Bought sealed iPhone from ebay - 4 months later it's blacklisted

Jumblebumble

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

I had something similar a few years ago, only they reported it stolen which in turn blackisted it.
In my case I'd collected from the sellers house and still had the address so he was more than a bit surprised when I showed up on his doorstep and insisted he either refund me or 'unblacklist' the handset.

It was a few years ago now, so I cant recall which network, but whichever it was said they could see the IMEI used (i.e mine) was the one that had been using the phone for the last six months.  Seller told the network he'd made a mistake and 'accidentally' reported the wrong phone stolen (yeah, right) and the network, based on that constant IMEI data and speaking to the seller, transferred the handset to my name and we left.

If the seller has reported the phone as stolen and you have used the same IMEI from purchase it does go some way to proving they sold you the phone.  The networks can see this information.  Of course, the fly in the ointment now is GDPR, which didn't exist when I had my issues 

The IMEI number is the unique number number of the device which does not change (it's actually illegal to change it) and this is how they blacklist phones.

So when they said they could see you had been using it constantly they were probably reffering to the ICCID number of your sim card as being used in the device since you got it.

m0bov said:

Get another SIM card in it for another network??

All UK networks check the same database for blacklisted phones so it wouldn't work on any network.

That makes sense. 
The handset had been an unwanted upgrade so our sim was the first to go in it, that was what they could see, that no other had used it and we'd used it constantly from turning the thing on.  Whether that detail could be obtained now though with GDPR I don't know, but if it could surely it proves a constant user of the handset.

Lesson learned though, I've never bought a second hand/unwanted upgrade again.  Way to risky.  If it wasn't for the fact I'm far too lazy to clear out my text messages I wouldn't have had an address to go back to.

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

It used to be very profitable back in the day
TMobile used on a £15 per month contract give a new Blackberry every Year
If a company decided to keep their blackberries for 2 years and sell the upgraded handset to the local shop for £200 cash they could
Result
T mobile paying you to have a contract with them

trewpof

Looks like I'll have to go down the small claims court route.

I've got their address so this won't be an issue.

I'm hoping they change their mind as soon as they realise I was being serious about taking them to court.

Thanks for the input so far. I'll keep this thread updated.

pulliptears

Jumblebumble said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

I had something similar a few years ago, only they reported it stolen which in turn blackisted it.
In my case I'd collected from the sellers house and still had the address so he was more than a bit surprised when I showed up on his doorstep and insisted he either refund me or 'unblacklist' the handset.

It was a few years ago now, so I cant recall which network, but whichever it was said they could see the IMEI used (i.e mine) was the one that had been using the phone for the last six months.  Seller told the network he'd made a mistake and 'accidentally' reported the wrong phone stolen (yeah, right) and the network, based on that constant IMEI data and speaking to the seller, transferred the handset to my name and we left.

If the seller has reported the phone as stolen and you have used the same IMEI from purchase it does go some way to proving they sold you the phone.  The networks can see this information.  Of course, the fly in the ointment now is GDPR, which didn't exist when I had my issues 

The IMEI number is the unique number number of the device which does not change (it's actually illegal to change it) and this is how they blacklist phones.

So when they said they could see you had been using it constantly they were probably reffering to the ICCID number of your sim card as being used in the device since you got it.

m0bov said:

Get another SIM card in it for another network??

All UK networks check the same database for blacklisted phones so it wouldn't work on any network.

That makes sense. 
The handset had been an unwanted upgrade so our sim was the first to go in it, that was what they could see, that no other had used it and we'd used it constantly from turning the thing on.  Whether that detail could be obtained now though with GDPR I don't know, but if it could surely it proves a constant user of the handset.

Lesson learned though, I've never bought a second hand/unwanted upgrade again.  Way to risky.  If it wasn't for the fact I'm far too lazy to clear out my text messages I wouldn't have had an address to go back to.

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

It used to be very profitable back in the day
TMobile used on a £15 per month contract give a new Blackberry every Year
If a company decided to keep their blackberries for 2 years and sell the upgraded handset to the local shop for £200 cash they could
Result
T mobile paying you to have a contract with them

Pretty much that really.  I cant even recall what the handset was, some old Samsung or other, it was a few years back now, but the upgrade was free with the contract so the profit from it paid the costs if you were happy to keep the old handset.

macman

trewpof said:

Looks like I'll have to go down the small claims court route.

I've got their address so this won't be an issue.

I'm hoping they change their mind as soon as they realise I was being serious about taking them to court.

Thanks for the input so far. I'll keep this thread updated.

That's assuming that the address listed is even their real address, or that they are still there. Before you go to small claims, you must first send an LBA though.
And bear in mind that getting a CCJ does not get you your money back. The great majority of CCJ's granted are never actually paid, because they have no recoverable assets, or bailiff action is not taken, as it's a further expense with no guarantee of success.

bris

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

I had something similar a few years ago, only they reported it stolen which in turn blackisted it.
In my case I'd collected from the sellers house and still had the address so he was more than a bit surprised when I showed up on his doorstep and insisted he either refund me or 'unblacklist' the handset.

It was a few years ago now, so I cant recall which network, but whichever it was said they could see the IMEI used (i.e mine) was the one that had been using the phone for the last six months.  Seller told the network he'd made a mistake and 'accidentally' reported the wrong phone stolen (yeah, right) and the network, based on that constant IMEI data and speaking to the seller, transferred the handset to my name and we left.

If the seller has reported the phone as stolen and you have used the same IMEI from purchase it does go some way to proving they sold you the phone.  The networks can see this information.  Of course, the fly in the ointment now is GDPR, which didn't exist when I had my issues 

The IMEI number is the unique number number of the device which does not change (it's actually illegal to change it) and this is how they blacklist phones.

So when they said they could see you had been using it constantly they were probably reffering to the ICCID number of your sim card as being used in the device since you got it.

m0bov said:

Get another SIM card in it for another network??

All UK networks check the same database for blacklisted phones so it wouldn't work on any network.

That makes sense. 
The handset had been an unwanted upgrade so our sim was the first to go in it, that was what they could see, that no other had used it and we'd used it constantly from turning the thing on.  Whether that detail could be obtained now though with GDPR I don't know, but if it could surely it proves a constant user of the handset.

Lesson learned though, I've never bought a second hand/unwanted upgrade again.  Way to risky.  If it wasn't for the fact I'm far too lazy to clear out my text messages I wouldn't have had an address to go back to.

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

It's not that silly, they still pay a contract price whether they get an upgrade or not.

People get the latest phone and do sell them for good money, it's like a grand for a little bit extra per month.

Not everyone doing this are scammers though.

I buy my phones from a well known AV site who have a market place for everything and phone upgrades are what most of the phones are.

shiraz99

trewpof said:

Looks like I'll have to go down the small claims court route.

I've got their address so this won't be an issue.

I'm hoping they change their mind as soon as they realise I was being serious about taking them to court.

Thanks for the input so far. I'll keep this thread updated.

Have you contacted them about it first. Don't launch straight into a small claim until you give them the opportunity to do the right thing. If you don't want to speak to them directly send the buyer an LBA.

RogerBareford

bris said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

RogerBareford said:

pulliptears said:

I had something similar a few years ago, only they reported it stolen which in turn blackisted it.
In my case I'd collected from the sellers house and still had the address so he was more than a bit surprised when I showed up on his doorstep and insisted he either refund me or 'unblacklist' the handset.

It was a few years ago now, so I cant recall which network, but whichever it was said they could see the IMEI used (i.e mine) was the one that had been using the phone for the last six months.  Seller told the network he'd made a mistake and 'accidentally' reported the wrong phone stolen (yeah, right) and the network, based on that constant IMEI data and speaking to the seller, transferred the handset to my name and we left.

If the seller has reported the phone as stolen and you have used the same IMEI from purchase it does go some way to proving they sold you the phone.  The networks can see this information.  Of course, the fly in the ointment now is GDPR, which didn't exist when I had my issues 

The IMEI number is the unique number number of the device which does not change (it's actually illegal to change it) and this is how they blacklist phones.

So when they said they could see you had been using it constantly they were probably reffering to the ICCID number of your sim card as being used in the device since you got it.

m0bov said:

Get another SIM card in it for another network??

All UK networks check the same database for blacklisted phones so it wouldn't work on any network.

That makes sense. 
The handset had been an unwanted upgrade so our sim was the first to go in it, that was what they could see, that no other had used it and we'd used it constantly from turning the thing on.  Whether that detail could be obtained now though with GDPR I don't know, but if it could surely it proves a constant user of the handset.

Lesson learned though, I've never bought a second hand/unwanted upgrade again.  Way to risky.  If it wasn't for the fact I'm far too lazy to clear out my text messages I wouldn't have had an address to go back to.

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

It's not that silly, they still pay a contract price whether they get an upgrade or not.

People get the latest phone and do sell them for good money, it's like a grand for a little bit extra per month.

Not everyone doing this are scammers though.

I buy my phones from a well known AV site who have a market place for everything and phone upgrades are what most of the phones are.

It is silly because they would save more money by giving notice to end the contract at the end of the minimum term and then going on to a cheap sim only contract instead.

I often look at what mobile phone deals there are on offer and for the last 5 years atleast i havn't seen any deals where the cost of a contract with the phone works out a better deal than a cheap sim only contract.

There certainly used to be good offers and in the past i have got a new phone on contract which worked out to be slighly under the cost of buying the phone by itself and that came with a sim car with usage allowance but that was in 2015 and havn't managed to get any similar deals since.

sheramber

But they wouldn't have a nice new phone to sell.

They are hardly going say the reason for selling is so they scam you.

Grumpy_chap

RogerBareford said:

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

Sometimes, the "unwanted" upgrade was very much wanted but it was a teenager whose account is paid by parents and the teenager just lets the contract run one when the upgrade is available, the parents simply forget, and the enterprising teenager is in profit by one new phone that they need to sell.

I don't think that is the case here, but it does explain the scenario where "unwanted" upgrade can make sense.

AmberDepp

Grumpy_chap said:

RogerBareford said:

I always find it a bit funny when people put "unwanted upgrade" as a reason they are selling a device. It makes no sense because phone companies don't randomly send people a new phone at the end of the term, people need to actively ask for a new phone or other wise they can move to a cheaper contract.

So people must be pretty silly to seek out an upgrade when they don't want it and then just sell it on.

Sometimes, the "unwanted" upgrade was very much wanted but it was a teenager whose account is paid by parents and the teenager just lets the contract run one when the upgrade is available, the parents simply forget, and the enterprising teenager is in profit by one new phone that they need to sell.

I don't think that is the case here, but it does explain the scenario where "unwanted" upgrade can make sense.

I suspect the more general "unwanted upgrade" is that they're paying £50+ a month and can get a brand-spanking iPhone for the same £50+ a month and think "brilliant! I can sell this for several hundred pounds and I'm quids in" forgetting that they're paying £600 a year for 2 years for a phone worth say, £600.

And you can just pay £10 a month for an obscene amount of data and unlimited calls and texts...