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I don't know who/what/when/where or how, the power button on Photon is missing? I have never dropped my device, I don't even toss it onto bed!!! I hope I dont get a new phone because it took me over a WEEK, 10 - 14 hours a day to get it like I wanted it!!!
..... cool dude
That sucks bro. Happened to mine too. It's just held on by adhesive tape.
How is this under accessories? How is it under anything really...
Sent from my MB855 using XDA Premium App
beyondinferno said:
That sucks bro. Happened to mine too. It's just held on by adhesive tape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, it appears its held on by some glue as I can see the white on the button on the bottom.
@Codee, I put it here becuase if I could (and I cant) find another button, I'd buy it and put it on myself.
Now: I'm a pretty easy going person, i rarely get upset at anything, life is too short. I go to Garden State Plaza to Sprint store to speak to one of the Brightest Minds in America. Her nametag says "Manager" so I know I have the correct person and I'm going to get top notch service!!! I tell her its broken, the power button fell off! The first thing out of her mouth was "Have you had the phone for 30 days or less?" (I will not insult you guys, phone came out August 1st, therefore, this chick cannot count!) After this hiccup, she ask where I got it? (Again, I will not insult you. I treat my toys well and I have insurance, I dont care if I got it in Mississippi, it says "Sprint" on it, you see my insurance on my account, give me a working phone!!!!) After 10 minutes on the phone with "whoever", she tells me I need the box because they need the IMEI #. ITS A BOX, I DONT GIVE A RATS...............I'm going back with box and phone at lunch.
Imei is under the battery too isn't it?
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
I will make this short and sweet, I got a new Photon. I'm pissed at the way I got it, but I got it. I could not figure out how to restore from my backup, so I started the pain staking task of putting it back like it was.
Now, I will bring some comedy to this thread!!
If you go to the Evo forum, the Fuze Forum.......any of them. Everyone can tell you I'm anal about my toys. If your here, you likely are too! My phone has special mouse pad to sit on everywhere.
I return to the same store with a guy I work with that used to do mobile support for our company. I talk to the same manager, she asked me the same 30-day question. I just turned around and looked at Will and srugged my shoulders. She then asked me to taked it to the technicians and signin. These 2 clowns come out and look at the phone, then then again ask me the 30-day question! The Photon is your flagship phone, its IMPOSSIBLE for me to have had it longer than 23 days!!! OK, we will replace it!
After 45 minutes, I get the same manager back. She tells me she needs to turn it on to make sure I did not root it. I have rooted/flashed likely 200+ times. Each one I'v done contain 4 things. Disclaimer that it will void your warranty, Instructions on how to Root/Flash, another Disclaimer that BEFORE you return to your carrier, and Instructions on how to un-root/Un-flash? One would think if I'm smart enough to root/flash, I would be smart enough to un-do it? Personally, I dont think she would know if i did or did not (Unless she noticed something like 'Sprint NASCAR" was missing?)
She then preceeds to tell me "This is clearly physical damage?" Again, I just turned and looked at co-worker. I asked her and the technican to find one single nick on that Photon! They tell me they cannot, but it was likely dropped. I say BS, show me.
I got tired of playing and had to get back from lunch. It dont matter, I have TEP and repair, you can't repair it, give me another one or similar phone per this $8.00 monthly TEP. She tells me physical damage is not covered. I say show me? After playing on her computer for 15 minutes, then a phone call, she gave me a new Photon.
Only at Sprint!!! Sad thing is, next year she will likely get promoted to CEO!!!!
dsims7_2000 said:
I will make this short and sweet, I got a new Photon. I'm pissed at the way I got it, but I got it. I could not figure out how to restore from my backup, so I started the pain staking task of putting it back like it was.
Now, I will bring some comedy to this thread!!
If you go to the Evo forum, the Fuze Forum.......any of them. Everyone can tell you I'm anal about my toys. If your here, you likely are too! My phone has special mouse pad to sit on everywhere.
I return to the same store with a guy I work with that used to do mobile support for our company. I talk to the same manager, she asked me the same 30-day question. I just turned around and looked at Will and srugged my shoulders. She then asked me to taked it to the technicians and signin. These 2 clowns come out and look at the phone, then then again ask me the 30-day question! The Photon is your flagship phone, its IMPOSSIBLE for me to have had it longer than 23 days!!! OK, we will replace it!
After 45 minutes, I get the same manager back. She tells me she needs to turn it on to make sure I did not root it. I have rooted/flashed likely 200+ times. Each one I'v done contain 4 things. Disclaimer that it will void your warranty, Instructions on how to Root/Flash, another Disclaimer that BEFORE you return to your carrier, and Instructions on how to un-root/Un-flash? One would think if I'm smart enough to root/flash, I would be smart enough to un-do it? Personally, I dont think she would know if i did or did not (Unless she noticed something like 'Sprint NASCAR" was missing?)
She then preceeds to tell me "This is clearly physical damage?" Again, I just turned and looked at co-worker. I asked her and the technican to find one single nick on that Photon! They tell me they cannot, but it was likely dropped. I say BS, show me.
I got tired of playing and had to get back from lunch. It dont matter, I have TEP and repair, you can't repair it, give me another one or similar phone per this $8.00 monthly TEP. She tells me physical damage is not covered. I say show me? After playing on her computer for 15 minutes, then a phone call, she gave me a new Photon.
Only at Sprint!!! Sad thing is, next year she will likely get promoted to CEO!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What was the address of the store? Did you get any part of her name at all?
EDIT: Got it, Garden State Plaza store. I'm going to escalate your experience to help improve future customer interactions. I'm not sure if this is a Sprint owned store or a 3rd party, but it shouldn't matter. You should be treated better than that.
Garden State Plaza
Merchant ID: 8015689253
Jessica Mendez
It's the one above the food court (there are 4 Sprint Stores in this Mall. They have the one I mention on Second floor above food court. In the food court they have a 3D/Photon Setup. They have a kiosh outside JC Penny's. And they have a store on the other side of Macy's!)
What I think is, Honestly, each of these stores are owned by different individuals. Each store likely get's a quoto # of Photon's to sell. The Store by Macy's told me I had to take it back where I got it, likely because it would cut into the number of phones THEY had to sell. Where I got it, more or less, just gave away $600.00!!! Just my opinion!
dsims7_2000 said:
What I think is, Honestly, each of these stores are owned by different individuals. Each store likely get's a quoto # of Photon's to sell. The Store by Macy's told me I had to take it back where I got it, likely because it would cut into the number of phones THEY had to sell. Where I got it, more or less, just gave away $600.00!!! Just my opinion!
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Click to collapse
You're right. I'm pretty sure that's a 3rd party store, but they should still be more helpful and sound less clueless. Sprint is working hard to overcome a bad reputation for customer service and things like this don't help.
I'm glad you finally got resolution, but it should have been handled in one trip. The whole thing about the box was a joke. I'm betting she was hoping you would hit a different store when you came back
Online is not much better. Before reading, go to the middle of this and read my original complaint, then come back here and read Sprint's reply, then go to bottom and read my response!
Dear David Sims,
Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the inconvenience that
you have experienced.
As per your account, I can see that your phone is under 30 days return
policy. The Sprint 30-Day Risk-Free Guarantee allows you to return a
like-new phone to the point of purchase.
If you will opt for the different phone, your account will be charged
for the $35.00 for restocking fee.
Also, I can understand that your account is charged for the
International long distance calling. Let me explain that what is the
difference between International long distance and the International
roaming.
1- International long distance (ILD) is defined as making a call from
the United States to other countries in the world.
2- International roaming (IR) is defined as traveling to countries
outside of the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
So, these charges are valid on your account. So, due to system
restriction, we are unable to apply the credit on your account.
We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to answer your
questions.
Sincerely,
Cheryl B.
Sprint
Get the best value for your money & exercise your freedom
to change plans anytime without penalties - we promise!
www.sprint.com/planpromise
Sprint.com is all about you! My Sprint puts what you want to know,
right at your fingertips -- take a tour and sign up today!
www.sprint.com/mysprint
Original Message Follows:
------------------------
========================================================================
Name: David Sims
Form: Ask A Question Learn OR Feedback and Suggestions - Learn
Topic: Equipment
Contact Number: 201-681-5429
========================================================================
Original Question:
Question: I have Motorola Photon 4G, somehow, the power on/off button
fell out. I took the phone to Garden State Plaza in New Jersey. At
first, she asked if I had the phone for 30 days or longer. As a manager,
I felt she should have known this as Sprint did not release the phone
until August 1st. She then asked where I got it, I told her that and she
told me I had to take it back there. 1. As the phone is almost new I
should be able to replace it at ANY Sprint store I choose. 2. I go back
to where I got it (Same Mall, different store), Im told I cannot replace
it without the box? 3. I have insurancce on the phone? I'm getting mixed
answers everyone. I spent $500+ 2 weeks ago, I would like a WORKING
phone!
========================================================================
****************************************************
Additional Data
****************************************************
SUB Topic : Insurance
Current Customer ?: Yes
Email Address: [email protected]
Address:
City:
State: PA
Zip: show details 4:30 PM (21 hours ago)
OK, I will attempt this ONE more time!! I was NOT returning the phone, I just wanted a WORKING phone. That's all I wanted. It was clear to the 2 technicans that looked at it, and it was clear manager the phone was missing this button. Additionally, this is SUPPOSED to be "Sprint's Flagship" phone. It was released August 1, 2011. The 30-day Risk-Free Guarantee should have never been a question as it's impossible for me to have owned this phone for more than 23 days. Next on this, I pay for insurance & equiptment repair to cover this, so it should not matter if I owned the device 2 days or 50 years. I was told by the Manager it was clearly physical damage. I asked her and her 2 technicans to show me ONE mark on that phone? After an hour, the phone was replaced.
Next, lets go back to my bill. CDMA Phones (Sprint and Verzion) do NOT work in Europe (well until this phone. All AT&T and T-Mobile work globally as they are GSM), If you looked at my account as you stated, you can see that 1. I do not have International dialing on my account nor did I enable it. Therefore it is impossible for me to make a International call. Secondly, in order for me to use THIS phone outside the US, I have to call Sprint to enable me in whatever country I am traveling to, therefore I could not have made those +44 (which is the UK by the way!) calls. I think we can both agree this HAD to be an incoming call (like all the rest of them!) In the last year this has not been on my bill!
Lastly, since I'm here, If you look at the attached invoice, my upgrade is $0.00. If I look at my current bill, it $19.08!!! Therefore, that charge should be removed from my bill!
Thank You for your understand.
Honestly that exchange is a little hard to follow. Did you mention the billing problem to the rep in the original submission?
I think that maybe she was trying to solve a problem when what she should have done was escalate the issue to an area manager. Did you get the billing issue fixed?
I actually noticed a Photon at the store with the power button not attached. Believe me, I will return mine in the event that falls off.
Thats like receiving a phone with a glued on screen and being help accountable if that glue wheres off and my screen is no longer attached.
To me it sounds like alot of people talking about policies and processes that they have NO OBVIOUS idea how they work.
Lets start:
First...the Evo 3D is Sprints "flagship" phone. Look up the definition if you need further assistance.
Second...ALL returns, regardless of 3rd party or Company owned require the original box when returned or a fee will be accessed. Its in your contract you sign. Try for starters to read it thoroughly before yelling and screaming at the ones of us that work for Sprint and can help you if you help yourself!
Can this be overridden? OF COURSE...but if your attitude sucks, chances are youre not going to get the "customer service" you think you are deserved.
Third...as for TEP, its Total Equipment Protection, not Insurance! BIG DIFFERENCE! This is to assist you in the cost reduction of a new device if something happens to yours. Again, reading the TEP agreement, physical damage is noted as obvious damage or missing components. YES I know, its a flaw in the design, BUT UNTIL Motorola releases a statement to Sprint verifing that this is a "known issue" with this device it will be looked at as physical damage! (Return a car to a dealer after 2 weeks with a missing door handle and see what happens...just sayin)
Fourth...its not as easy as walking in and saying "I want a new phone. Give it to me now". Again, this goes back to your TEP agreement and Sprints 30 day policy. If within 30 days, its exchange/replaced. Now, if you purchase at a Company owned store, you can return it at a Company owned store ANYWHERE. However, if you purchase it from a 3rd pary dealer, you must return it at one of their locations. This can be overridden thru customer care, but you will get NOWHERE in store. This is just the way this process works.
Fifth...understand that the person that you are dealing with in store has all the control, and its usually based off of the attitude the customer has. You yell and scream and act a fool, Im not doing **** for you. Flip side, youre calm and understanding of the processes Sprint has in place, Im gonna make SURE that you are taken care of. (Free accessory, bill credit, something...)
Hope this may lay to rest those that are only customers that think they are the CEO.
...And let the rage ensue..........
To be fair I have also walked into a sprint store and was mistreated by a person from the get go. I did nothing wrong or had any kind of bad attitude with them. I just knew the policies better then they did. Luckily a manager noticed the situation and took over helping me.
I do agree tho that some people do have horrible attitudes on both sides. Sad thing is it is those events that get blasted online. In your case I completely understand. The warranty question was ridiculous.
Also I have had beter experience at a corporate store than a 3rd party one and I always askif the store I am going to is corporate or not. I stay away from the 3rd party stores.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
Hi All,
Recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy S2 from Gumtree online. It was only working on o2 network so got at unblocked from a guy at a market stall so that it works on all network sims. It was working fine for about a week but then randomly came up with a message saying "emergency calls only" and I coulnt make or recieve calls or texts even if i changed the sim to o2. The internet was still functioning correctly however.
Called network provider and have been told that there is a bar on it by an insurance company. Tried to get back to the seller but have not been able to contact him. Have reported him but I would just like to know is there any way to unblock this phone at all? Dont want to lose out on all the money spent on it. would it be worth downloading any unblocking applications if the phone has a bar on it?
Please any ideas, comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Apologies for the long message
Thanks
Sounds like you have bought a stolen phone. I don't think the network will undo the blocking. You might have to list it on eBay for people outside the UK.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
deadgalaxys2 said:
Called network provider and have been told that there is a bar on it by an insurance company. Tried to get back to the seller but have not been able to contact him. Have reported him but I would just like to know is there any way to unblock this phone at all? Dont want to lose out on all the money spent on it. would it be worth downloading any unblocking applications if the phone has a bar on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Circumventing such a block is illegal in most countries and discussion on it is therefore not allowed on XDA. I'd recommend contacting the police.
Handling a blocked phone is technically handling stolen goods. Attempting to change the IMEI and therefore unblocking it is very illegal
Some people sell on a phone and then report it stolen and get it blocked and there insurance gets them a new phone. This is also illegal, so you should report it to the police...
I work in a fairly common second hand store, and it's a fairly common occurance for someone to sell in a phone and then have it blocked so they get a new one for free. Bastards...
Yup contact the police, as the phone is likely flagged now as being "stolen", meaning the original owner committed insurance fraud...
This happened to me with my Galaxy S 1. Ended up selling it outside of the UK because outside the UK is the only place it would work.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Yup,
same happened to me, my first smart phone turns out it had been "found" in a car park. IMEI blocked in the UK gutted but lesson is now learned.
looked into changing the IMEI but that carries a 5 year custodial sentence so written it off as expensive lesson that needed to be learnt.
OP i do feel worry for you that you have spent a lot of money on a phone which has been blocked, just a warning to others, never ever buy anything like smart phones (or anything expensive really) on that gumtree website which is a hotbed for criminals and fraudsters, the person you bought this phone off probably got it themselves as an upgrade, they had insurance on it, they advertised it on gumtree and the mobile number they gave was a SIM card they'll probably never use again, they sold the phone, a few days later (or less) they reported the phone as stolen and it was subsequently blocked, they claimed another one on the insurance and they have your money and still have the phone, this scam has been around now for a good while which is why you should never buy on gumtree and if you do ask for a receipt and proof of purchase and i guarantee you the seller will try and say they will give you a written one,don't accept it and move on.
AVOID GUMTREE LIKE THE PLAGUE
Thanks for the replies everyone. Lesson definately learnt. Have reported it to gumtree so I wonder what they will say.
deadgalaxys2 said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. Lesson definately learnt. Have reported it to gumtree so I wonder what they will say.
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Click to collapse
I doubt they can do much mate, the person you bought it off probably posted it from an internet cafe so their IP address couldn't be detected and no doubt created a fake email and obviously used another SIM card that they no doubt threw away.
Gumtree are a disgrace IMO, they are only too aware this happens but they don't post any type of warnings on their website, it should be quite clearly stated when purchasing any type of expensive items like smart phones that the prospective buyer always asks for a receipt and / or proof of payment (clearly not everyone thinks of this)
By all means report it to the relevant people but in this instance im afraid your probably screwed, sorry mate
Please read the rules:
Do not do anything that may get XDA in trouble.....
In future buy a phone from reputable dealer if the deal is too good to be true it normally is.
On that note thread closed.
Sent from the valley of the shadows....
I purchased a phone from craigslist didn't know that t mobile had a imei system and didn't have t mobile service at the time bought the phone with case phone looked brand new etc i activate phones not working turns out bad imei.
The good news is that i have the text from seller and a tmobile rep told me that he is a tmobile customer i asked if he could check if the phone was purchased on the account to check if it matched up and he told me he couldn't give me anymore information anyone know how i should go about this situation with the police?
Nothing you can do except using the phone as an ipod.
Sent From My Htc Amaze running rum+coke
Probably not much u can do especially if he included the words "as is" anywhere in the post, but if he didn't you can probably go to your local police station and file a police report and take the guy to small claims court......I think anyway.......you might want to ask Binary he's a cop he would know better then me.
will_69_67 said:
Probably not much u can do especially if he included the words "as is" anywhere in the post, but if he didn't you can probably go to your local police station and file a police report and take the guy to small claims court......I think anyway.......you might want to ask Binary he's a cop he would know better then me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well he can report it to his local police station but there's not much they can do. This is actually more of a civil action unless you can provide reasonable doubt that the seller is selling stolen merchandise. And if the post says "AS-IS" or anything similiar then you're SOL. You can try to contact Craigslist and report the seller for selling stolen merchandise. They might cooperate with you to take the seller to civil court.
That's about the best that you can do.
Good luck!
That's what you get for buying on craigslist. If it was ebay at least you would have been protected.
Binary100100 said:
Well he can report it to his local police station but there's not much they can do. This is actually more of a civil action unless you can provide reasonable doubt that the seller is selling stolen merchandise. And if the post says "AS-IS" or anything similiar then you're SOL. You can try to contact Craigslist and report the seller for selling stolen merchandise. They might cooperate with you to take the seller to civil court.
That's about the best that you can do.
Good luck!
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Click to collapse
Thanks everyone who helped, Binary i know that normally with craigslist stuff if you get scammed its pretty much on you. But the guy told me he got the phone off a upgrade and decided to stick with his old phone therefore he is lying. I also know that the number he was using to do the business with is linked to t mobile which leaves his information for the police vulnerable. Luckily my mom works at a high school and i have access to a police officer. Since you're a police officer i was wondering if i had information showing that the phone he sold me is directly linked to his account and shows that he said the phone was stolen/lost i can report him to asurion insurance and get him in trouble for insurance fraud at least. The one thing i was wondering is if he would say i stole the phone from him but i have the box with unopened accessories and text showing we were meeting up etc.
rasstar said:
That's what you get for buying on craigslist. If it was ebay at least you would have been protected.
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Click to collapse
I don't see how this is helping can keep the negative comments to yourself lol
lajuan3 said:
Thanks everyone who helped, Binary i know that normally with craigslist stuff if you get scammed its pretty much on you. But the guy told me he got the phone off a upgrade and decided to stick with his old phone therefore he is lying. I also know that the number he was using to do the business with is linked to t mobile which leaves his information for the police vulnerable. Luckily my mom works at a high school and i have access to a police officer. Since you're a police officer i was wondering if i had information showing that the phone he sold me is directly linked to his account and shows that he said the phone was stolen/lost i can report him to asurion insurance and get him in trouble for insurance fraud at least. The one thing i was wondering is if he would say i stole the phone from him but i have the box with unopened accessories and text showing we were meeting up etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually thinking that did the insurance fraud thing. He likely called Asurian to tell them that he lost the phone and would like a replacement. Asurian then puts the IMEI on a black list so it can't be activated again since it was reported "Lost/Stolen" and shipped him another. He then sold it to you. Now without a Bill Of Sale it's all on you. If you have the text message then you have his number. Contact the seller directly and inform him. Best case scenario he did not actually with full intent attempt to sell you a stolen phone. He may be able to call Asurian and say that he had found the device and they might then be able to remove it from the black list. However they will probably want the replacement back. The most that you can really do is threaten him to call the police... but this is really a civil matter. Just because you have the box and phone number doesn't mean anything. Here's an example. If you were a criminal and robbed someone's house, took their tv, computer, jewelry, phone, box for phone, etc you can also take their identity since almost everyone has bills laying around. At least mail. So they can have your name, phone number, address, IMEI, original packaging... whole nine yards. Does that still prove that you know eachother? Can he still use that to prove that the sale was legit? No way. This is a civil matter and not so much criminal so you're not going to get much assistance from the police.
My advice, contact the seller and tell him that you need ALL of his information. Name, address, contact information for his account, etc and tell him that you have to use it to get his information removed from the black list. Try to get his DL number too. Tell him that the insurance company requires a copy of it to remove it from the list. Make up something clever like that. Then use that information to file for court. It's up to you if you want to try to settle it in court or not but it's your best bet. PD has a lot more to worry about than Craigslist scams and unless the insurance company or TMobile wants to provide informatino willingly to a law enforcement official. They may or may not because they are under no legal obligation to comply unless it's ordered by the court. But again... that's really up to you.
One other option is to consult with your local prosecutor's office. Laws and procedures vary state by state, and between jurisdictions, but in Florida a lot of jurisdictions will operate some type of citizens dispute mediation program using volunteer mediators.
The idea is that by bringing both parties to the State Attorney's Office they will reach an agreement, or the more guilty party will make things right, and actually follow through on it because they believe it has a little more authority attached to whatever resolution is decided upon when in reality it may be an incident that is more civil in nature and could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal court.
we are talking about a $350 phone. just the court claim costs $200(at least here in IL).and there is no way you can get that guys information. the fact that he was able to sell you a bad imei phone means he is a pro, cuz not everybody can do that, you gotta have done it before. I am just curious how did you buy the phone without even trying to put a sim card on it..
What Binary said makes a lot sense otherwise not sure what else "Bad IMEI" could be implying.
If this is true, and t-mobile blacklist the phone for activation, may be you can try unlock and see if it works under other carrier such as AT&T? If works, you can try switch carrier or sell to AT&T users.
contact a subrogation service. They will scare the crap out of the guy and will get your money back...I got about 8 years ago on ebay when it wasn't so safe, someone sold me a laptop but it was just a poster of a laptop. Problem was in the description it never said laptop, it said item and it was basically a poster of laptop with its specs. so what I got was a laminated poster of a laptop for 1100 dollars. Subrogation services is a good thing. look into it.
Felinos11 said:
we are talking about a $350 phone. just the court claim costs $200(at least here in IL).and there is no way you can get that guys information. the fact that he was able to sell you a bad imei phone means he is a pro, cuz not everybody can do that, you gotta have done it before. I am just curious how did you buy the phone without even trying to put a sim card on it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i was switching from sprint to tmobile back in the day you could pop a sim in and thebphone would just work even if lost or stolen i guess things changed and i got hustled im not to worried im sure i can get it unlocked and make atleast the 330 i spent back its just that i signed a 2yr contract got scammed and want him to face some sort of consequence
lajuan3 said:
Well i was switching from sprint to tmobile back in the day you could pop a sim in and thebphone would just work even if lost or stolen i guess things changed and i got hustled im not to worried im sure i can get it unlocked and make atleast the 330 i spent back its just that i signed a 2yr contract got scammed and want him to face some sort of consequence
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U can never unlock an imei blacklisted phone.
tmobile block the imei number of the phone, when the phone ever was reported stolen lost or the guy asked for an exchange and never return it, there is no way to unlock the imei number so you are screw,
i say get together with some friends find this guy a kick his ass!!
when did you sign your contact.... If you just activated you might be under buyers remorse
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using Tapatalk
I was informed i could unlock and use on other networks just not tmobile with a bad imei? i was planning on selling on ebay including the info that it has to be unlocked and switched to anyone besides tmobile.
I signed the contract because i have a 14day period where i can cancel without a fee i figured i would find a way to change the imei if worse came to worse.
Last i was told by a t mobile rep that they were changing my imei and it will take around 2hours.
I thought it was as simple as putting in your sim card? I guess tmobile is getting with the times.
If the guy never used the phone asurion would never do a claim for him! They have to see the imei active for them to file a claim!
And it is possible to unblock a imei asurion can do it.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk
Asurion told me it was up to T-Mobile T-Mobile said no I call again
they say they are changing it for me it will take 2hours been 2hours still no service
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using XDA App
Self explanatory. If I flash the Virgin Mobile firmware and leaked ROM will I be able to activate my Evo 3D on Virgin Mobile. I know that normally this would all be about the ESN, but it was my understanding that this firmware was specifically created to allow overstock 3Ds to be turned into the VM branded model by flashing the firmware.
Has anyone tried this?
no. no possible.
I have a friend who ordered one from Virgin Mobile and go a Sprint branded 3D in the email and is using it on VM right now. So the device itself certainly can run on VM, but I assume what you are guessing is that that ESN was moved from Sprint to VM list when the new firmware was flashed?
I mean. There's a way you can use your sprint phone on virgin mobile without even flashing the firmware. But its illegal and of course. We cant talk about anything illegal on XDA.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
We discussed this at length about a month ago, so you hopefully will be able to find it. Unlike other carriers like Boost or Metro, Virgin will not activate any phone on their network. As was mentioned, it is illegal and is not discussed here.
Sent from my ICS 3VO with Tapatalk 2
Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to change your esn to get the phone onto boost, MetroPCS or virgin mobile. It is completely legal as long as the esn that you are changing it to is from a phone that you purchased and own. It is illegal if you use an esn from a phone they does not belong to you.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
rootfreak said:
Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to change your esn to get the phone onto boost, MetroPCS or virgin mobile. It is completely legal as long as the esn that you are changing it to is from a phone that you purchased and own. It is illegal if you use an esn from a phone they does not belong to you.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
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Would you care to quote the federal law that specifically says that it is legal to clone the ESN from a device that you own? I ask, because there is a law that says it is specifically illegal to clone an ESN:
18 USC § 1029 - FRAUD AND RELATED ACTIVITY IN CONNECTION WITH ACCESS DEVICES
(a)(9)Whoever knowingly uses, produces, traffics in, has control or custody of, or possesses hardware or software, knowing it has been configured to insert or modify telecommunication identifying information associated with or contained in a telecommunications instrument so that such instrument may be used to obtain telecommunications service without authorization;
(g)
(1) It is not a violation of subsection (a)(9) for an officer, employee, or agent of, or a person engaged in business with, a facilities-based carrier, to engage in conduct (other than trafficking) otherwise prohibited by that subsection for the purpose of protecting the property or legal rights of that carrier, unless such conduct is for the purpose of obtaining telecommunications service provided by another facilities-based carrier without the authorization of such carrier.
(2) In a prosecution for a violation of subsection (a)(9), (other than a violation consisting of producing or trafficking) it is an affirmative defense (which the defendant must establish by a preponderance of the evidence) that the conduct charged was engaged in for research or development in connection with a lawful purpose.
So, in layman's terms:
(a)(9): If you use software, hardware or any means at all to change the ESN on your device to a different number so that you are able to gain unauthorized access on a carrier's network, you are guilty of a crime.
(g)(1): If you are a person who might be authorized to change the ESN, you may do so provided you are not doing it because you want to use your device in an unauthorized manner on a different carrier's network.
(g)(2): If you change the ESN on your device and are then prosecuted under (a)(9), it is an affirmative defense that you were doing so for research only and the research was lawful.
And, delving even further:
If your goal is to change the ESN on your device, even if you own the device whose ESN will be donated, for purposes of gaining unauthorized entry onto another carrier's network, you are breaking the law.
Unauthorized use of another carrier's network is a pretty straightforward concept. If Virgin Mobile did say or is likely to say that your unmodified ESN is not allowed on their network, then changing your device's ESN to an ESN that you know is allowed on their network is a crime. By virtue of the fact that Virgin Mobile specifically allows only some ESNs on their network, they specifically disallow all other ESNs, thereby making any of the devices they are written to unauthorized.
The law goes even further to say that if you are normally a person who is allowed to change ESNs in order to safeguard a carrier's network, you are still not allowed to do it to gain access to another carrier's network.
And finally, if you are caught changing ESNs, and you are doing it for any purpose other than seeing if you can, you're in trouble. If you are doing it just to see if you can, you had better never used a cloned ESN on any network, ever.
Some might argue that this aspect of the law is unneeded since the advent of encrypted communications (the ESN cloning portion of the law was written when analog unencrypted service allowed snoopers to catch ESNs off the air and clone phones, thereby receiving free cell phone service).
I would tend to agree, though I would also point out that modern smartphones have the capability to do real damage to a carrier's network if the network isn't built to tolerate those smartphones' effects. An example might be the introduction of the iPhone and iPhone 3G onto AT&T's network. The network buckled under the pressure, and AT&T was caught off guard. Think of how off guard Sprint might have been if somehow those iPhones could have been cloned and use on Sprint's network. In other words, if I am Verizon and your latest smartphone is capable of 100 Mbps downloads and will kick everyone else off the LTE bands in your area, of course I don't want it on my network. If you change that phone's ESN to match the Thunderbolt, you are now operating without authorization on my network.
I see both sides. Using your own device on whichever network you choose should be a freedom you have. But that freedom would come at a price: carriers who have spent billions of dollars building their networks are exposed to unknown variables that might result in lost productivity for everyone (including emergency responders). The law should probably stay the way it is.
I won't quote it since it is long, but Zach's post is superb. I hope the mods allow this post to stay as reference when the topic is invariably posted again.
Sent from my ICS 3VO with Tapatalk 2
rootfreak said:
Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to change your esn to get the phone onto boost, MetroPCS or virgin mobile. It is completely legal as long as the esn that you are changing it to is from a phone that you purchased and own. It is illegal if you use an esn from a phone they does not belong to you.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
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Zach is right. It is illegal.
Sent from my PG86100 using xda app-developers app
Actually if you really read it, it can be taken either way. It all depends on what is considered "unauthorized access". If you have an account that was obtained legally, you are authorized to use their network. Just because you are using a different mobile device does not necessarily mean that you have gained unauthorized access to their network. You are authorized to use the network.
That is the problem with these laws though. Most of them can be interpreted differently by two different people.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
rootfreak said:
Actually if you really read it, it can be taken either way. It all depends on what is considered "unauthorized access". If you have an account that was obtained legally, you are authorized to use their network. Just because you are using a different mobile device does not necessarily mean that you have gained unauthorized access to their network. You are authorized to use the network.
That is the problem with these laws though. Most of them can be interpreted differently by two different people.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
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He's right.
The VM firmware was specifically designed to convert 3d for use on virgin mobile. I am not asking about cloning ESNs in any way. I am trying to determine if Sprint bulk added EVO 3D esn to their VM network or if they only added the overstock they applied the firmware to.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
rootfreak said:
Actually if you really read it, it can be taken either way. It all depends on what is considered "unauthorized access". If you have an account that was obtained legally, you are authorized to use their network. Just because you are using a different mobile device does not necessarily mean that you have gained unauthorized access to their network. You are authorized to use the network.
That is the problem with these laws though. Most of them can be interpreted differently by two different people.
Sent from my Anthrax infected 3D!
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I did read it. And so will a judge. And nothing about the law, the way it is written, extends any olive branches to any person who modifies his ESN in order to gain access to a network he wouldn't have otherwise had access to with his device in its unmodified state.
In order for this debate to be truly germane to our purposes, we need to be apprised of not only what the law is, but what the law isn't. You've heard of people "getting off" on a technicality, I'm sure. What you don't hear about are the many more people who are convicted of crimes based on technicalities. This is why we hire attorneys to represent us in court.
That time when you were 18 that you stole a CD from Wal-Mart could be the "smoking gun" in a trial against you for ESN Cloning because stealing that CD 15 years ago means you are predisposed to committing a crime. That time you posted to one forum that you successfully cloned your phone yet posted to a different forum that you had trouble and couldn't do it calls into question every single thing you say on the stand at your trial (and you will definitely be taking the stand to offer your affirmative defense). The most innocuous things in your life now could all be used against you in court to hang you for your crime.
Here is an example of a concept that stymies most laypersons, yet attorneys and judges are well versed in: hearsay. Hearsay is testimony in a court that is not a fact with direct knowledge. You can't testify that Tom called you to call the police because **** is beating up Harry. You can't testify that Harry told you that **** beat him up. You can't even testify that **** himself told you he beat up Harry. You CAN testify that you SAW Harry with a shiner and a broken nose, and you CAN testify that you SAW **** running from the scene with blood on his hands.
Or is all of that backwards because of one or more of the 30-40 exceptions to federal and state hearsay rules? Testifying to what Tom said during that call might be admissible because it was an excited utterance. Testifying at Tom's conspiracy to assault trial that Tom told you **** was beating up Harry may be admissible because Tom actually lured Harry there to be beaten up, and anything Tom says he witnessed implicates himself and therefore creates a statement against penal interest. And, testifying that **** admitted to you that he did it may be admissible because it's an admission of guilt.
The bottom line is that hearsay is one of the most common objections raised at trial, and it is incredibly complex with many nuances and much case law. Now think of the multitudes of rules and laws with their thousands upon thousands of nuances and technicalities, and realize that you, the layperson, are clearly outclassed and outmatched by a legal system steeped in its case history.
Sprint intentionally keeps a record of all ESNs allowed on their network and specifically includes those ESNs on their network to the exclusion of all other ESNs in the world. The fact that they specifically include only certain ESNs and will steadfastly refuse to add other ESNs creates a precedent whereby they have reserved the right to choose who and what devices they allow on their network.
If you come along with your device, and you ask Sprint nicely to add your ESN, they will refuse, and therefore your device is not authorized on their network. The fact that you failed to ask Sprint at all to add your ESN doesn't make your device any more welcome on their network. Ignorance of Sprint's desire to safeguard their network and Sprint's policies to that end is no excuse for taking it upon yourself to cram your device down their gullets, just the same as the old adage that "ignorance of the law is no excuse."
The whole thing boils down to one question that you must ask yourself: do you really want to languish in a 6 foot by 10 foot cement block cell while a convict named Bruno eyes your pancakes and grits, while your case meanders its way through an appellate process that takes a bare minimum of three years to get before a federal court of appeals with teeth? Case law is never written through proceedings in courts of original jurisdiction (like the federal court in which you'd be tried if you were caught cloning your phone). Original courts are the finders of fact, and it won't take much evidence to convince 12 jurors or one judge of your guilt. Whether you should have been tried in the first place is the bailiwick of the appellate division, a process that takes patient years and deeper pockets.
Do you really want to be the test case for it? Do you want to be the guy they hang who fights back and wins thanks to a SCOTUS decision five years from now? Do the owners of XDA want to have all of their equipment confiscated and held as evidence because they promoted ESN cloning?
Once again, for the record, I would love nothing more than to legally clone my EVO 3D to work on Verizon's network. I would love networks that all operate in a compatible manner where phones are purchased from any vendor at all and are expected to work on Sprint's network the same way it works on AT&T's. But the fact remains that there are just too many hurdles to be overcome for that to happen and for Verizon to let my EVO 3D on, not the least of which is the fact that Verizon has not had an opportunity to thoroughly test the EVO 3D to ensure that it will not create conditions detrimental to its network or other users of its network.
TL;DR: Hogwash! It matters what a judge says, not what you think. I want XDA to be around for a while, so let's not post how-tos on ESN cloning.
EDIT: Also, my apologies for hijacking your thread with my long-long-winded replies.
I'm with zackfreak on this it can be taken both ways AND I'm not the only one who thinks about it like that. Here in central florida there's alot cell phone flashing companies in
a competition with each other hard core competition with each other one called the cops on the other about a year ago for this and no one got arrested police came figured everything was legit and went on there merry way.
REDACTED
So here's the story, i bought a HTC one M8 AT&T version on CL. I had the phone for a few days during which time i have unlocked bootloader, rooted and S-Off the phone. Well the douche i bought the phone from must have reported it lost or stolen because its blacklisted. I've searched google and numerous forums regarding a solution so i can continue to use this phone on either the same carrier or another. IIf ANYONE has a legal solution that i can go with, PLEASE inbox me so im not stuck with a very expensive brick.
MOD EDIT
Red_Devil6 said:
So here's the story, i bought a HTC one M8 AT&T version on CL. I had the phone for a few days during which time i have unlocked bootloader, rooted and S-Off the phone. Well the douche i bought the phone from must have reported it lost or stolen because its blacklisted. I've searched google and numerous forums regarding a solution so i can continue to use this phone on either the same carrier or another. IIf ANYONE has a legal solution that i can go with, PLEASE inbox me so im not stuck with a very expensive brick.
MOD EDIT
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Well..do you have any sort of proof that you purchased this item from said person? If so, it might be wise to bring law enforcement into it. I am not an expert on this, nor do I know law, but if you provide them with proof of the sale, and explain to them what happened, they might..MIGHT, go after the person who screwed you over, and maybe you can recover your money. If you have no "receipt", then I dont know what to tell ya, except for you might have just learned a very expensive lesson. There is also a strong possibility that the phone itself was stolen, and sold to you by said scumbag.
Another reason I do not deal with Craigslist!
It was likely stolen. Try working with the seller to get it resolved, but if he was the thief you might be SOL.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Red_Devil6 said:
So here's the story, i bought a HTC one M8 AT&T version on CL. I had the phone for a few days during which time i have unlocked bootloader, rooted and S-Off the phone. Well the douche i bought the phone from must have reported it lost or stolen because its blacklisted. I've searched google and numerous forums regarding a solution so i can continue to use this phone on either the same carrier or another. I know most here wont engage in this discussion in detail as it violates forum policy, BUT if ANYONE has a legit solution that i can go with PLEASE inbox me so im not stuck with a very expensive brick.
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You gotta call AT&T Customer Service from another phone, you'll get the automated service...
enter your phone number, they'll ask if your calling about your suspended line, or something of that sort... dial whatever for yes, then they'll ask if you want to re activate the sim for the original device, again dial whatever for yes, then they'll redirect you to an operator, when the phone starts ringing just hang up... then turn airplane mode on then off, and it should start working again.
Happened to me with the M7, it was reported stolen... so i had to go through this procedure 2,3,4 times a day, sometimes it would stay connected for weeks if i got lucky. But yea, that was my solution, hopefully it works for your M8, and if it does then it probably works for any phone thats blacklisted on AT&T... i wonder if anyone knows about this
just joined. claims they bought the phone. asking about how to bypass the IMEI being reported stolen...
im going out on a limb here and assuming this guy is the thief and is hoping to still use the phone after the real owner reported it stolen.
CraigP17 said:
just joined. claims they bought the phone. asking about how to bypass the IMEI being reported stolen...
im going out on a limb here and assuming this guy is the thief and is hoping to still use the phone after the real owner reported it stolen.
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That's not a fair assumption. I alot of people lurk until they need to ask a question.
edit: you post on an average of 7 posts a year since you joined so I'd think you'd understand
rquinn19 said:
That's not a fair assumption. I alot of people lurk until they need to ask a question.
edit: you post on an average of 7 posts a year since you joined so I'd think you'd understand
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100% agree. Hell ive been around here since 2008 and I have a low post count lol.. Guess im not one of those who chime in..just to chime in lol. I ask questions...answer when I can (which is rarely), and lurk quite abit lol. Regardless, I wont buy anything off Craigslist, heard too many bad stories from people I know in person...Either use Ebay or Swappa. The only thing is, the IMEI could be clean when the initial check is made, then reported stolen after (does swappa check on a regular basis or is it one and done...hrm)
Tower1972 said:
100% agree. Hell ive been around here since 2008 and I have a low post count lol.. Guess im not one of those who chime in..just to chime in lol. I ask questions...answer when I can (which is rarely), and lurk quite abit lol. Regardless, I wont buy anything off Craigslist, heard too many bad stories from people I know in person...Either use Ebay or Swappa. The only thing is, the IMEI could be clean when the initial check is made, then reported stolen after (does swappa check on a regular basis or is it one and done...hrm)
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I don't think there's any sure fire safe way anymore. With lost/stolen and now the next program.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Your only options is to buy a new MB and replace it on your current device.
Before i buy any phone on CL, i check swappa to make sure the IMEI isnt blacklisted prior. Getting a name & receipt doesnt do you any good, as they can just fake everything.
aer0zer0 said:
Before i buy any phone on CL, i check swappa to make sure the IMEI isnt blacklisted prior. Getting a name & receipt doesnt do you any good, as they can just fake everything.
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What good does checking Swappa do if it's reported stolen once you complete the transaction?
rquinn19 said:
What good does checking Swappa do if it's reported stolen once you complete the transaction?
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This^
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I don't know how well this would work out for me if I was in that situation, but I was burned on CL before. Lost $900. So now, if I'm not totally sure about the seller, I'll ask for a driver's license picture along with a signature on a written receipt.
Sent from my VK810 4G using XDA Free mobile app
Its unfortunate the OP got scammed. But just my opinion, the risks of buying something like a smartphone from Craigslist outweigh the benefits. Not just risk of a blacklist, but damage to the item, or just a hardware failure that is no fault of the seller. I prefer to buy from a source with a reliable means of return and refund/exchange, even if its cost a bit more. And if its more than a "bit" of a difference, as they say: if a deal seems too good to be true, its because it is.
MOD EDIT
redpoint73 said:
Its unfortunate the OP got scammed. But just my opinion, the risks of buying something like a smartphone from Craigslist outweigh the benefits. Not just risk of a blacklist, but damage to the item, or just a hardware failure that is no fault of the seller. I prefer to buy from a source with a reliable means of return and refund/exchange, even if its cost a bit more. And if its more than a "bit" of a difference, as they say: if a deal seems too good to be true, its because it is.
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Yeah, I stick with ebay/paypal for buying used phones for that very reason...if something is wrong I have a means by which to get my money back. And even there you still have to exercise some due diligence.
Thread Closed.
While there is nothing wrong with asking for a legal and legitimate means to getting a phone to work again who's IMEI has been blacklisted, it opens up discussion for alternate illegal means to getting the device to work.
My suggestion to you is to contact the Service Provided that has blacklisted the device's IMEI and notify them that you'd purchased it on-line, and try to convince them to allow you to use it on their network under your currently paying service.
The chances that they will do this for you however are very slim.
Best of luck,
Neo
Forum Moderator