At&T blocked my GS7 edge - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Questions and Answers

Hello friends,
So I have bought Galaxy S7 edge from Craigslist few weeks ago and was using it for prepaid SIM till I found out last night that my phone was blocked due to someone reported this phone was stolen. Is there a way someone can guide me the process to let AT&T know that the phone was not stolen, unless original owner wanted to make money from the insurance or At&T, not sure. Thanks in advance for your help.

The guy you bought it from probably isn't the original owner of the phone you bought from him. He probably stole it in the first place from somebody else. No matter how good his excuses are, there are plenty of maggots out there who dont give a damn about anyone else but just want your money.
P.S That is why he waited a few weeks before reporting it just to make it look good for him.

That sux. But thats a gamble u take being used and craigslist.

Go back to the seller and demand your money back.

I wish I could but seller is not picking up his phone or replying to my calls. I am dead in the water...

Out of curosity, If someone help me unlock the bootloader, and flash a new ROM , Can I be able to use it in USA?

Some knobhead did exact same to me after paying £500 in an ideal world ID at least have been able to beat the **** out of the scumbag
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

iali76 said:
Out of curosity, If someone help me unlock the bootloader, and flash a new ROM , Can I be able to use it in USA?
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Click to collapse
Your IMIE is blacklisted. Unlocking will not change this, nor will loading a new rom. If this is an AT&T phone, then it's not even an option anyway, as you can't unlock them.
No offence, but your screwed.....

Yup, no recovering from this. You are screwed.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Unfortunately, this sounds like it's an expensive lesson learned.
In future, when buying a used phone from someone on Ebay, Craigslist, Swappa, etc, ALWAYS ask for the IMEI number of the phone. Then call the service provider that the phone belongs to and verify that the IMEI number is in good standing and has not been blacklisted.

You need to ask for they I'd so that way you can find them or report them ppl can sell you a phone then later on block it they can get a new one happen to me but you can try getting the Sim unlock and trying a small class phone company to see if they would give service anything like tmobile att they not going to do it

Related

I think I may have bought my girlfriend a stolen HD2...

My gf's old phone broke, and I found a cheap HD2 on craigslist. I went ahead and bought it from the guy. He seemed ok, maybe a LITTLE shady. When I brought it home and told her how I got it, she became worried that if we put her sim card into it, and it IS stolen, a red flag will show up at T-mobile and she might get into trouble.
Is there any way T-mobile can tell who has the phone if it IS stolen? Also, if she ever has to send it in for a replacement through warranty, will she be screwed? I know I shouldn't have bought it off of Craigslist, but it's too late for that now...
Well, you could always call T-Mobile and ask them if it was reported stolen ....
Don't think they will call the police on you , If you tell them you are going to , but I bet they will want to take your name, just in case ...
Lol this whole thread seems shady as hell.
Sounds like the OP might be trying to fish answers for his own endeavors...
lol, i know. it sounds pretty bad, but i assure you, that's not the case.
they can tell if it's stolen. they can tell if more than one person has the same IMEI number. whoever was using the phone will have that IMEI on their account, and if your gf puts her sim card in it, they will be able to see the IMEI from the phone. that's done on purpose, so that if someone does report a stolen phone, and the IMEI turns up on another account, they can flag it. however if it was not reported stolen, then there isn't much they can do as they don't know whether or not the original owner sold it to you or a shady guy on craigslist sold it to you, so reporting to the authorities would be pointless for them, as it may have been a legal transaction. as for calling them, they're probably not going to give you the info if that IMEI is registered in their system, they may not even tell you if it is. but if it has been reported stolen, and the IMEI shows up under a different account it will probably be flagged, I'm not sure what would happen at that point. More than likely rather than calling the authorities they'll just cut off the service to the phone.
Try a prepaid sim card and see if it was IMEI blocked?
well, we put her sim card in it and nothing has happened so far. i suppose it was legit.
If you got it with box, supplies and cables its very low chance that it stolen. Actual price in my local craiglist is really low, but it doesn't mean that most of all are stollen
tmobile dont care if the phone stolen or not. it doesnt really matter.
Slash8915 said:
My gf's old phone broke, and I found a cheap HD2 on craigslist. I went ahead and bought it from the guy. He seemed ok, maybe a LITTLE shady. When I brought it home and told her how I got it, she became worried that if we put her sim card into it, and it IS stolen, a red flag will show up at T-mobile and she might get into trouble.
Is there any way T-mobile can tell who has the phone if it IS stolen? Also, if she ever has to send it in for a replacement through warranty, will she be screwed? I know I shouldn't have bought it off of Craigslist, but it's too late for that now...
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Click to collapse
If that were possible I would like to think they would have told me when my TouchPro2 got stolen... The fact that they didn't mention anything like that leads me to believe they can't tell just by the sim card.
i buy/sell phones on craigslist almost weekly and put my sim in all of them
when i call t-mobile to change the internet plan they always ask me where i bought the phone. i always say from t-mobile and they never say anything about it. guess they cant really tell
hope this helps
Slash8915 said:
My gf's old phone broke, and I found a cheap HD2 on craigslist. I went ahead and bought it from the guy. He seemed ok, maybe a LITTLE shady. When I brought it home and told her how I got it, she became worried that if we put her sim card into it, and it IS stolen, a red flag will show up at T-mobile and she might get into trouble.
Is there any way T-mobile can tell who has the phone if it IS stolen? Also, if she ever has to send it in for a replacement through warranty, will she be screwed? I know I shouldn't have bought it off of Craigslist, but it's too late for that now...
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Click to collapse
Hi,
I'm not in the US but i always purchase phones from US and UK on ebay.
Always when i buy phones which are doubt to be stolen or reported as stolen i use this site www.checkmend.com.
They are even recommended by ebay. They claim to have a connection to a database that has all the information on Mobile Phones, Laptops, GPS navigators, etc. Which they can track by the serial number.
In your case you will need to provide them with the IMEI number of your phone and they will give a report on the status of the phone and past owners if they are registered. (they send this report by email instantly. they charge you USD 2.99 for this service. i thinks its quite worth than the risk.)
in my experience I've tried this service twice and a HD that i bought from the UK was returned with a report that said "This item has been blocked during its lifetime by one or more UK network(s)." which means it was reported lost or stolen.
and i even tried my HD2 which i'm using currently which i got from US cos i didn't get any box or accessory with it. But the report came out clear and i am in peace of mind.
Hope this helps.
ruwan7 said:
in my experience I've tried this service twice and a HD that i bought from the UK was returned with a report that said "This item has been blocked during its lifetime by one or more UK network(s)." which means it was reported lost or stolen.
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usefull site. does it give any detail? i blocked my last phone thinking i'd lost it, 4 weeks later it turned up in a friends sofa, so i had them un block it and used it for another 18months.
i guess that would give the response you gave above..
Someone mentioned the IEM number that is the way they can tell if its stolen. So when and IF you ever take your phone into the store to have the useless sales people help you solve some problem. That is how they will know if its stolen. If there is a way to tell by electronic signal Tmobile simply doesnt care. I asked when I bought mine and they told me to get insurance. I asked how do you know if I dont just keep the phone and get a new one for 100 bucks. IEM number shows up was their answer.
Your IMEI and sim info are constantly broadcast about the cell network, you don't have to go into a store for this information to be picked up.
http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=imeinr is one of the most common websites for checking your IMEI number (it's free), but do be careful with posting your IMEI/Serial number online at any site. Some are looking for valid IMEI numbers to use illegally.
Damn those shady Craigslist guys...
c2tmdsn said:
when i call t-mobile to change the internet plan
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I could be mistaken but I believe that if you select the G1 unlimited data plan, then any smart phone you have after that will not need to be updated...I am using the G1 plan with my HD2 and it works fine. So maybe you can avoid lying to them.

Found a Mytouch Slide

Okay guys, i have a Samsung Galaxy S Phone. However i went camping this wekkend with my girlfriend and found a mytouch slide, a few scrathes but it turns on after i charged it but the imei seems to have been blacklisted. since it has a password i was unable to check anything or contact information but the phone itself does not work after reading that once an ime gets blacklisted, there is no going back.
so my question is.
since ill be going overseas, it would make a good present somehow if the imei is only blocked in the US. So id like to comfirm this that whenan imei is blacklisted, its only in the us and will work in other countries such as ecuador which is where im going.
minogue said:
so my question is.
since ill be going overseas, it would make a good present somehow if the imei is only blocked in the US. So id like to comfirm this that whenan imei is blacklisted, its only in the us and will work in other countries such as ecuador which is where im going.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could turn it in, as its a serial numbered product it has a decent chance of making it back to its rightful owner. If you lost your phone would you want someone to try and get it back to you or to take it to another country to give away as a "gift"?
Moral speech over... The list of blacklisted IMEI isn't normally shared across countries, I would imagine it would be fine in ecuador.
falken98 said:
You could turn it in, as its a serial numbered product it has a decent chance of making it back to its rightful owner. If you lost your phone would you want someone to try and get it back to you or to take it to another country to give away as a "gift"?
Moral speech over... The list of blacklisted IMEI isn't normally shared across countries, I would imagine it would be fine in ecuador.
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Click to collapse
Hmm. Well it could make it back but will it really?? If i go to tmobile you think they will really return it knowing it wont work any longer and there is no way it will get unlisted.
minogue said:
Hmm. Well it could make it back but will it really?? If i go to tmobile you think they will really return it knowing it wont work any longer and there is no way it will get unlisted.
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I have no knowledge of t-mobile, but I had an ameritech phone lost once and yes, someone turned it in to them and they mailed it back to me.
I can't image t-mobile would just pitch it in the trash and say ta hell with the customer.
If the person filed a police report and you turned it in to the police it would also make it back that way.
Lost/stolen property does often get returned when recovered. Its just that most stuff gets thrown away, sold on ebay, used, or given to someone else instead of being turned in.
Belive me they will get it back to the owner. U should turn it in like the other dude said wouldnt u want someone to do that for you.
Sent from ROOTED MyTouch Slide
I'm no expert, but I'm sure once a phone gets returned to a carrier and they return it to the original owner, they can PROBABLY un-blacklist the IMEI number.
But seriously, if I lost my phone I would be eternally grateful if someone were to turn it in.
Just do it for the karma, man.
Send It Back
Just for the fun of it I asked T-mobile and they said that they DO and WILL return the phone to the owner if one is mailed back to them. The girl said they will contact the owner if they are still one of thier customers. If not they will mail it to the last known address. Just a FYI. Return the phone and don't be so cheap to give a gift that someone else paid for..
Suntar said:
Just for the fun of it I asked T-mobile and they said that they DO and WILL return the phone to the owner if one is mailed back to them. The girl said they will contact the owner if they are still one of thier customers. If not they will mail it to the last known address. Just a FYI. Return the phone and don't be so cheap to give a gift that someone else paid for..
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I assumed as much, thanks for clearing that up for the OP. Hopefully they decide to return the poor persons phone. Who knows what kind of information they have on there they would like back.
I Stopped by the tmobile Corp today since i was buying a case for my phone and getting an unlock request made for my vibrant. Anyway i gave the phone to a Store Manager but i dont think they were able to log in since it has a password. I guess they will figure it out how to get his information.... Anyway. Job done. I saved the Day and now off to get ready to leave the country and get wasteddd all day, everydayyy. Hahahaha
I work for T-Mobile. They will definitely try to get this phone back to the owner. This would make someones day - do the right thing and PM me if you have any questions.
Sent from my HTC Espresso using XDA App
T-Mobile
I work for T-Mobile Android/BB/PDA support and we can track down who the owner is regardless if its locked or not. You think your mobile number or IMEI are the only ways we can look up your account?.?

Bad ESN, now what?

So I found a person on Craigslist who had a Droid 2 for sale, good deal. So I met up with him, checked out the phone, everything looked good. I called Verizon before making the exchange for the phone and verified the ESN was clear. I get home and try to activate the phone and can't. I called Verizon back and this time I'm being told the phone is still allocated to an account but not active, probably someone who didn't pay a bill would be my guess. It's still early and I haven't tried contacting the person I purchased it from, but providing that falls through what are my options? Or are there any?
I've had verizon for almost 12 years now, can't say I've had the best experience but this just takes the prize. First guy says yes, second person says no, I'm probably out money. ><
Be careful. It could either be stolen or his and he could be filing a claim that the phone was stolen so document everything from the transaction to ensure you don't end up in the wrong. I'm not sure if anything can be done if you have a linked but not active ESN.
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
newk8600 said:
Be careful. It could either be stolen or his and he could be filing a claim that the phone was stolen so document everything from the transaction to ensure you don't end up in the wrong. I'm not sure if anything can be done if you have a linked but not active ESN.
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
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Yea I kinda figure that I'm out some cash and got a nifty paperweight now. I'm calling VZW to raise hell since one person told me it was clean, and the other told me the truth about it. Nothing will probably come of it, but at least I get to ***** at them for it. I did manage to get the guy I bought it from to tell me earlier today that it was on his wifes account and that she needed the money from getting rid of the phone to buy another and have it activated. Of course he hasn't returned any of my follow up calls asking when this is going to happen. Unfortunately this isn't someone I know, but do feel like giving him the ass beating of his lifetime.
Oh well, I should have tried to activate it myself on the spot so I guess you live you learn.
By the way, I've got this new thing called an Android Paperweight that runs OS 2.2 if you're interested in buying it let me know (j/k)
StirCwazy said:
Yea I kinda figure that I'm out some cash and got a nifty paperweight now. I'm calling VZW to raise hell since one person told me it was clean, and the other told me the truth about it. Nothing will probably come of it, but at least I get to ***** at them for it. I did manage to get the guy I bought it from to tell me earlier today that it was on his wifes account and that she needed the money from getting rid of the phone to buy another and have it activated. Of course he hasn't returned any of my follow up calls asking when this is going to happen. Unfortunately this isn't someone I know, but do feel like giving him the ass beating of his lifetime.
Oh well, I should have tried to activate it myself on the spot so I guess you live you learn.
By the way, I've got this new thing called an Android Paperweight that runs OS 2.2 if you're interested in buying it let me know (j/k)
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Click to collapse
Honestly, if it ends up being a bad ESN and you aren't ever able to activate it you could probably sell it to a developer to recuperate some of the cost. You probably wont get it all but I'm sure you could get a nice chunk back.
kwheel596 said:
Honestly, if it ends up being a bad ESN and you aren't ever able to activate it you could probably sell it to a developer to recuperate some of the cost. You probably wont get it all but I'm sure you could get a nice chunk back.
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I wouldn't even know where to start, but good suggestion, thanks.
I called VZW a few minutes ago to complain and found out that the person I spoke with last night didn't log anything in our account indicating a call and regarding what. The person I spoke with earlier today did. I just wish everyone knew how to do their job properly to make sure everyone in my situation ends up with the best possible results, and not out some money that could be used elsewhere.
So if life I guess
How much does it take to buy the phone..... paper weight
rdking said:
How much does it take to buy the phone..... paper weight
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At risk of being ridiculed over what I paid for the said item I'll take offers via PM For the time being I'm still holding out on the dream it will one day soon be functional.
put it on ebay you can still get a couple hundred bucks out of a droid 2 with a bad esn
Good luck man, I hope it will be activated soon!
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
First things first, never buy a CL phone unless you activate it on the SPOT. Regardless if the 'account is late on payment' or whatever that doesn't mean they can blacklist the phone from activating on the network.
If it is a insurance claim phone it can never be used and you are SOL, but if it's stolen I'd call Verizon again and have them contact whoever owns that phone to call you. You seem like an intelligent person, not some kid posting on here, and having VZW for 12 years confirms that. Do the right thing and contact the owner should it be stolen. Maybe work something out?
You could always use it with a different carrier or sell it to someone who wants to use it on a different carrier..
They flash over to cricket easily, probly to sprint or u.s. cellular also
Doesnt matter what the esn says in verizons system when going somewhere else
If you complain enough they will *SOMETIMES* allow you to swap it for a replacement with a clean ESN, though not always. You could also try going into a store and telling them you got ripped off and seeing if they have a carrier return laying that they might be willing to replace your bad one with, Verizon themselves doesn't care about blacklisted ESN's once they have them, they just simply remove it from the blacklist and sell it off
Streak 7 bad ESN
May be an stupid coment, but just by curiosity: when you change the ROM for some custom ROM , the STK7 is not by default unlocked?.
Mr. Cell Phone Unlocker
If you are willing to pay $75, I stumbled across this site that will do it.
Reputable company, but I make no guarantees of their effectiveness. Never tried it either.
Might be worth a shot
http://www.mrcellphoneunlocker.com/V2/products.php?product=Verizon_ESN

so i may buy a G2 from Craigslist

and i am wondering a few things..
i have heard of some shady craigslist people selling IMEI banned phones. If i get one by chance..is it possible to change IMEI? or am i screwed with a paperweight. I have seen some RIFF-box tools claim to be able to do it, but this is a pretty new phone so I am not sure if its supported.
Will T-Mobile work with a customer that accidentally came up on a banned phone? Does t-mobile actually ENFORCE the ban on the IMEI? I know of some people that had a supposed banned IMEI and it worked just fine.
Any information will be greatly appreciated!
Rather than potentially go through all of that, try calling T-Mobile when you meet the seller and verify with them if the phone is able to used without issue and hasn't been banned.
Also, talk of hacking and changing ESN/IMEIs are not allowed in the forums.
ricky05 said:
and i am wondering a few things..
i have heard of some shady craigslist people selling IMEI banned phones. If i get one by chance..is it possible to change IMEI? or am i screwed with a paperweight. I have seen some RIFF-box tools claim to be able to do it, but this is a pretty new phone so I am not sure if its supported.
Will T-Mobile work with a customer that accidentally came up on a banned phone? Does t-mobile actually ENFORCE the ban on the IMEI? I know of some people that had a supposed banned IMEI and it worked just fine.
Any information will be greatly appreciated!
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Click to collapse
bring your sim card with you and slap it in before you hand over the cash. When I sold my Droid on Craigs List I actually met the guy at the verizon store to make sure he didn't have an issue getting it activated. Its not much to ask..
i completely understand about imei changing not allowed..
i was mostly asking if it was POSSIBLE..not how to do it really..but ok
and thanks for the reply about meeting the guy there..thats probably what I will do.
I've worked for tmobile for a long time, they do not block imei's.......that is sprint and verizon which block esn's. Your safe to buy the phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
You'll be fine with any GSM Carrier... Imei doesn't mean anything.
Just be sure your getting a Legitimate phone.
SmartHat said:
You'll be fine with any GSM Carrier... Imei doesn't mean anything.
Just be sure your getting a Legitimate phone.
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Click to collapse
Unless it is on their blacklist an a stolen phone.
I bought a Motorola Cliq from CraigsList about a year ago... Turns out the guy I bought it from was a T-Mobile employee who had stolen the phone. I got a phone call from someone at T-Mobile asking me about the phone. I gave them all the information I had on the guy and then asked what it all meant to me.
I was told that because I had purchased the phone legitimately and had done nothing wrong that I could keep the phone and that T-Mobile had no interest in punishing a customer for someone else being dishonest.
As someone else said, pop your SIM card in the phone when you meet and see if it works.
Make sure you check that speaker phone works. I bought mine from a guy on craigslist for 275 and the speaker didn't work. I could hear out of the phone speaker (the one in front) but not out of the one in the back (above and to the right if the HTC logo behind the phone). So just check that the phone rings, that you can hear speakerphone, and that you can hear music.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
ricky05 said:
i completely understand about imei changing not allowed..
i was mostly asking if it was POSSIBLE..not how to do it really..but ok
and thanks for the reply about meeting the guy there..thats probably what I will do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If u change the imei then u will have one of someone else phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Can't the guy just report it stolen after you put your sim in to see if it works? This is the main thing stopping me from getting a G2 or Nexus on Craigslist. Will everything be perfect if it works when you put in your sim?
I would ask the seller to email the IMEI to me, and verify it with TMo. If all is good, double check it when you meet with the dude and you should be OK.
djsinco said:
I would ask the seller to email the IMEI to me, and verify it with TMo. If all is good, double check it when you meet with the dude and you should be OK.
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Thanks for the response!
but even after checking the imei with tmobile, couldn't he just write down the imei number and report it stolen after I check it with the sim and buy it?
The concern to me is that the seller stole it. you could have TMo document the IMEI search in your notes, that and a printout of the CL post would cover you.
Youll be ok. I've never hear TMo blacklist any phones...even ones that were reported lost/stolen.
You bought it...just keep records of all your interactions with the seller.
Posted from my HTC Vision via XDA App
I have purchased and sold numerous phones over Craigslist.
I would recommend that you meet in an area that is well-lit and very PUBLIC. I typically try to meet at a coffee shop or something. I have heard of horror stories in my area about people setting up robberies through CL so be careful and aware of your surroundings.
Spend a few minutes using the phone... I.E. make a test phone call, send a text message, test sound output, etc. If the seller is not okay waiting a few minutes while you do these things, hand them the phone back and find a different seller. If there is nothing to hide, this process is reasonable.
Thanks for all the responses guys but my main concern is with the imei number. What is a sure way to know that it will not be blocked later on by a person?
Bbe1367 said:
I've worked for tmobile for a long time, they do not block imei's.......that is sprint and verizon which block esn's. Your safe to buy the phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
There is nothing you can do to prevent a seller from calling customer service and giving them the IMEI saying that its stolen, BUT that doesn't have any impact on you.
ESN's are used on CDMA phones and those can be blocked to prevent service reaching a device. IMEI's do not work the same way. Regardless of whether or not the phone is reported as stolen, it would continue to work.
Just keep a record of your communication with the seller in case he tries to scam you down the road saying you stole it from him, but that is highly unlikely. Just be sure to check the device and make sure everything is working.
I take a gun with me when I go pay/pick up my item.
johnnyham89 said:
Thanks for all the responses guys but my main concern is with the imei number. What is a sure way to know that it will not be blocked later on by a person?
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Click to collapse
T-mobile DOES NOT block IMEI numbers AT ALL,
Sprint and Verizon use CDMA networks, hence you have to give them your ESN number.... which they CAN block.
Since you are with T-Mobile... this scenario DOES NOT, I repeat DOES NOT apply to you.
just be careful about the phone itself, Making sure EVERYTHING works fine, scratches, dings.
Like somenone said... if there is nothing to hide than he WILL wait for you to test out the phone until you are satisfied. Meeting in a coffee shop or a public spot will do you good!

HTC G2 TM Question Lost Phone

Hello I have a HTC G2 and i lost it a few days ago so i reported it to tmobile and they sent me a new one
Now after receiving the new one My friend cleaning out his car found the phone and called me letting me know
My question is can i use this phone still even though i have a new one
is there a way to mod the phone so that TM will not know its the one i reported lost.
Please let me know as i will like to give this to my daughter thanks.
I'm guessing they would have the ESN/IMEI of the phone marked as bad so it cannot be used or activated anymore by a thief if it was stolen. There may be a way to get it work, but it would probably be illegal =/
what will be the procedure as if its a sim card how would they now what phone it is
Well, the most honest thing to do would be to call TMobile and ask which one they want back.
A less honest thing to do would be to call 611 from the old phone, which will probably work, say you found this phone and would like to know where to send it. At least you get to keep the newer phone.
Or, you could keep both and see if the old one is usable using a different SIM. But what kind of example does that set for your daughter?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
Well I understand sending the phone back will be good but as i spent 150 dollars to get the replacement. I was told it will not be refunded so whats the point of sending it back.
I figure since i have a few tm phones and at times i switch phones it will not be a problem.
Well if putting custom software will that hide the phone as they say rooting the phone is not exceptable and you can void your warrenty. And when putting custom roms they never now also apps that are downloaded.
storres6981 said:
what will be the procedure as if its a sim card how would they now what phone it is
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Click to collapse
The ESN/IMEI are hard coded in a very deep level of the phone software somehow I think, so it doesn't matter what SIM you have in it; the network knows its being used. I'm sure there are [illegal] ways to change the ESN
For example if you look at phone people sell on Ebay, they are always labeled as "Clean ESN" or "Bad ESN". The bad ones are phones reported as stolen, etc and won't be able to be activated no matter what.
c00ller said:
The ESN/IMEI are hard coded in a very deep level of the phone software somehow I think, so it doesn't matter what SIM you have in it; the network knows its being used. I'm sure there are [illegal] ways to change the ESN
For example if you look at phone people sell on Ebay, they are always labeled as "Clean ESN" or "Bad ESN". The bad ones are phones reported as stolen, etc and won't be able to be activated no matter what.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is correct. If you've reported the phone lost/stolen, or the phone is associated to a delinquent or unpaid account, the provider (T-mo) will mark the phone as such, and the phone will not work with any other SIM card. So its only worth what it could be sold for for parts...
You spoke of rooting the phone, this won't clear the ESN, and this really isn't something we talk about at XDA (or most other reputable forums, for that matter) because it is highly illegal/frowned upon/etc.. Really no need for this thread to go in that direction...
Now the right thing to do would to call T-mo and ask which one they wanted back... maybe you can work something out with them even though they cant do a full refund. It would also mean that your account wouldnt be docked the cost or mark of having been given a phone under warranty, because most plans only allow a certain number of claims per time period.
Not true...you could change the esn and imei on blackberry. I did it because I was in the same situation. I just wanted to give mine to my bro. I'm sure if you could on blackberry you can with android. Android is more open I would think
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popimp315 said:
Not true...you could change the esn and imei on blackberry. I did it because I was in the same situation. I just wanted to give mine to my bro. I'm sure if you could on blackberry you can with android. Android is more open I would think
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
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Never said you can't, just said its something we don't talk about here.
It should still work on networks outside of the USA (or which ever country it is you're in). So I suppose you can unlock and debrand it and sell it to someone abroad.
Have you tried putting your replacement sim on the old phone? You really should call tmobile to see what can be done.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
It will work just fine. I did the same thing and I asked the lady that worked for the phone's insurance before I ordered my replacement what would happen if I found it and she said you have 7 days to send back the replacement for a refund. She said if I find it after the 7 days it would work and be 100% usable but I wouldn't be able to send in the replacement for the refund... it is currently being used with no issues right now actually.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

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