Concerned About a recent iphone 3g purchase from ebay

**aeboy** · 07-11-2009, 03:17 PM

I recently bought an iphone 3g from someone off ebay and started to figure out how to unlock it so I could use it with AT&T Pay As You Go. As I received the iphone and turned it on I noticed that a sim was already in the phone. I was immediately shocked and concerned that I had just bought a stolen iphone. So I contacted the seller and said I wanted a refund because the iphone you sold me was stolen. The seller did not comply so I'm left all by myself not knowing what to do next. I do not want to get into any legal trouble by unlocking it and using it for AT&T Pay As You Go cards. And I already feel bad for the person whose iphone was stolen.

So what exactly are my options.

1. Can I just go ahead with the unlock and purchase a go-phone, activate it and then use the its sim card on the unlocked iphone 3g?
2. Will AT&T notice that I had used a new sim on the stolen iPhone?
3. Is it better to use T-Mobile?

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

**blkcadi** · 07-11-2009, 03:30 PM

Welcome to MMi

Typically when a person buys a new phone from Apple, they also issue a new sim. So it may be that the owner just received a new sim and left that one in.
Do you have service with that sim in? That would be the factor, most likely disabled.
I would just go ahead and jailbreak and unlock it. Shouldn't be a problem.
Fingers crossed.

**aeboy** · 07-11-2009, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by blkcadi

Welcome to MMi

Typically when a person buys a new phone from Apple, they also issue a new sim. So it may be that the owner just received a new sim and left that one in.
Do you have service with that sim in? That would be the factor, most likely disabled.
I would just go ahead and jailbreak and unlock it. Shouldn't be a problem.
Fingers crossed.

the iphone i purchased from the ebay seller has all of its original settings. contacts, e-mails etc. still on it. and i doubt the seller would leave all that info behind if it were his or her iphone.

even if i just purchased a stolen iphone will I still be able to jailbreak it->unlock it-> use att pay as you go cards
or does att not allow pay as you go anymore for iphone 3g users?

oh i almost forgot to mention it still does have service so i definitely know it was a stolen iphone

**LastSonOfKrypton** · 07-11-2009, 03:43 PM

Unlock isn't necessary for Pay-As-You-Go I'm pretty sure. It wasn't when I was using it back on 2.1 FW in my 3g. Broke that so I got roped back into a contract for the time being

**blkcadi** · 07-11-2009, 03:54 PM

Honestly I have bought phones just like this where the previous owner didn't do a restore and all his info was left in there.
If you are that concerned which it seems you are, you can contact AT&T and see if the phone has been turned in as stolen, I would do this to give you peace of mind. If it is indeed a stolen phone you can open a claim on eBay and get your money back, they protect you.
If stolen the original owner would have to contact AT&T and then the IMEI would be registered and you would be unable to use it ever.
For now, I would go ahead and have fun with it.

I remember reading at one time here on the forum a web site that you could go to and check the iPhone status. Don't remember the site, but if you did a Google search you may find your answers.

**aeboy** · 07-12-2009, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by blkcadi

Honestly I have bought phones just like this where the previous owner didn't do a restore and all his info was left in there.
If you are that concerned which it seems you are, you can contact AT&T and see if the phone has been turned in as stolen, I would do this to give you peace of mind. If it is indeed a stolen phone you can open a claim on eBay and get your money back, they protect you.
If stolen the original owner would have to contact AT&T and then the IMEI would be registered and you would be unable to use it ever.
For now, I would go ahead and have fun with it.

I remember reading at one time here on the forum a web site that you could go to and check the iPhone status. Don't remember the site, but if you did a Google search you may find your answers.

I contacted AT&T and they said that it was indeed stolen. I have trouble contacting the ebay seller so I just decided to hold onto it because I paid alot of money for something I really wanted. Is it possible to just unlock it and use Pay As You Go? Will AT&T notice the IMEI?

**ryan206** · 07-12-2009, 04:57 PM

You could always unlock and go to T-Mobile.

But, try and get your money back for the phone.

**Melech518** · 07-12-2009, 09:52 PM

Open a dispute with paypal. They will return your money without the seller having to agree to a refund. Just tell them the phone was stolen and thats it. But try your luck unlocking, it should work with at&t pay as you go...what do you have to lose? If it doesnt work, well you have a refund pending with paypal right

**LosoLx** · 07-13-2009, 02:31 PM

if you paid with paypal dispute the ebay seller and you could get your money back

**blkcadi** · 07-13-2009, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by LosoLx

If i was you i would just keep it..most the phones on ebay is stolen. no you dont need to unlock it if your using ATT as long as the sim card is ATT you dont need to worry about it. you can use the iphone 3g on any ATT plan after you bought it from att or apple and agree to a 2yr contract and have a data plan..but after that the phone is in your hands and you can use any att plan with it but im not sure data will work tho..
"
As far as the phone being stolen its nothing you can do IF THE SELLER had said "SOLD AS IS" then your just stuck i say if you want to sue prepaid unlock it and use t-mobile and att wont know a thing end of story

Problem with this is that what if AT&T locks out the IMEI and then it's worthless. The days of changing a iPhones IMEI are long gone.

**Melech518** · 07-13-2009, 02:36 PM

@LosoLx
Horrible english, Incredible lack of knowledge, and horrible advise...

**blkcadi** · 07-13-2009, 02:37 PM

^+1

**LosoLx** · 07-13-2009, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Melech518

@LosoLx
Horrible english, Incredible lack of knowledge, and horrible advise...

Thanks for pointing that out

**Melech518** · 07-13-2009, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by LosoLx

Thanks for pointing that out

Thanks for changing your original post to something more appropriate

**aeboy** · 07-13-2009, 08:06 PM

ok so no one still hasn't answered my question.
Is it safer to just use T-Mobile rather than using at&t? because I do not want to get blamed for owning something I did not steal.

Can AT&T know that Im using a stolen iphone if I start using pay as you go based on its IMEI?

**blkcadi** · 07-13-2009, 08:10 PM

lmao, Well at this point I guess it doesn't matter, If you are under contract with AT&T, then go that way, if not T-Mobile is much cheaper.
As far as the phone, since you called AT&T and they are aware that is was stolen I'm surprised that that haven't locked the IMEI yet. Good luck

**Melech518** · 07-13-2009, 08:48 PM

Yes At&t will know, it is safer to just file a claim with paypal and get a refund. Otherwise get tmobile....

**aeboy** · 07-13-2009, 08:49 PM

so go ahead and use T-Mobile before att locks the IMEI?

im safe if i use T-mobile?

**cpjr** · 07-13-2009, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by aeboy

because I do not want to get blamed for owning something I did not steal.

Ever heard of "Theft by receiving"?

**blkcadi** · 07-13-2009, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by aeboy

so go ahead and use T-Mobile before att locks the IMEI?

im safe if i use T-mobile?

Jailbreak it unlock it and hope they don't disable it. From what I understand once the IMEI is bulleted as a stolen phone, it will not work with any carrier. Now I am not 100% sure, this is what I have read on the forums.
File the claim with paypal, and see what happens.

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