash then went back to the store with the box and they told him the phone will be imei blocked so who ever has the phone will not benefit from it. i think they told him they didnt have to check the contents infront of them

LillyDinero

Browntoa i haven't had that happen to me but actually its a good point - can they not trace where the phone is from the IMEI number, its printed on the box isn't it? They may be able to tell if its already been activated or used?

dylan1273

yes the imei is printed on the box and the simcard was also in the box ! it was just the phone and battery missing, the thing i would like to know is where does he stand on a legal basis? should the store refund his money or do you think he will lose it because it wasnt checked before he left the store

custardy

might be worth contacting the network with the IMEI number to see if (and when) the phone was used on the network
if it was used before the purchase date then surely thats proof?

SaraSeahorse

if the member of staff didn't check the contents then argos cannot prove it was in the box.

dmg24

SaraSeahorse wrote: »

if the member of staff didn't check the contents then argos cannot prove it was in the box.

They could argue that it was checked beforehand, or that they had checked that the security seal was still intact. I'm not saying that this is correct, just playing devils advocate. I'm really not sure who the burden of proof is on in this situation.

custardy, the network provider would not give out this information to an individual (or at least they shouldn't!). However, if it could be proven that the phone had been used prior to the date of purchase, this would be pretty conclusive evidence that the phone had not been in the box when it was sold.

advent1122

dylan1273 wrote: »

he rushed straight back to the store and spoke to the manager who stated that it would have to be investigated and the instore cctv etc would have to be checked and that he has to go back tomorrow to see how the investigation has developed
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any help would be appreciated

Errr... Wait until tomorrow "to see how the investigation has developed".

Personally, I have never known Argos hand over a mobile phone without checking the contents first. Is it standard practice that all mobile phones are checked?

KittyKate

I have bought phones (security seal intact) that have been unchecked.

I don't see why Argos should refund though - surely a replacement would be better, after all your friend wanted the phone, right?

Any SIM that was put in the phone after it was stolen can be traced. A SIM card holds IMEI information on EVERY phone it has been in, even for a minute. So whoever took it (assuming it wasn't just lost) will be found out very quickly.

Blacksheep1979

KittyKate wrote: »

A SIM card holds IMEI information on EVERY phone it has been in, even for a minute.

Wow someones invented a device with infinite memory - next they'll be inventing a perpetual motion machine....

KittyKate

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

Wow someones invented a device with infinite memory - next they'll be inventing a perpetual motion machine....

No need to be sarcastic. OK, the SIM card's memory is limited, but certainly the network provider has the information.

And before I get another sarcastic reply, I worked as a phone technician at o2, so I do know what I am talking about.

I quit when I started my work in perpetual motion...:rolleyes: