deal to good to be true? - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note II

ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?

I would be EXTREMELY careful buying off CL expecially at low prices. I've been hearing and reading about people getting screwed. One guy had his phone for 3 months before it got locked down. Just have to use your best judgement.
Good luck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

awrnsmn said:
I would be EXTREMELY careful buying off CL expecially at low prices. I've been hearing and reading about people getting screwed. One guy had his phone for 3 months before it got locked down. Just have to use your best judgement.
Good luck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
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ya im thinking i will not be doing ebay or craigslist. so it sounds like im stuck with amazon, tmobile, and overstock. any other sites?

also i think i have decided to go ahead and either buy the sony lt28h or the nexus 4. now to make my decision...

kdm212 said:
also i think i have decided to go ahead and either buy the sony lt28h or the nexus 4. now to make my decision...
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I owned the Nexus 4 and returned it for the N2. Screen was kind of washed out, battery life was not great. The glass back always worried me. Non replaceable battery as over time batteries go bad. Very fast, smooth, 4.2 is nice. No Facebook sync. Photosphere is neat but a huge battery killer. Great price from play store. But, thats if you can get one.
N2 is ... worth every penny.

kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
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Click to collapse
The easiest way to take care of this is to simply meet him at the T-Mobile store to verify the transaction. Tis what we did for our second note we found on CL. Working like a champ!

mdt73 said:
The easiest way to take care of this is to simply meet him at the T-Mobile store to verify the transaction. Tis what we did for our second note we found on CL. Working like a champ!
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i did ask him for the imei. he did send it to me and even told me that he would give me the receipt. however, i have been told that even though its clean now it doesnt stop him from making a call as soon as i walk out the door.

kdm212 said:
i did ask him for the imei. he did send it to me and even told me that he would give me the receipt. however, i have been told that even though its clean now it doesnt stop him from making a call as soon as i walk out the door.
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Get it in writing. Make a "bill of sale" with the IMEI and signatures, yours, the sellers, and possibly if you go to a T-Mobile store ask if one of the workers can sign it also and get a pic or video holding the "bill of sale"? I know it might seem kinda weird but, you can never be too careful, these phones are pretty new and pretty expensive still, that is a lot of money to risk...

Are you by any chance on TMo classic plan? I have 3 lines on my plan and the closest one eligible for an upgrade is still 11 months away. I sold my S3 and ready and willing to add some money to buy Note 2 full price, either from TMo or ebay. But i took a chance and call TMo for an early upgrade, and they give it to me for the same price as upgrade. Of course with my luck, the day after I ordered, Cyber monday deal cut the price significantly, and they wont adjust the price for me but still i got it cheaper than my S3 sold price :victory:

Red-Dog said:
Get it in writing. Make a "bill of sale" with the IMEI and signatures, yours, the sellers, and possibly if you go to a T-Mobile store ask if one of the workers can sign it also and get a pic or video holding the "bill of sale"? I know it might seem kinda weird but, you can never be too careful, these phones are pretty new and pretty expensive still, that is a lot of money to risk...
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That will do no good if he calls it in as stolen or had the value plan and quits paying on it. If he paid full price for the phone, that's the only somewhat safest way it would not get locked (unless called in as stolen)
I just don't want to see someone else get scammed. May be legit but you can never be 100% sure off CL unfortunately.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

awrnsmn said:
That will do no good if he calls it in as stolen or had the value plan and quits paying on it. If he paid full price for the phone, that's the only somewhat safest way it would not get locked (unless called in as stolen)
I just don't want to see someone else get scammed. May be legit but you can never be 100% sure off CL unfortunately.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
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it wil make a difference in terms of getting your money back...if he does call it in as stolen you have proof of sale so its obviously NOT stolen...and if he stops making payments you can get a refund..you would have to hand over your phone but at least you get your money back
i would just make sure that the document you create states that he phone is either completely paid for or that it states that the seller will continue to make payments until it is paid off in full
someone else posted the same question and i also gave him the same advice...as an experienced phone seller/buyer of ebay and CL i would say that the extra $50-100 that you save isnt worth the headache and paranoia that comes with the savings
if you are going to the tmobile store you could probably even ask the clerk to give you the info on how the phone was purchased and if it was paid off...maybe even ask him how long the account has been active and if the guy has a good track record (the seller will be standing there so its not like you are asking for confidential info without his knowledge)
in my opinion...the only way i would buy a phone that is cheaper than the average asking price is if the seller really did convince me that it was legit (has a legit reason for selling the phone where the price that he sells it for isnt his main focus - ie. he received it as a gift and making $500 on a quick sale is enough for him he doesnt care to squeeze the extra $50 and/or if the seller had a receipt for the phone)..if i have an uneasy feeling i would just pass.always go with your gut

kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I were you, I would go to TMO and see what they can do for you about getting the phone directly from them. I was in the same situation as you were about a week ago....wanting the Note II so badly, but had already used my upgrade a couple of months ago for the HTC One S. I basically walked into my closest TMO store and asked the rep what they could do to get me the Note without having to pay full price.
In the end, they were able to get it for me for $200...after rebate, but I had to pay $150 migration fee (Originally $300). I then sold my HTC One S on eBay for $300. So how you look at it, I only paid $50 for the Note II!
Trust me, go into TMO and talk to them....that is one thing I like about them over the other carriers is their customer service is better, not awesome, but better than ATT & Verizon.

kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually if you haveto ask this question its a bad idea.
its just the cheapskate in you trying to justify the purchase
here are your options
1) buy the craigslist note 2, worry about everything under the sun (is it stolen, does it WORK, are they gonna shut it down etc.) and take a chance of getting ripped one way or the other
2) dont be a cheapskate, save another 189$ dont have to worry about anything, ANYTHING!

i appreciate ALL of the feedback! at the end of the day the phone would have costed $450 plus 3.5 hours of driving round trip and probably $30 in gas. so for a total of $480 i just think ill save the few extra bucks and buy it from the store. i really do appreciate it.
just need to decide on a phone. n4, n2, s3, or the sony lt28h.
gotta admit $450 is a hell of a deal though lol.

kdm212 said:
i appreciate ALL of the feedback! at the end of the day the phone would have costed $450 plus 3.5 hours of driving round trip and probably $30 in gas. so for a total of $480 i just think ill save the few extra bucks and buy it from the store. i really do appreciate it.
just need to decide on a phone. n4, n2, s3, or the sony lt28h.
gotta admit $450 is a hell of a deal though lol.
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NOTE 2 for sure...you're in the note 2 forum so that will be the dominant answer.
but seriously the note 2 has been the best phone i have ever owned or used...and i am a phone fanatic...once you use it for a week you can't go back to smaller ones...whenever i see other phones now they look like toys...i remember a few weeks ago (before i bought the note 2 and had my nexus) i thought my sisters S3 was huge...now when i hold that phone in my hands it looks really small and dull
i definitely wouldnt put the s3 in this class of phones (unless its the international one)...i would only go with the n4 is your MAIN focus is on development and/or this phone is too large for your liking

Related

Opinions on buying a nib SGS2 on ebay?

I have two questions.
I have been eyeing either this phone or the GN for a while now, and I am about ready to just shut up and grab the SGS2 already.
Looking online, the only thing that should be coming out anytime too soon is the Blaze which I am still assuming is not an upgraded SGS2 (I don't know if people are just paranoid, or ready for another Vibrant 4g situation). So it seems like I won't be kicking myself in a few months about the SGS2 (minus, MAYBE, a GN release).
So long story short.
Question 1: Have I missed evidence on why I should wait 1 or 2 months to grab a new phone?
Question 2: What would be the smartest way to get one?
Short story long again:
Ebay has new in box phones starting at 499 with shipping, but one has no returns and the other has 3 days. Will ebay/paypal protection save me if I find out there are problems with the phone outside those few days?
I hate asking this, but what problems would I want to look for? Unless they develop over time I don't want to know about the screen issues I have heard mentioned vaguely, but others seem to imply it's not a big deal so if I never notice it then it's not hurting me.
I am wanting to use Ebay because it is 100 bucks cheaper than Amazon but Tmobile would only be like 598 or something. Should I stop being so paranoid and just grab it from ebay?
Sorry, I stayed up way too late with my finger over the mouse button and I am now just about ready to start pacing but I am not getting google search results to do anything to calm or warn me yet. Is it worth the 100 bucks to buy it from Ebay instead of straight from Tmobile?
Sorry, I will stop spazzing.
Those people who have unopened boxes of galaxy s 2 are people who are eligible for an upgrade but like their current phone so they decide to make money of their contract. I recently did this.my mom didn't want a new phone so I used her upgrade to buy a new gs2 and sold out on Ebay for $500. These people are legit and Ebay will make sure you don't get scammed.you should just buy it
Question 1: Tmobile is not releasing a new amazing phone for awhile. (unless somehow the galaxy s2 HD comes over). But that is not likely at all.so there is no need to wait.unless you want to wait another year for the galaxy s3. Ice cream sandwich is just around the corner. Right now is the best time to get it.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Thanks for the response, I am just worried I get it and, say, the speaker phone is messed up and I learn about it a day or two after the return window and then I have trouble getting it fixed instead of just returning it or exchanging it.
I have never had to do that though, so 100 bucks is a lot to KNOW I can.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
Branso07 said:
Those people who have unopened boxes of galaxy s 2 are people who are eligible for an upgrade but like their current phone so they decide to make money of their contract. I recently did this.my mom didn't want a new phone so I used her upgrade to buy a new gs2 and sold out on Ebay for $500. These people are legit and Ebay will make sure you don't get scammed.you should just buy it
Question 1: Tmobile is not releasing a new amazing phone for awhile. (unless somehow the galaxy s2 HD comes over). But that is not likely at all.so there is no need to wait.unless you want to wait another year for the galaxy s3. Ice cream sandwich is just around the corner. Right now is the best time to get it.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
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Seriously? You'd advocate risking getting your phone's IMEI number blacklisted to save $30?
The phones are $529 from t-mobile.
Why risk it for $30??? These "new" phones can be reported as lost then the insurance replaces it and they block the IMEI number and the sucker is out $400-$500.
BTW, Getting a "free" phone on a subsidy plan doesn't make the phone free, you're still paying for it over the 2 year term. With T-mobiles Unlimited Talk,Text, Web for $50 + buying the phone outright, over the 2 years a contract would run, you are paying out $1200+$530 for the phone so $1730. For the equivilant plan with a "free" phone you're paying $80 a month over 24 months so $1920.
So $1920 - $1730 = $190 You pay more for the phone than if you bought the phone with cash. And just looking now, you have to pony up $280 to buy the phone when you "upgrade" then a $50 rebate, so you're paying even more.
Heck, with T-mobile you can ge tthe non subsidized plan for $0 a month, pay $200 down, and finance the phone with T-mobile for $20 a month and come out ahead if you are looking for the least amount up front.
BTW, Ebay buyer protection is only good for 30 days after the sale, on day 31 the seller can report the phone "lost" and have it turned off and get their replacement.
i agree with gallaxxeess
no point saving $30 if you have a high risk of having your IMEI black listed
there's a topic about it in General
gallaxxeess said:
Seriously? You'd advocate risking getting your phone's IMEI number blacklisted to save $30?
The phones are $529 from t-mobile.
Why risk it for $30??? These "new" phones can be reported as lost then the insurance replaces it and they block the IMEI number and the sucker is out $400-$500.
BTW, Getting a "free" phone on a subsidy plan doesn't make the phone free, you're still paying for it over the 2 year term. With T-mobiles Unlimited Talk,Text, Web for $50 + buying the phone outright, over the 2 years a contract would run, you are paying out $1200+$530 for the phone so $1730. For the equivilant plan with a "free" phone you're paying $80 a month over 24 months so $1920.
So $1920 - $1730 = $190 You pay more for the phone than if you bought the phone with cash. And just looking now, you have to pony up $280 to buy the phone when you "upgrade" then a $50 rebate, so you're paying even more.
Heck, with T-mobile you can ge tthe non subsidized plan for $0 a month, pay $200 down, and finance the phone with T-mobile for $20 a month and come out ahead if you are looking for the least amount up front.
BTW, Ebay buyer protection is only good for 30 days after the sale, on day 31 the seller can report the phone "lost" and have it turned off and get their replacement.
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You're assuming it's claimed as insurance fraud... and with taxes it's a 100 dollar difference. I do agree there is a risk though.
Edit: so thinking about that possibility I realized its sort of dumb for me to not just call up T-Mobile and see what they say about these sort if things (knowing they'd rather I give them NY money). I am legitimately thanking you for helping me solidify my paranoia to a point.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
If you wanna be happy, keep your vibrant and wait a few months. I recommend getting the GN if you have the money because it has a better screen, but if you want you could wait until ICS is offically released and then buy it.
If you have been used to the iphone screen, or any good res LCD screen, youll notice issues with the display on our GS2.
I get the phones for free by price matching at best buy.thus makes them have no mail in rebate and no monthly additional fee.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Husam2011 said:
If you wanna be happy, keep your vibrant and wait a few months. I recommend getting the GN if you have the money because it has a better screen, but if you want you could wait until ICS is offically released and then buy it.
If you have been used to the iphone screen, or any good res LCD screen, youll notice issues with the display on our GS2.
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Click to collapse
I appreciate the opinion, although I am banking on "ignorance is bliss" when it comes to higher res screens. The expandable storage and currently only over seas options of the GN are why I am just going with the SGS2, but with sprint releasing one it is making me wonder if waiting would be smart. I would be happy with whatever I get, but I am pretty sick of my poor old vibrant.
Branso07 said:
I get the phones for free by price matching at best buy.thus makes them have no mail in rebate and no monthly additional fee.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App[/QUOTE
Didn't mean to thanks you, if anyone wonders why, but what do you mean? As much as I hate big corporation and all, I just can't pull myself to do scams or I would "lose" my current phone. Not saying that's what you're doing, but so far that's what it sounds like.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
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Similar situation. I just traded some BMW work for a NIB SGS2 off of craigslist. Upgrade phone he didnt want.
Just contacted CS
I asked about what they said and all they could say is "maybe...". They can't/won't verify that I purchased the phone so if the person were to claim it was stolen I would be SOL (I have read about a guy who got the seller in trouble in a similar situation with Sprint, but I don't want to go off something like that).
I guess I just have to re-budget 600 instead of 500.
why not just print the page ur phone is advertised on ? if its ebay the guy would have to setup an account every time he wantes to scam someone
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Pay with paypal. If the seller claims insurance fraud Paypal will get you your money back (may take time while they investigate but they will get it). Ebay is safe to buy from with all the fraud protection especially when you pay with paypal. DON"T DO IT ON CRAIGSLIST!!!
Don't wait for the Blaze, trust me, just get the SGSII or GN.
FYI, T-Mobile doesn't make money off handsets. When will people learn this. They make money off the monthly service. They are a SERVICE company, NOT a phone manufacturer. Go ahead and ask any question you want. In fact, T-Mobile prefer you have your own phone so they don't have to subsidize you!
setzer715 said:
Pay with paypal. If the seller claims insurance fraud Paypal will get you your money back (may take time while they investigate but they will get it). Ebay is safe to buy from with all the fraud protection especially when you pay with paypal. DON"T DO IT ON CRAIGSLIST!!!
Don't wait for the Blaze, trust me, just get the SGSII or GN.
FYI, T-Mobile doesn't make money off handsets. When will people learn this. They make money off the monthly service. They are a SERVICE company, NOT a phone manufacturer. Go ahead and ask any question you want. In fact, T-Mobile prefer you have your own phone so they don't have to subsidize you!
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+1 . EBay is safe if you pay with paypal. Stay away from Craigslist!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
I bought my s2 from craigslist for $550 (white). It came brand new in a box, however headphones were missing. I have bunch of good headphones here and there so i didn't care. But the phone was in original packaging and I got within 3 days. I am happy with my purchase.
The last time i bought my galaxy 4g first series from someone advertising on craigslist, brand new phone but when i brought it home and try to use, the phone mic never worked. I called samsung and they told me to ship it to them and I received my phone back within 5 business days. They fixed it for free and even paid for overnight shipping.
I never had any issue with Samsung or Apple.
You don't wanna know my story with Dell and ATT when I ended up paying almost $2000 for a Dell Streak phone I never received.
Galaxy blaze is coming soon...wait for that
There's a leaked tmo map that shows 3 devices to b released in the next 2 months. One on the 18th 2 more in Feb.
Sent from my T959 using XDA App
accordex said:
Galaxy blaze is coming soon...wait for that
There's a leaked tmo map that shows 3 devices to b released in the next 2 months. One on the 18th 2 more in Feb.
Sent from my T959 using XDA App
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I am still pretty sure the blaze will not be an upgrade, probably just a 4" phone...
Any way, doesn't matter, I went to Tmobile and bought myself a new SGS2... having trouble with my new plan though... ugh...
I just bought this white gs2 in the marketplace from another xda member. Bnib as stated, no problems & for around $450
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

Best buy trade in or Ebay?

So I think I am going to ditch sprint and their crappy data speeds and switch to Verizon. Best buy has a deal right now that you can get a free nexus with a 2 year deal.
I stupidly bought the buyback thingy when I got the phones. I would get $40 for it. I've seen them go on ebay for higher than that. Since my phone is rooted should I sell on ebay because it may be worth more rooted?
Thankssssssssssss.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
jfrenchws6 said:
So I think I am going to ditch sprint and their crappy data speeds and switch to Verizon. Best buy has a deal right now that you can get a free nexus with a 2 year deal.
I stupidly bought the buyback thingy when I got the phones. I would get $40 for it. I've seen them go on ebay for higher than that. Since my phone is rooted should I sell on ebay because it may be worth more rooted?
Thankssssssssssss.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
So you have an evo you are looking to sell and your asking if its better to sell on eBay or trade it in?
Is it a clean esn?
If it is, its worth a bunch! Depending on shape $135+/-
If its not clean, I've still seen them all going for $100.
I bought a bad esn, very clean one for $80. And that was way under all current bids.
This pricing was about 3 weeks ago
AOKP anything
I would try to sell it through craigslist (local only). The phone is worth $100 all day long if its in perfect working order. Don't hold out to get more, cause you probably won't. I am starting to find SGS2 for $100 - 150's, get what you can for it since it's still worth money.
JollyGrnReefer said:
I would try to sell it through craigslist (local only). The phone is worth $100 all day long if its in perfect working order. Don't hold out to get more, cause you probably won't. I am starting to find SGS2 for $100 - 150's, get what you can for it since it's still worth money.
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I'll try that too. Seems after more searching on Ebay that's the route I will go if I don't get a local sale. I actually have 2 evo's. Mine is in good shape (dropped it once) with no problems. It's rooted with SensuAOSP right now. My wifes is in perfect condition with the latest ota on it, not rooted.
How much do you think I should ask? $80 for mine and maybe $100 for hers?
jfrenchws6 said:
I'll try that too. Seems after more searching on Ebay that's the route I will go if I don't get a local sale. I actually have 2 evo's. Mine is in good shape (dropped it once) with no problems. It's rooted with SensuAOSP right now. My wifes is in perfect condition with the latest ota on it, not rooted.
How much do you think I should ask? $80 for mine and maybe $100 for hers?
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Click to collapse
It just depends on how bad you want to get rid of them. Sounds like they both should pull $100, I wouldn't differentiate the price between the two unless that one drop of yours made a BIG difference in visual quality. From my experience, start with Craigslist for a few days at $120, then go to Ebay with plenty of pics. Some people recommend still trying to sell on Craigslist while you have it listed on Ebay at the same time, but I'm not a fan of that. To each their own though.
JollyGrnReefer said:
I would try to sell it through craigslist (local only). The phone is worth $100 all day long if its in perfect working order. Don't hold out to get more, cause you probably won't. I am starting to find SGS2 for $100 - 150's, get what you can for it since it's still worth money.
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+1 to this man. CL ONLY.
Believe it or not Best Buy gave us $120 each for our phones. Not bad. We are the proud owners of 2 Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I loved my EVO but I am so happy to make full use of a smart phone on a better network.
jfrenchws6 said:
So I think I am going to ditch sprint and their crappy data speeds and switch to Verizon. Best buy has a deal right now that you can get a free nexus with a 2 year deal.
I stupidly bought the buyback thingy when I got the phones. I would get $40 for it. I've seen them go on ebay for higher than that. Since my phone is rooted should I sell on ebay because it may be worth more rooted?
Thankssssssssssss.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try swappa most of the devices on there are rooted or have some sort of mods so people go there looking for an already rooted device.*
jfrenchws6 said:
Believe it or not Best Buy gave us $120 each for our phones. Not bad. We are the proud owners of 2 Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I loved my EVO but I am so happy to make full use of a smart phone on a better network.
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Click to collapse
Did you have to sign up for a new contract in order for it to sell for $120?
I can't remember if I had to sign a new contract or not for the buy back. I think they would have done it for an upgrade as well.
They actually gave me $120 PER PHONE!
Needless to say I went with that vs selling on cl or ebay.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Lesson learned when buying on craigslist

So yeah, I have learned today to always be wary of where things come from, especially on Craigslist.
The story of how I got my Note 2. Normally I buy my phones full price and I found an incredible deal on a white iPhone 5 16GB for a mere $500 at launch date. Fast forward to a few months a so, I found someone selling a brand new wrapped T-mobile Note II. Offered the guy a direct trade, he agrees. Fast forward again to Dec. 26,
BAM!
Found out my phone has been blacklisted. Asked T-mobile about it, they says the owner defaulted on their bill so it was claimed lost or stolen.
Yeah, It was depressing. I though only CDMA carriers enforced the whole IMEI blacklisting thing, but I guess now GSM carriers in the US started blacklisting as well back in November. I never suspected the phone to be stolen or anything, and I was under the assumption that being a GSM phone I'd be ok. Guess not...
Moral of story: When buying phones even if its GSM, make sure its legit and you wont get screwed over somehow. Maybe ask for a receipt so you can track him down and beat his... I mean, have records to be safe and do business near a carrier store.
And now I come to the XDA gods, being that its been 18 hours without my beloved Note II, is it worth me dishing out money to buy full price (again, sorta) and buy another one at the T-Mo store? Or maybe look into newer and better options, if any? I'm leaning towards getting another one but yeah, I need the approval of the internet. :good:
FWIW I sold the Note on Craigslist for 300 ducks, clearly stating that it was blacklisted. Hate being scammed and I wont stoop down to that level.
Yeah, best thing is to call the carrier before purchase, or better yet have them meet you at a tmo store. Sorry ya lost out dude.
KillaHurtz said:
Yeah, best thing is to call the carrier before purchase, or better yet have them meet you at a tmo store. Sorry ya lost out dude.
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Doesnt matter, sure the phone might be good that date but the original owner can stop paying their bill then default on it later, days/weeks/months whenever...
The best thing you can do is get a signed bill of sale with the IMEI number written on there, most craiglist sellers wont do it. actually here... just listen to my story.
So I sold my asus padfone last thursday 12/20/12. And immediately after that I started surfing craigslist for a new note 2 for tmobile, they were running from 550-570 brand new. I contacted MANY MANY people. Maybe 20 or so, everyone first asking if the phone was brand new then telling them I have cash in hand ready and ready to pay if they will sign a simple bill of sale with the IMEI of the phone written on there. Every single one of those 20 declined to sign anything. Now after using a phone I found in my closet (nokia 6800 from 2005) I was getting ancy because I felt like my life was crumbling around me since I didnt have internet on my phone. I went into a small korean owned tmobile store and asked if I could buy a note 2 straight out and how much it would be. They said 700 + tax and I asked if they had any used ones or if they could give me a better price cash. It just so happens that the owner bought a note 2 to test it out like he does all the phones and would sell one for 650 cash with a actual printed bill of sale. So thats how I got mine... got an extra battery, 32 gb samsung micro sd, case and screen protector thrown in for free. So it really wasnt a bad deal...
Damn dude. I would have called the cops & gotten your original phone back.
It's not that they defaulted on the their bill, it's if they defaulted on their eip (financing over 12 or 20 months.) still a bummer!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
I also bought GS3 from craigslist that got blacklisted a week later. Luckily I tracked down the guy who sold it to me and got my money back.
If you could live without a sd slot and removable memory you might want to give Oppo Find 5 a try. If I didn't bought the Note 2 I would have probably gone with that phone.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
That's the risk you take when buying off craiglist or even ebay.
I've had good experience so far on craiglist but my expense never exceeded $300
I would for sure track the guy down with the phone number or email. Also I would file charges with the police. I would go after him with every means possible including small claims court. Sometimes it's not just about the money, but the principle of the matter. Make sure he NEVER does it to anyone else!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
I would try to take this up with Tmobile. If the phone was blacklisted then they know the address of the person that got it blacklisted. If it was stolen it would have been blacklisted when you originally got the phone. Not sure how you would legally go after TMobile but without a doubt if you had TMobile service with the phone and then they blacklisted it they are full of ****. Also you said the phone was "brand new wrapped" did it have the original sticker on the screen? too many times people allow big companies to rip them off thinking they have no recourse. sprint tried that **** with me and with a quick call from my lawyer my contract was ended and i didn't have to pay an etf. BTW i always get the plate number of teh person I buy a phone from. and recently started to take a photo of their DL.
Its a shame that you cant trust anybody these days. Ruins it for the few of us honest people left.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
bad4life07 said:
So yeah, I have learned today to always be wary of where things come from, especially on Craigslist.
The story of how I got my Note 2. Normally I buy my phones full price and I found an incredible deal on a white iPhone 5 16GB for a mere $500 at launch date. Fast forward to a few months a so, I found someone selling a brand new wrapped T-mobile Note II. Offered the guy a direct trade, he agrees. Fast forward again to Dec. 26,
BAM!
Found out my phone has been blacklisted. Asked T-mobile about it, they says the owner defaulted on their bill so it was claimed lost or stolen.
Yeah, It was depressing. I though only CDMA carriers enforced the whole IMEI blacklisting thing, but I guess now GSM carriers in the US started blacklisting as well back in November. I never suspected the phone to be stolen or anything, and I was under the assumption that being a GSM phone I'd be ok. Guess not...
Moral of story: When buying phones even if its GSM, make sure its legit and you wont get screwed over somehow. Maybe ask for a receipt so you can track him down and beat his... I mean, have records to be safe and do business near a carrier store.
And now I come to the XDA gods, being that its been 18 hours without my beloved Note II, is it worth me dishing out money to buy full price (again, sorta) and buy another one at the T-Mo store? Or maybe look into newer and better options, if any? I'm leaning towards getting another one but yeah, I need the approval of the internet. :good:
FWIW I sold the Note on Craigslist for 300 ducks, clearly stating that it was blacklisted. Hate being scammed and I wont stoop down to that level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, you sold it WAYYY too cheap. If you would've put it on ebay you would've gotten at least 450 AFTER final value fees and shipping cost.
Hmm, now I'm worried. I did a trade from a guy who got it from a guy. Its unlocked. Been working fine for a month and a half...now I'm afraid it will eventually be reported as stolen or some other financial default due to it's shady past.
Great.
Sorry to hear that :/ Would it work on simple mobile if it's black listed on T-mobile? You could also try to unlock it and sell it to someone who uses AT&T...
bad4life07 said:
So yeah, I have learned today to always be wary of where things come from, especially on Craigslist.
The story of how I got my Note 2. Normally I buy my phones full price and I found an incredible deal on a white iPhone 5 16GB for a mere $500 at launch date. Fast forward to a few months a so, I found someone selling a brand new wrapped T-mobile Note II. Offered the guy a direct trade, he agrees. Fast forward again to Dec. 26,
BAM!
Found out my phone has been blacklisted. Asked T-mobile about it, they says the owner defaulted on their bill so it was claimed lost or stolen.
Yeah, It was depressing. I though only CDMA carriers enforced the whole IMEI blacklisting thing, but I guess now GSM carriers in the US started blacklisting as well back in November. I never suspected the phone to be stolen or anything, and I was under the assumption that being a GSM phone I'd be ok. Guess not...
Moral of story: When buying phones even if its GSM, make sure its legit and you wont get screwed over somehow. Maybe ask for a receipt so you can track him down and beat his... I mean, have records to be safe and do business near a carrier store.
And now I come to the XDA gods, being that its been 18 hours without my beloved Note II, is it worth me dishing out money to buy full price (again, sorta) and buy another one at the T-Mo store? Or maybe look into newer and better options, if any? I'm leaning towards getting another one but yeah, I need the approval of the internet. :good:
FWIW I sold the Note on Craigslist for 300 ducks, clearly stating that it was blacklisted. Hate being scammed and I wont stoop down to that level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I would of done is contacted t mobile and told em you want to run the imei number before u bought it. And if they blacklist it still contact the better business Bureau and tell em your story and u will see how fast they change their tone. When someone breaks contract t mobile needs to go after them for all of it.they cant black list it if they gonna collect the retail price for it.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
tbukkos said:
Sorry to hear that :/ Would it work on simple mobile if it's black listed on T-mobile? You could also try to unlock it and sell it to someone who uses AT&T...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe tmo and att are gonna start cross checking their imei database. So if its blacklisted with either company, lets att, tmo's system will be able to see that its blacklisted for att or vice versa. Now im not sure when thatll take effect but I read it on one of the more popular tech blogs I.e engadget, verge..
When I deal with CL now, I request the person meet me at the store just like I did with sprint phones. No other way to do it. Then at that time maybe you can get the rep to document the his/her acciunt stating they sold the phone to you. Idk something...
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Man, now you're scaring me. I've always been super honest on all my Craigslist and eBay posts and done my best to offer tip top service even if I only meet them once. So far I've only been annoyed once by a buyer who negliged on wanting to buy some video cards and wasted my time, but other than that I've been pretty successful in selling things.
To all that are worried about buying phones off of Craigslist:
They only blacklist the phones that are purchased under the EIP. You can call T-mobile with the IMEI to verify that the phone was not purchased under EIP before you buy it. If the phone was purchased subsidized with a classic plan, they can't blacklist the phone for an unpaid bill, because you own the phone. If it was purchased under EIP, you would have to go with the seller to a T-mobile store to pay off the balance to guarantee it won't be blacklisted.
That's nothing I got a warranty replacement device from mdpa insurance which I got when I bought it through wire fly. Worked fine for about a month then It suddenly dropped from tmobile network went to store got three new simcards etc etc. Called customer support then they told me it was blacklisted from it being associated with somebody else's account and the didnt pay there bill so I got screwed. But wait I got if from my insurance company ? So I called them and they sent me out a new one after stating my case. Any ways I got screwed with one through my insurance company so really your not safe a times unless I you buy new straight from a source I.e. bestbuy, tmobile, walmart get me. Cool then buy buy.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Mod Edit:
Selling, trading and exchanging devices or any item will no longer be permitted in any forum or via Private Messages.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/announcement.php?a=81
lowandbehold said:
To all that are worried about buying phones off of Craigslist:
They only blacklist the phones that are purchased under the EIP. You can call T-mobile with the IMEI to verify that the phone was not purchased under EIP before you buy it. If the phone was purchased subsidized with a classic plan, they can't blacklist the phone for an unpaid bill, because you own the phone. If it was purchased under EIP, you would have to go with the seller to a T-mobile store to pay off the balance to guarantee it won't be blacklisted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have a phone blocked for many reasons. Not just lack of EIP payoff. It can be black listed even if the person got the 2 yr contract discount. And more importantly, people can sell a phone that works just fine the day of sale(passing all IMEI checks) then have it blacklisted days later. Buying on CL is a gamble. Also, there is no legal action you can take if someone sells you a phone and then does not pay the EIP. You bought a used phone. It's not stolen because you don't return the phone if you end your service. They just bill you for it. That's the cost of doing business.
Also, ATT and Tmobile are already using the cross check system on our phones. You would have to unlock it and use it on verizon or some network not att tmobile related.

T-Mobile REALLY wants your S3 back!

I just went to T-Mobile's trade in program to see what I would get for my GS3. The T999 fetches a pretty penny - 225 bucks. On top of that, the "new" T999L only gets 190 and the Galaxy Note 2 gets 265. A 64GB iPhone 5 is 269.99 for comparison.
Looks like T-Mobile wants to buy back as many T999s as possible, probably anticipating an uptick in exchanges on the heels of the LTE model launching.
Interestingly enough, this is much better than their father's day trade-in deal for the iPhone since it applies to any phone. Something I'm thinking about but I don't have the cash to pay the down payment up front and I'm pretty sure you still have to pay up front if you go to the store as well (although I'm not sure, I haven't called).
Just thought I would post this since this is even more than what HTC was offering on their competitor trade-up offer!
http://www.t-mobile.com/DeviceRecovery/cell-phone-trade-in.aspx
EtherealRemnant said:
I just went to T-Mobile's trade in program to see what I would get for my GS3. The T999 fetches a pretty penny - 225 bucks. On top of that, the "new" T999L only gets 190 and the Galaxy Note 2 gets 265. A 64GB iPhone 5 is 269.99 for comparison.
Looks like T-Mobile wants to buy back as many T999s as possible, probably anticipating an uptick in exchanges on the heels of the LTE model launching.
Interestingly enough, this is much better than their father's day trade-in deal for the iPhone since it applies to any phone. Something I'm thinking about but I don't have the cash to pay the down payment up front and I'm pretty sure you still have to pay up front if you go to the store as well (although I'm not sure, I haven't called).
Just thought I would post this since this is even more than what HTC was offering on their competitor trade-up offer!
http://www.t-mobile.com/DeviceRecovery/cell-phone-trade-in.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to have the down payment as the trade in credit can take weeks to be processed. I was offered 225 as well. But I ended up selling mine while it was still hot for enough to out down for a note 2 for the wife and n4 for me. Got tired of the Samsung game.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
monkeypaws said:
You have to have the down payment as the trade in credit can take weeks to be processed. I was offered 225 as well. But I ended up selling mine while it was still hot for enough to out down for a note 2 for the wife and n4 for me. Got tired of the Samsung game.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why would I give them an S3 that I can sell on ebay for $340?
cognus said:
why would I give them an S3 that I can sell on ebay for $340?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
That sucks... The GS4 is going on for $99 down.. With this trade in would be nice to use that as credit of the down and the rest for the bill
cognus said:
why would I give them an S3 that I can sell on ebay for $340?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
monkeypaws said:
Exactly.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't realize they were still selling that high post-S4 and One release... That's kind of shocking if they're still selling that high, might consider putting mine on Craigslist and see if I can get 3 or 4 for it if that's the case!
gypsy214 said:
That sucks... The GS4 is going on for $99 down.. With this trade in would be nice to use that as credit of the down and the rest for the bill
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that was my idea too. Seems kind of silly they can't just do a quick in-store inspection and give you your credit. All they have to do is power it up, make sure its not rooted, plug it into a USB charger, and check for damage. Wouldn't take more than 5 minutes total and would dramatically increase sales for T-Mobile if everyone knew they could trade in their phone - T-Mobile still makes a profit, gets new customers and upgrades old ones, and the best part is that it moves them closer to having everyone on LTE so HSPA can be phased out sooner or left for customers that don't care about their network speed.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
ellocopr1 said:
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's all I saw of your post.
Just looked on eBay at recently sold phones... Average seems to be around 250 but mine is in MINT condition - hell one with a cracked screen sold for 250... The Titanium Grey is selling higher than the others (probably because its the rarest filtering by listing) which is what I happen to have. Prices are all over the place on Craigslist.
I've had eBay for years but never sold anything on there. Too bad my PayPal account got frozen or I'd consider it.
Still wish T-Mobile would just inspect it in the store though, much less of a hassle. lol. I suppose I can call them and see if they can just bill the phone to the account - we've had them for forever.
EtherealRemnant said:
Just looked on eBay at recently sold phones... Average seems to be around 250 but mine is in MINT condition - hell one with a cracked screen sold for 250... The Titanium Grey is selling higher than the others (probably because its the rarest filtering by listing) which is what I happen to have. Prices are all over the place on Craigslist.
I've had eBay for years but never sold anything on there. Too bad my PayPal account got frozen or I'd consider it.
Still wish T-Mobile would just inspect it in the store though, much less of a hassle. lol. I suppose I can call them and see if they can just bill the phone to the account - we've had them for forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same problem also. I had my sgs3 on cl for 2 weeks. No takers except for scammers. Just last year is get a couple hits within the first couple hours. Seems like no one can afford to fork out 350 . I ended up selling for 240. Just a little over what Tmobile offered me
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
monkeypaws said:
I had the same problem also. I had my sgs3 on cl for 2 weeks. No takers except for scammers. Just last year is get a couple hits within the first couple hours. Seems like no one can afford to fork out 350 . I ended up selling for 240. Just a little over what Tmobile offered me
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I had a regular SIM card I would just use my Samsung Captivate for a little bit while I sold my SGS3 (its really not a bad phone, hell LiquidSmooth 2.6 is even out for that old thing and I'm in a refarmed market to boot so I wouldn't lose 3G) but I don't so yeah.
It doesn't surprise me that people aren't biting on Craigslist. Although here in Denver that's how most people buy and sell things online, hardly anyone I know uses eBay for anything other than super rare stuff so who knows.
I think I'll have to talk to my roommate about billing it to the account if T-Mobile will let us... I don't know though, my S3 still does everything I need it to and I don't have any real issues with it, I just want something new. LMAO.
monkeypaws said:
I had the same problem also. I had my sgs3 on cl for 2 weeks. No takers except for scammers. Just last year is get a couple hits within the first couple hours. Seems like no one can afford to fork out 350 . I ended up selling for 240. Just a little over what Tmobile offered me
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked Swappa. Here is the link. The recent sales are at the bottom $275 up. People are willing to pay more for some protection against blacklisted IMEI phones. Got my Note 2 there and had a reasonable experience.
http://swappa.com/buy/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-tmobile/us
EtherealRemnant said:
If I had a regular SIM card I would just use my Samsung Captivate for a little bit while I sold my SGS3 (its really not a bad phone, hell LiquidSmooth 2.6 is even out for that old thing and I'm in a refarmed market to boot so I wouldn't lose 3G) but I don't so yeah.
It doesn't surprise me that people aren't biting on Craigslist. Although here in Denver that's how most people buy and sell things online, hardly anyone I know uses eBay for anything other than super rare stuff so who knows.
I think I'll have to talk to my roommate about billing it to the account if T-Mobile will let us... I don't know though, my S3 still does everything I need it to and I don't have any real issues with it, I just want something new. LMAO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have an older sim for your other phone you should be able to reactivate it. I've done it online before, or you can call or go to a store and they can do it for you.
Anyone have any idea what theyd give for my s3 with a cracked screen? Works perfectly and you can't see the cracks while its on, but something tells me they wouldn't give the full $225!
Sent from my SGH-T999L using xda premium
sfsilicon said:
Have you checked Swappa. Here is the link. The recent sales are at the bottom $275 up. People are willing to pay more for some protection against blacklisted IMEI phones. Got my Note 2 there and had a reasonable experience.
http://swappa.com/buy/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-tmobile/us
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never used Swappa before, might have to check it out. I was going to list my two Droid RAZR Maxx's there but never got around to it and found out that they're pretty much worth nothing even though they're both in mint condition.
DocHoliday77 said:
If you have an older sim for your other phone you should be able to reactivate it. I've done it online before, or you can call or go to a store and they can do it for you.
Anyone have any idea what theyd give for my s3 with a cracked screen? Works perfectly and you can't see the cracks while its on, but something tells me they wouldn't give the full $225!
Sent from my SGH-T999L using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately the Captivate is Samsung's Galaxy S I for at&t, I never had a full-size T-Mo SIM for it
They wouldn't give you 225 at T-Mobile but I saw one on eBay sell for 245... I would go to eBay and filter until you get your device and then select show sold only and see what they're selling for. Might surprise you.
EDIT: Damn frozen PayPal account - that's what Swappa uses for payment >_<
Any ways T-Mobile dropped that GS4 to $99 who cant afford $99? trade in your phone with tmobile and use it as credit to pay for the phone faster. I seen a lot of post of people saying that the s4 is not a big upgrade from the s3.. I played with one today at the store.. First time I played with an actual live show device. And I put my s3 next to it.. There is a huge different between these 2. If you see them side by side in person.. Now in pictures not so much
gypsy214 said:
Any ways T-Mobile dropped that GS4 to $99 who cant afford $99? trade in your phone with tmobile and use it as credit to pay for the phone faster. I seen a lot of post of people saying that the s4 is not a big upgrade from the s3.. I played with one today at the store.. First time I played with an actual live show device. And I put my s3 next to it.. There is a huge different between these 2. If you see them side by side in person.. Now in pictures not so much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People on extremely fixed incomes can't afford 99 dollars. I'm fighting disability right now so I get 175 a month from the state of Colorado while I go through the long process with Social Security.
Oh and I fixed my PayPal account... I can't believe all I had to do was call and verify some information with them. If I had known that I would have done that back in October! So now I might just sell my GS3 and get an S4 or One. Torn between the two - don't like non-expandable storage but the One being able to run any ROM from at&t, T-Mo OR International is a HUGE plus to me.
EtherealRemnant said:
People on extremely fixed incomes can't afford 99 dollars. I'm fighting disability right now so I get 175 a month from the state of Colorado while I go through the long process with Social Security.
Oh and I fixed my PayPal account... I can't believe all I had to do was call and verify some information with them. If I had known that I would have done that back in October! So now I might just sell my GS3 and get an S4 or One. Torn between the two - don't like non-expandable storage but the One being able to run any ROM from at&t, T-Mo OR International is a HUGE plus to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That GS4 is able to run any rom from any carrier in the states and even the international! Go to any carrier s4 forum and you will see... One of the reason I would trade my s3 for the s4 in a heart bit because of it.... And you know samsung is faster than htc in updating phones.. So if a new update comes to the international you can flash it on any carrier us s4.. Witch is pretty cool in my part..
gypsy214 said:
That GS4 is able to run any rom from any carrier in the states and even the international! Go to any carrier s4 forum and you will see... One of the reason I would trade my s3 for the s4 in a heart bit because of it.... And you know samsung is faster than htc in updating phones.. So if a new update comes to the international you can flash it on any carrier us s4.. Witch is pretty cool in my part..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay well you just made my decision a ton easier, especially if the 99 down price point is T-Mobile's now standard pricing for the S4. I couldn't really see any other reason to get the One (I really like having an SD card and "Boom Sound" is nice but I found myself covering up the speakers anyway holding the phone in landscape) and with the 7500mAh Zero Lemon battery out for the S4, its kind of a no-brainer especially since it fixes the design flaw with the speaker on the S4 and shoots the sound out the sides.
I wasn't aware that you could flash any carrier ROM to the S4. Apparently that was just in the beginning of the launch then? Sweet!
EtherealRemnant said:
Okay well you just made my decision a ton easier, especially if the 99 down price point is T-Mobile's now standard pricing for the S4. I couldn't really see any other reason to get the One (I really like having an SD card and "Boom Sound" is nice but I found myself covering up the speakers anyway holding the phone in landscape) and with the 7500mAh Zero Lemon battery out for the S4, its kind of a no-brainer especially since it fixes the design flaw with the speaker on the S4 and shoots the sound out the sides.
I wasn't aware that you could flash any carrier ROM to the S4. Apparently that was just in the beginning of the launch then? Sweet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah people with the s4 are flashing international roms like crazy out of the box... But remember dont flash a rom with the modem witch now days none comes with a modem hehehe.. I played with one today and I really liked it.. I think I may get it and not wait for the note 3.. Really I like the note 2 and that 5'5 screen is big enough.. I Kinda think about it if i want a note 2 but rumors says the that note 3 will be 6'' screen.. I really dont think I will like it that much..
As we on the S3 we can port any carrier rom to ours but not international.. And look how long they been having 4.2.x roms. and we dont have a leak yet.. Flashing roms from international like on the s4 is priceless lol.. I really dont know why XDA had to split these forums.. And not make one. Like on the HTC Sensation.. It was one forum for all Sensations worldwide.
Not to mention that Samsung is MUCH more dev friendly than HTC. Since the One series it just seemed to me that HTC was trying to become too much like the icrap. Plus No expandable storage, no removable battery, locked bootloaders, etc.... any one of these is a deal killer in my book.
Sent from my SGH-T999L using xda premium

Galaxy S4 from Craigslist - IMEI Blacklisted...options?

Hi All,
I searched and saw many threads about a similar problem, but my specific question is what can I do about this as far as getting rid of the phone? I learned my lesson the hard way - I dropped my HTC One and broke it a day before a business trip and I needed a phone. I am planning on switching to T-mobile in a month when my AT&T contract is up, so I decided to purchase a T-mobile variant of the Galaxy S4 on Craigslist. It was new, sealed, and cost $500 from what seemed like a somewhat reputable seller.
I got the phone and all was great. It was unlocked and worked perfectly with my AT&T SIM. I got home from the business trip, put in a T-mobile prepaid SIM card (so I could test the service at my house before switching) and got the dreaded "Not registered on network" error message when I tried to make a call. Sure enough, T-mobile said the IMEI had been blacklisted for "fraudulent activity." I believe the seller opened an account and then simply didn't pay the bill for the phone. I've bought quite a few used phones, but I learned my lesson this time. I even asked T-mobile if I could pay the remaining balance, or if they even wanted the phone back. I received a prompt "no" to each question. I asked if the phone was "stolen" and they said no as well - it was marked as fraudulent, but not lost of stolen. Whatever they want to call it, it don't work!
So my question is this (and sorry for the long-winded vent): can I sell this phone? I just want it gone. I look at it and I get angry and upset with myself for making this mistake. I know I will lose a ton of $$$, but I would rather sell it on eBay while FULLY disclosing the phone's history and let someone overseas use it or someone on AT&T use it. Am I violating any rules by doing this as long as I fully disclose everything I know? Also, if this is the wrong forum, I apologize. Thank you for any insight and to save you all the trouble - yes I screwed up and I'm an idiot. But, I'm not the thief here. I sure wish I could get a hole of the seller!
-Collin-
i had the same happen to me this weekend i bought a sealed s4 from cl i also payed 500$ it was for great for 3 weeks up until this weekend i wasn;t getting 4g data so i called tmobile and they told me that that they blocked the imei sue to the person deciding not to pay for the phone..i learned my lesson NEVER TO BUY any phones from Cl. i went to the store and paid retail price for a s4 and i have the receipt just in case tmobile comes back and try to screw me
CollinFX45 said:
Hi All,
I searched and saw many threads about a similar problem, but my specific question is what can I do about this as far as getting rid of the phone? I learned my lesson the hard way - I dropped my HTC One and broke it a day before a business trip and I needed a phone. I am planning on switching to T-mobile in a month when my AT&T contract is up, so I decided to purchase a T-mobile variant of the Galaxy S4 on Craigslist. It was new, sealed, and cost $500 from what seemed like a somewhat reputable seller.
I got the phone and all was great. It was unlocked and worked perfectly with my AT&T SIM. I got home from the business trip, put in a T-mobile prepaid SIM card (so I could test the service at my house before switching) and got the dreaded "Not registered on network" error message when I tried to make a call. Sure enough, T-mobile said the IMEI had been blacklisted for "fraudulent activity." I believe the seller opened an account and then simply didn't pay the bill for the phone. I've bought quite a few used phones, but I learned my lesson this time. I even asked T-mobile if I could pay the remaining balance, or if they even wanted the phone back. I received a prompt "no" to each question. I asked if the phone was "stolen" and they said no as well - it was marked as fraudulent, but not lost of stolen. Whatever they want to call it, it don't work!
So my question is this (and sorry for the long-winded vent): can I sell this phone? I just want it gone. I look at it and I get angry and upset with myself for making this mistake. I know I will lose a ton of $$$, but I would rather sell it on eBay while FULLY disclosing the phone's history and let someone overseas use it or someone on AT&T use it. Am I violating any rules by doing this as long as I fully disclose everything I know? Also, if this is the wrong forum, I apologize. Thank you for any insight and to save you all the trouble - yes I screwed up and I'm an idiot. But, I'm not the thief here. I sure wish I could get a hole of the seller!
-Collin-
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Hey Collin. I had a similar issue with an HTC one being blacklisted but thankfully I bought it from eBay and their buyers protection came into play and I got a full refund. Because blacklisting is a very effective way to lose a heck load of money, I now suggest not getting phones from craisgslist or actually meeting at a carrier store to check phone status before the purchase is made. I'd stick to buying on eBay or swappa..now my suggestion is selling the phone overseas where the blocked imei doesn't really work. That would be the best option for now and you'll lose money but because it is basically a relatively new phone, you should not loose too much. Hope this helps.
-piterson
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Thank you guys for the thoughts. It's terrible that this sort of thing happens and personally, I wouldn't risk jail for 500 bucks. Hell, I wouldn't risk jail for any amount of money. It just blows me away that these people do this.
I guess what I will likely do is list it on eBay internationally with a full disclosure. Thankfully, my HTC One repair is finally complete and the phone should be back in my hands any day now. But, it's the developer edition and doesn't work well on T-mobile, so I'm back to square one for a T-mobile phone!
Anyway, sorry that this happened to you guys as well. It's just not as simple as it used to be, is it. Though I guess blacklisting has been used for a while now.
-Collin-
i listed mine on ebay with full disclosure and its not looking good..so far i have 4 days left in the auction and 1 day has passed & no one bid on it yet lol your best bet to purchase a new phone is go straight through tmobile unless you want to risk swappa or ebay then a month later if they cancel or don;t pay for the phone for it to happen again ... i would n;t risk it
CollinFX45 said:
Thank you guys for the thoughts. It's terrible that this sort of thing happens and personally, I wouldn't risk jail for 500 bucks. Hell, I wouldn't risk jail for any amount of money. It just blows me away that these people do this.
I guess what I will likely do is list it on eBay internationally with a full disclosure. Thankfully, my HTC One repair is finally complete and the phone should be back in my hands any day now. But, it's the developer edition and doesn't work well on T-mobile, so I'm back to square one for a T-mobile phone!
Anyway, sorry that this happened to you guys as well. It's just not as simple as it used to be, is it. Though I guess blacklisting has been used for a while now.
-Collin-
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Romcrazguy said:
i listed mine on ebay with full disclosure and its not looking good..so far i have 4 days left in the auction and 1 day has passed & no one bid on it yet lol your best bet to purchase a new phone is go straight through tmobile unless you want to risk swappa or ebay then a month later if they cancel or don;t pay for the phone for it to happen again ... i would n;t risk it
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That's a bummer. Did you list it internationally? I know you probably can't link to eBay, but can you give me the auction number? I want to watch and cheer you on
-Collin-
There are services on ebay that will change the IMEI for $50.
lancemoreland said:
There are services on ebay that will change the IMEI for $50.
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I appreciate that information. Unfortunately from my limited research, I think this thread will get locked if we even go down that road since it is illegal. Argh.
-Collin-
Wow. that sucks so much. The worst I have experienced in craigslist is some guy tried to scam me out of an iPod touch that i found. I still remember the email. It said something along the lines of:
Can you please send this device to my son in Africa? I will pay you full price for the phone + $50 dollars of shipping!
I knew it was a fake because 1) the email they sent was a very random email. (like [email protected]) and 2) PHONE? it's not a phone. thats how i knew that he was scamming multiple people and just copying and pasting.
Oh craigslist is full of scammers and idiots.
Yeah that's what these scammers are doing, buy the phone on a payment plan and not make the payment. A lot of times unknowing buyers get the phone and it will work for a month till payment is due but not paid. I see great deals on CL but steer clear.
The best thing to do is unlocked the device and sell it Internationally via eBay. I have a GS3 in my possesion that my wife's little brother bought from CL and was later blacklisted since the person reported it stolen two hours later after he took the cash.
lancemoreland said:
There are services on ebay that will change the IMEI for $50.
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He is right it is illegal and if caught could face jail time.
Wayne Tech Nexus
i just got a s4 on ebay for 420 i call tmobile they told the imei is clean that dont worry about future non payment fraud or blacklisted the lady told me when i get the phone is going to be in my account so the owner will have to pay any remaining balance but they cannot block the phone idk know im worry
Whenever I buy something from craiglist I always ask for 2 valid ID and have them photocopy.
I'll buy it for parts. If interested inbox me. Thanks!
I had the same damn thing happen but with a Galaxy S2 a while back. What I had to do is buy a used motherboard from a cracked screen one on eBay. Spent way more on the phone than I intended but all I did was switch the motherboards and voila. Good as new.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
Just sell try and sell it on Craigslist and ebay. Specify that it is blacklisted with tmobile but it ia unlocked so you can use it with att. Here's one and it's at almost 300 with 17h left on the auction
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=200948373767
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4
elflip88 said:
Just sell try and sell it on Craigslist and ebay. Specify that it is blacklisted with tmobile but it ia unlocked so you can use it with att. Here's one and it's at almost 300 with 17h left on the auction
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=200948373767
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4
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I read not long ago that AT&T and T-Mobile started sharing IMEI blacklist. Not sure if the policy is in effect yet or not.
baseballfanz said:
I read not long ago that AT&T and T-Mobile started sharing IMEI blacklist. Not sure if the policy is in effect yet or not.
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Op said he used it on att network so my guess is no
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4
rona809 said:
i just got a s4 on ebay for 420 i call tmobile they told the imei is clean that dont worry about future non payment fraud or blacklisted the lady told me when i get the phone is going to be in my account so the owner will have to pay any remaining balance but they cannot block the phone idk know im worry
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No.
Walk away.

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