Second hand mobile – could it get blocked?

da_murphster

I have just bought (but not yet paid for) a second hand HTC Desire from Ebay.

The buyer has zero feedback, address is not on Paypal etc – he is a student living in student digs, no landline. I have very little information on the guy.

It has no documentation etc but is in full working order and the guy seems legit.

I am slightly worried that how do I know the phone is not going to get reported as stolen/lost and the phone blocked by the network – for example if he attempted to do an insurance claim on it etc.

Can I check the IMEI or register it as mine so no one else can block it?

Didn’t even occur to me before but now I’m worried that I will have bought a very expensive paperweight if it gets blocked for whatever reason in a few months time.

Are there any particular details I should be asking for of the seller?

I was going to pay by Paypal for ‘protection’ but believe this is pretty limited once he has withdrawn the money.

I have spoken to him on the phone and he seems ‘normal’ and sent a few questions (to which he has not replied)

Also the phone is only 3 months old - I assume I have no warranty unless he can provide me proof of purchase?

Any advice appreciated!

gjchester

da_murphster wrote: »

The buyer has zero feedback, address is not on Paypal etc – he is a student living in student digs, no landline. I have very little information on the guy.

It has no documentation etc but is in full working order and the guy seems legit.

No address on file and no documentation. Sounds stolen so far.

da_murphster wrote: »

Can I check the IMEI or register it as mine so no one else can block it?

You an check but if the prior owner (and the network will probably know who it was sent to), be it him or someone else, reports it as stolen, then you have as you say a paperweight.

da_murphster wrote: »

I was going to pay by Paypal for ‘protection’ but believe this is pretty limited once he has withdrawn the money.

Paypal protection works if the seller has a verified address on file, If he has no address on file you'll probably find it harder to get any comeback from Paypal if it goes pear shaped.
You are still liable if if the money has been withdrawn as Paypal can try and claw it from an attatched bank account or card, but if he's bought something else with it then its effectivly been laundered on. Paypal may not beable to claim it back and you'll probably take the loss.

da_murphster wrote: »

Also the phone is only 3 months old - I assume I have no warranty unless he can provide me proof of purchase?

If it was your phone and 3 months old would you have lost the documetation and reciept. Just doesn't add up.

da_murphster wrote: »

Any advice appreciated!

End of the day it's your money. My 2p is walk away, too many questions have been raised. He may be honest and just moved, but i'd be very wary.

It it sounds too good to be true......

da_murphster

The seller has got back to me but I am still wary but also concious that I have entered a contract.

What can I do as damage limitation?

Pick up phone and check sim works in it (so not currently blocked)

Request proof of ID and address so I can report him if it later becomes blocked

Pay on Paypal - does it make any difference if I pay my paypal bill by credit card??

Anything else? If he does not agree to these I'm definately walking away - even if it 'damages' my feedback.

Jon_01

The problem is the phone can be reported lost/stolen by the original owner at any time. So the fact that it's not blacklisted at the moment means nothing at all.
There are also a lot of phone obtained fraudulently (stolen id, shops not talking the right steps to check documents etc), these will get blacklisted as soon as the network realises.

I'm fielding 2 to 3 calls a week from people that have bought phone either from Ebay or small add only to find they get blacklisted at a later date. If in any doubt walk away...

(Paying via paypal is fine, but if the phone is blacklisted more than 45 days after the sale they won't want to know. 45 days is their limit).

da_murphster

Beginning to agree - annoying as I thought it was a good way to upgrade my phone cheap!

I'm scouting cex who seem to have a few decent offers and 12m warranty etc.

jonwilding

Jon_01 wrote: »

The problem is the phone can be reported lost/stolen by the original owner at any time. So the fact that it's not blacklisted at the moment means nothing at all.
There are also a lot of phone obtained fraudulently (stolen id, shops not talking the right steps to check documents etc), these will get blacklisted as soon as the network realises.

I'm fielding 2 to 3 calls a week from people that have bought phone either from Ebay or small add only to find they get blacklisted at a later date. If in any doubt walk away...

(Paying via paypal is fine, but if the phone is blacklisted more than 45 days after the sale they won't want to know. 45 days is their limit).

I'm in similar position to this poster - I bought an HTC Desire from Ebay around 15 months ago - it was registered with Three but I had it unlocked and have used it without problem on T Mobile for the whole time.

Last week suddenly the phone stopped working - no calls (internet still works). Contacted T Mobile - they couldn't help as it wasn't the phone that came with contract (I sold that one). Contacted Three who confirmed phone had been blocked - they would unblock so long as I could provide proof of purchase including the IMEI number. Unfortunatley none of the original documentation or Ebay invoice included this. Tried to contact seller who has since deregistered from Ebay - they can't help. Emailed seller directly but no response.
SO ... Three won't unblock it, Paypal and Ebay won't help as it was so long ago, and I can't contact seller.

Question for the forum - is there anything else I can do? I can't afford to buy another smartphone at the moment and am consequently paying for a contract without the means to use the internet. D**N!! Won't be buying from Ebay again.

Jon_01

3 (or any network) will only unblock a phone for the registered owner, so, no, sorry there's nothing more you can do. There's no way around the blacklisting, if there was the whole system would be pointless...

Some of the networks fraud depts will help, but 3's isn't one of them

graham999

This happened to my son and I can confirm 3 where very unhelpful. He went round and round in circles with 3 asking for lots of details until they eventually told him the phone was blacklisted as the first person to "own" it had sold it to a shop and defaulted on the contract. Presumably a standard scam for scum !! They said it could only be un-blacklisted by the debt collectors if the debt was settled.

My son was able to trace the various owners of the phone and the shop, but they were uninterested saying as they had sold it on over 12 months ago they were not liable.

The shop sold it to someone who sold it to someone else who sold it to my son. So apart from the first person, everyone has acted honestly here and if the phone was a car they would be in the clear.

Luckily the person my son bought the phone from is willing to refund the money, but if he wasn't could my son sue for the refund and then could he sue the next person and so on until this gets back to the shop?

Rusty!

da_murphster wrote: »

Pay on Paypal - does it make any difference if I pay my paypal bill by credit card??

I believe that should get you an extra later of protection.

Ps. No way is a Desire HD only three months old, they've brr off the shelves for a long time.

Basil1234

credit card protection over £100 purchases section 75 cover.
they have to protect you but by the sound of it he could sell it to you leave working a week or two claim it was stolen under his insurance get a new one pocket the cash and close ebay account down, goes on all the time.
i used to know someone at work get push bike ride to work scheme get bike worth £1200 cost him £600 sell on flea bay £1000 the following day after getting did every year he also had debts all over the place including council tax people like that never change.

da_murphster

Rusty! wrote: »

I believe that should get you an extra later of protection.

Ps. No way is a Desire HD only three months old, they've brr off the shelves for a long time.

It was back in 2010 when I put the post up!!

This has been somewhat resurrected...

As for my old situation - seller turned out to be 'dodgy' and scarpered as soon as I started asking questions.

Ended up buying from CEX with their guarantee.

Have subsequently bought another phone second hand and privately but ensured I picked it up (so had address) and had the paperwork.