Just bought a stolen phone.
Discussion
Not on purpose I hasten to add.
Bought an iPhone 5s on eBay. It was listed as second hand, surplus to requirements and unlocked so any network would be fine. No phone number for the vendor and he had 100% feedback.
Tried my sim in it which I knew to be fine, after much messing around I couldn't phone out or receive calls. Got in touch with O2 who after getting me to read the imei number to them they told me it had been blocked by t mobile as lost or stolen.
Despite many emails I've had no replies at all. Raised the case with eBay/ PayPal as clearly the item isn't as described. Well being lost or stolen wasn't in the description.
Have to leave it for a certain number of days before they proceed. I'm hoping I get my money back ok.
But seeing as obviously I'm not just going to leave it, how does the guy who sold it hope to gain from this? If PayPal repay me then they'll go after him for the money. Am I missing something here ??
Bought an iPhone 5s on eBay. It was listed as second hand, surplus to requirements and unlocked so any network would be fine. No phone number for the vendor and he had 100% feedback.
Tried my sim in it which I knew to be fine, after much messing around I couldn't phone out or receive calls. Got in touch with O2 who after getting me to read the imei number to them they told me it had been blocked by t mobile as lost or stolen.
Despite many emails I've had no replies at all. Raised the case with eBay/ PayPal as clearly the item isn't as described. Well being lost or stolen wasn't in the description.
Have to leave it for a certain number of days before they proceed. I'm hoping I get my money back ok.
But seeing as obviously I'm not just going to leave it, how does the guy who sold it hope to gain from this? If PayPal repay me then they'll go after him for the money. Am I missing something here ??
Juggsy1 said:
how does the guy who sold it hope to gain from this? If PayPal repay me then they'll go after him for the money. Am I missing something here ??
There's a chance he sold it without knowing it was dodgy. Some traders on eBay buy bulk batches of phones with broken screens etc, repair them and sell them on for a profit.calibrax said:
Juggsy1 said:
how does the guy who sold it hope to gain from this? If PayPal repay me then they'll go after him for the money. Am I missing something here ??
There's a chance he sold it without knowing it was dodgy. Some traders on eBay buy bulk batches of phones with broken screens etc, repair them and sell them on for a profit.velocefica said:
...and involve returning the phone to the seller.
Err...no. Now that you know the phone is possibly stolen that would potentially be handling stolen goods. Possibly contact the CSP and see what they want you to do with it. Lost or stolen, If it was insured & the insurance co. have paid out, it's their phone now.Sorry, CSP = call service provider, in this case T Mobile, aka 'ee', you may find that they or the insurers are happy for you to keep the handset if you bung them a few quid.
Wouldn't be too concerned about the handling, dishonesty element isn't present for you, but lost or stolen, unless they're a prize c**k, the seller didn't have the right to sell it & shouldn't be getting it back.
Wouldn't be too concerned about the handling, dishonesty element isn't present for you, but lost or stolen, unless they're a prize c**k, the seller didn't have the right to sell it & shouldn't be getting it back.
The usual scam was to wait until 3 months had passed (the old Paypal claim time) then report phone lost/stolen and claim on insurance leaving the buyer with a useless phone and no comeback whatsoever. Paypal have no changed their claim time to 180 days so it's happily impacted on the scam.
I was caught out with this a few years ago, only the seller was an utter moron who I'd bought cash on collection from so I turned up on his doorstep one morning (not powerfully built I add, short, female, not to be argued with when angry). I stood in his lounge whilst he called T Mobile, apologised for reporting the 'wrong handset' stolen and transferred the handset over to my name.
I suspect that it's still incredibly common, but that they now wait 180 days to report the phone stolen. I'd never buy another handset on eBay.
I was caught out with this a few years ago, only the seller was an utter moron who I'd bought cash on collection from so I turned up on his doorstep one morning (not powerfully built I add, short, female, not to be argued with when angry). I stood in his lounge whilst he called T Mobile, apologised for reporting the 'wrong handset' stolen and transferred the handset over to my name.
I suspect that it's still incredibly common, but that they now wait 180 days to report the phone stolen. I'd never buy another handset on eBay.
SistersofPercy said:
IainT said:
I suspect turning up dressed as a Storm Trooper might have had some effect.
On that occasion I went as me, though with hindsight talking my mate with me (he is Vader, and the same height as Dave prowse ) would probably have elicited more fear hehe
Apparently, hearing 'You don't know the Powaaar of the Daaark side' in a west country accent was less scary.
Its a shame as that would be comedy gold that is better than Robot-Chickens parody.
SistersofPercy said:
The usual scam was to wait until 3 months had passed (the old Paypal claim time) then report phone lost/stolen and claim on insurance leaving the buyer with a useless phone and no comeback whatsoever.
I had exactly this a few years ago. I did manage to get money back but it was difficult and means I no longer buy used phones from individuals who I do not know.HarryW said:
Top tip, if you are buying a secondhand phone make sure the seller guarantees it's not blocked/lost/stolen etc, this is done by having a checkMEND report, any decent seller will do it. You can do it yourself, for couple of quid, a bit like a HPI report for a phone......
Actually with a lot of modern phones simply plug it into your pc and it will alert you to the fact it is lost or stolen. Iphones are particularly good at that.Hol said:
Off topic and I don't know if its true or not, but one of the other Star Wars actors said that Dave used to speak all the lines, before they were voiced over by James Earl Jones.
Apparently, hearing 'You don't know the Powaaar of the Daaark side' in a west country accent was less scary.
Its a shame as that would be comedy gold that is better than Robot-Chickens parody.
True.Apparently, hearing 'You don't know the Powaaar of the Daaark side' in a west country accent was less scary.
Its a shame as that would be comedy gold that is better than Robot-Chickens parody.
Dave Prowse was rather tee'd off that Lucas replaced his voice with J.E.J. If you watch some of the rarer 'making of' documentaries you can hear Prowse as Vader and it really doesn't work.
Little bit of it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSm9DDxQv8E
Anyway, apologies for the hijack. As you were.
Thanks for the replies.
After all this though, as hopefully I get my money back with minimum hassle and PayPal claim it back from the vendor, I still fail to see how he thought it'd be a good idea to sell a lost/stolen phone. What could he honestly hope to gain by it?
Or is it just a case of rank stupidity.
Or am I seriously missing something here?
After all this though, as hopefully I get my money back with minimum hassle and PayPal claim it back from the vendor, I still fail to see how he thought it'd be a good idea to sell a lost/stolen phone. What could he honestly hope to gain by it?
Or is it just a case of rank stupidity.
Or am I seriously missing something here?
SistersofPercy said:
Hol said:
Off topic and I don't know if its true or not, but one of the other Star Wars actors said that Dave used to speak all the lines, before they were voiced over by James Earl Jones.
Apparently, hearing 'You don't know the Powaaar of the Daaark side' in a west country accent was less scary.
Its a shame as that would be comedy gold that is better than Robot-Chickens parody.
True.Apparently, hearing 'You don't know the Powaaar of the Daaark side' in a west country accent was less scary.
Its a shame as that would be comedy gold that is better than Robot-Chickens parody.
Dave Prowse was rather tee'd off that Lucas replaced his voice with J.E.J. If you watch some of the rarer 'making of' documentaries you can hear Prowse as Vader and it really doesn't work.
Little bit of it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSm9DDxQv8E
Anyway, apologies for the hijack. As you were.
Juggsy1 said:
Thanks for the replies.
After all this though, as hopefully I get my money back with minimum hassle and PayPal claim it back from the vendor, I still fail to see how he thought it'd be a good idea to sell a lost/stolen phone. What could he honestly hope to gain by it?
Or is it just a case of rank stupidity.
Or am I seriously missing something here?
As someone else said if they are a 100% rated and have an extensive history then odds are they are a bulk buyer and seller and did not even turn it on just sold it forward and were unaware.After all this though, as hopefully I get my money back with minimum hassle and PayPal claim it back from the vendor, I still fail to see how he thought it'd be a good idea to sell a lost/stolen phone. What could he honestly hope to gain by it?
Or is it just a case of rank stupidity.
Or am I seriously missing something here?
jimmybobby said:
As someone else said if they are a 100% rated and have an extensive history then odds are they are a bulk buyer and seller and did not even turn it on just sold it forward and were unaware.
Ah yes I had read that. That's my "brain like a sieve syndrome coming through there 
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