Advice on blacklisted phone sold to me

zerothree

I bought a phone on ebay and when it arrived I found it would not connect to the mobile network. I contacted my operator vodafone who informed me the phone was blacklisted and would never work as a result. They told me this is done if a phone has been reported lost or stolen or if insurance is being claimed on it. I contacted the seller when was very slow to ship the phone in the first place and informed him of the situation, I also contacted paypal who said as it was blacklisted it must be escalated to a claim straight away which they did and they said the seller had 10 days to respond and that if they did not the case would rule in my favour but that this would probably happen anyway as the phone should not have been sold as it would never work. I asked them if I should return the goods and they said no. I informed the seller and requested he respond to paypal to process the refund as quickly as possible. He did not respond and so the 10 days passed with no seller response. On the 11th day I contacted paypal who said my refund would be issued. I received an email from them saying it was processed and no further action was necessary on my part. Now a few days later I get an email from the seller saying you got a refund where is the phone. So the moral dilemma. The phone is blacklisted therefore is stolen or they were insurance scamming. Do I return it to them should they get it back or hand it in to the operator to deal with it. I will contact paypal to check but I really don’t want them scamming others with it.


Thanks


Zerothree

Gary123456790

If you have had your refund you should really return it. You could ask the seller for money to cover return postage if they want it back since it isn't your fault.

Use feedback to warn others.

Gary.

montymud

Personally I don't know what I would do until I was in that situation but I wouldn't want others ripped off by the seller but who knows what their intentions are. Have they attempted to explain themselves at all?

zerothree

montymud wrote: »

Personally I don't know what I would do until I was in that situation but I wouldn't want others ripped off by the seller but who knows what their intentions are. Have they attempted to explain themselves at all?

No Attempt was made to explain the situation. And they never responded to paypal just waited out the dispute. It is a difficult one as .I am worried as they have my name and address. But legally should they get the phone back?

vuvuzela

Legally the phone is the property of the insurance company that paid out for it. However finding out who this is will be nigh on impossible, I'd have thought.

HappyMJ

Do not return the phone to the seller.

A police report would have included the IMEI number so I'd call the police and see if they know who the owner of the phone is.

Stooby2

Contact your local police and ask them to check it - you just need the IMEI number off the phone. If it's stolen, I would hand it to them and lend them worry about it.

If the seller wants it back, and it's not stolen, tell him/her to send you a postage label and then you'll return it.

preable

Send to mobile network or insurance company

zerothree

HappyMJ wrote: »

Do not return the phone to the seller.

A police report would have included the IMEI number so I'd call the police and see if they know who the owner of the phone is.

Yes this is true. I contacted paypal and they said well you should not return the goods or I am not obliged to as the resolution has been solved and what I do with them is up to me. I was thinking should I do a Checkmend on the goods as this should confirm its origins.

Thank you

pinkshoes

I'd just contact the police to see if it has been reported as stolen. It may have been reported as 'lost' to the insurance, in which case o don't think you'd be able to find out which insurance company paid up for it.

Sharon87

As someone who's just had their phone lost or stolen, report it to the police. They have the IMEI number and the description of the phone and a contact number of the person who's phone it is