IMEI Unlock - Samsung Galaxy S7 Active Questions & Answers

With all the people I saw spamming in the S8 forums about unlocks and lying about which services worked with fake accounts. I figured I would post my success story for anyone looking. I bought a "lost/stolen" S7 Active on OfferUp. I am not going to get into the story, but it was a legitimate lost situation and no fraud was committed on either party involved. AT&T refused to unlock it though. I used IMEIAuthority. They recommended the $90 service, but I went with the $50 service and hoped for the best. Communication was virtually non-existent except with their chat. I won't pretend like they are very helpful. I DID however get my phone unlocked in the time they said. It is now showing clean on Swappa. They did NOT let me know it had been completed. I had just been checking it each day.

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[Q] Buying a phone from craigslist or ebay

I bought a GS2 from someone off craigslist and then they reported it stolen and I had a device with a bad IMEI.
I think down the road I would like to see my GS2 for a One S. How can I do this safely? What should I require from the buyer to prevent that from happening again?
decko5 said:
I bought a GS2 from someone off craigslist and then they reported it stolen and I had a device with a bad IMEI.
I think down the road I would like to see my GS2 for a One S. How can I do this safely? What should I require from the buyer to prevent that from happening again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well... You would have to talk to a lawyer about this. If you could find a way of writing up a legal contract (which isn't too difficult) that would stop the seller from doing anything that would ruin the sale, then you might be ok. The problem is that doesn't stop them, and if they did something then you would have to take them to court. That's a lot of money for a little assurance.
I think the more typical answers is you would need some luck, or to buy from someone you trusted. On ebay you can look at their record and see if other people buying cellphones were happy and that no one had this issue, but that could still be sketchy (and cost more than your average used phone).
What if I make the seller meet me at a T-Mo store and have him make sure that the seller does not have insurance plan? maybe that'll be a way to prevent this?
He needs a police report to file that claim. You now have stolen property. I would make that your first concern. I would do what I had to do to prove insurance fraud just on principal alone.
Craigslist is hit or miss. I've been burned twice. But my most recent gs2 purchase went smooth.
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda premium
I would recommend not using either. Use swappa. All the IMEIs are clean, no damage. Was gonna buy my SGS2 off of it, but got a better deal through the store.
You're right, the best way to prevent this if to meet at a store. We have an imei blocking tool that we can reference.
Only problem is that the if the claim is still being processed, it will show unblocked.
I guess it's a good sign if the seller is willing to meet at a store in the first place.
Not sure if it is unlocked. But if it is and the issue is not sorted, you can use it on another carrier still. Not a total loss atleast.
android4sunny said:
Not sure if it is unlocked. But if it is and the issue is not sorted, you can use it on another carrier still. Not a total loss atleast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except that the FCC just passed new regulations that require AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-mobile to share a database off blocked IMEIs.
I bought my SGS2 from Craigslist and what ended happening is I was way hesitant to buy.
Took longer than expected to meet up, but he explained the situation. The dude has a $500 tmobile bill and is moving back to Texas. And just this week I've actually abandoned my G2X and am using my GS2 as my main device.
Luckily I didn't get sold a banned IMIE
This is the reason I like GSM phones. I guess it makes sense for people snatching and selling stolen devices, but sucks you have to do more to make sure you don't get screwed.
If there is nothing preventing people from screwing you with ebay protecting you for 90 days then there is absolutely nothing protecting you in craigslist where they wouldn't care if you got stabbed in a transaction
G1ForFun said:
Except that the FCC just passed new regulations that require AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-mobile to share a database off blocked IMEIs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Incorrect. The carriers are working with the FCC on a plan to curb phone theft that may involve using a shared database.
However, this is not regulation passed by FCC. It's also important to note that other countries have been using this type of theft tracking database since 2002, and the database itself has been in existence since 1996.
As usual, the US is behind the rest of the world by about 10 years.
On topic, it really is buyer beware when buying used. Meeting at a TMo store, having the rep verify if IMEI is valid, having it on record that the phone was sold and transferred to the buyer, all help in reducing the likelihood of getting burned.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
honestly, try to buy devices with the box that has the matching imei number, although this has a chance of getting banned too, it is much slimmer.
Many of banned devices are results from stolen phones or are the replacement phones where the person goes "oh i did not receive my package" and ends up selling it.
You can meet in the t-mobile store, have them take note or call or rep and have them put a note that the IMEI is now in use by your account and should not be banned. You can even photocopy or take a picture of the guy's ID, if the guy is reluctant to give you his INFO, don't buy it.
I bought my phone on craigslist NIB, I never knew of this IMIE stuff. Luckily for me, my phone's been fine (knock on wood)
I talked to multiple customer service agents who told me there was nothing they could (or would) do about the situation. Even if the guy meets you at the store and the reps watch, they are just witnesses. It would help if you have to take the guy to court, but is it really worth it?
I mean, it sucks, but it's a gamble.
Well there are many honest people out there doing honest transactions but I think this latest burn has ruined me. I used to love swapping phones very often and I planned to swap this for the One S. It's a shame.
degeneration said:
I talked to multiple customer service agents who told me there was nothing they could (or would) do about the situation. Even if the guy meets you at the store and the reps watch, they are just witnesses. It would help if you have to take the guy to court, but is it really worth it?
I mean, it sucks, but it's a gamble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Add in court fees to the total amount.
just unlock the phone and sell it and tell the buyer about it. Only issue is if they are using the phone on tmobile.
It'll work perfectly fine on another carrier. All of the phones I have been through I unlock for a local carrier. Past few years since the nexus one came out I've been through almost every higher end android phone and never once have had an issue.
funny this thread comes up, a year ago i acquire a tmobile G2 from CL, and it was stolen, all i had to do was cooperate with a detective and track down the thief, dont know if they caught them but i get to keep the phone.
in the future i think you should all your service and give them the IMEI numbers to see if it stolen. dont know if that works but doesnt hurt to try.

SGH-T999L Bad ESN

I bought an almost new S3 LTE SGH-T999L for my son off CL. It checked OK on swappa and it worked for a week, then unable to connect to network. Swappa now says blacklisted. DOH!
It sucks to have a $350 paper weight! I tried to contact the seller with no luck.
Couple questions...
Any way to fix it?
Can this model be downgraded to 4.1.1 to use free unlock method and even then will it possibly work on anther carrier is the US. I know it will work outside the US if unlocked.
I contacted T-Mobile and they said nothing I can do, only the original owner can have the blacklist lifted.
Any help or advice much appreciated!
Also let this be a lesson to all...just because it works when you buy it, don't mean it wont go belly-up in a week. :crying:
Sorry I didn't answer your PM before. Wasn't ignoring you. Unfortunately your options are extremely limited.
You will have to pay for an unlock code online (see the last couple pages of the unlock thread), and then sell overseas. Just please be honest about it to whoever you sell it to in case they plan on bringing it to the states.
Personally, I'd also file a police report. May not come to anything, but if the guy gets arrested for anything else, or enough people file a report against him for similar stuff, you may then have some recourse against him. But he has twice committed fraud, or theft by deception (or something like that). First against T-Mobile, then against you.
Once unlocked, it might work on other carriers here, but not for long. I'm told all US carriers will be sharing the same blacklist by year's end. I've also heard it may also be shared with Canadian carriers as well.
Sorry to hear that happened to you. You're definitely not alone! This happens all the time, unfortunately.
Never buy used unless you make the transaction in person at a T-Mobile store where the seller can prove they have paid for the device in full and are allowed to sell it. Also, have a note made on both accounts (preferably by a manager) that the sale is made so they can't report it stolen a few weeks later.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4
I hear you, but it never goes down like that. I've bought and sold 30 or 40 smartphones. First time I've ever got burnt. I make small profit along, but this one is a stinger. I've had people want to meet me at Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile and every time I met them there all the store employees would say is if the sim card works it's ok.
Of course you could ask for a receipt...but what if it's a reseller like myself? I've had one receipt the whole time. Most of the time you can spot a fraud and steer clear. I check esn on swappa and/or Verizon site. I guess it's just a risky thing and I've been very lucky so far.
I did get a guy on ebay to unlock the phone for $10 last night. It works with a Lycamobile sim(T-Mobile reseller) and also works with a new LTE ATT Straight Talk sim...recieves LTE even. Maybe not for long...but it works fine now and it's been blacklisted about a month.
Guy on ebay unlocks clean phones for $5 & blacklisted for $10, he does remote into your pc to do it, but it only takes 2-3 minutes. He gave me the code, but it was never needed.
I'm a PagePlus dealer and I do alot of carrier flashing, not to beat blacklist, but to get more use from older 3G devices. Anytime I sell a phone I always give a 2 days return policy if they change their mind.
The seller of the phone should be able to get some sort of confirmation off of his own account showing he is not currently making payments on it. If the employees are only saying to see if the SIM works, they are just being lazy or ignorant! With the owners permission they can look it up, or call support from the phone and have him ask them to verify on speaker so you can hear. I'm just trying to say there's other ways to get the info before buying.
I'd say that if you've bought that many you are pretty lucky. But for the blacklisted one that worked on other carriers...expect it not to on AT&T very soon and all other US carriers around the end of the year. Right now T-Mobile and AT&T share their lists, but don't use the same one, so it'll often take a few weeks to catch up. As I understand it, once the national list is in place, all carriers will be using the same one so it'll be more instant.
I have spoken to a few people who bought their phone used and all seemed good, but then nearly 2 months later it got blacklisted! Some people are apparently selling it, but then waiting a month or two to report it stolen!
I just hope that if one of your customers gets blacklisted a few weeks after buying from you, you will be willing to at least exchange it.
But before you try and sell this one, please consider that it's practically a given that it's not gonna work for very long.
Also, (and I'm not sure of the ramifications here) keep in mind that you are knowingly in possession of stolen property. That by itself is probably not a big deal for you, legally speaking, since it happens to so many people and hardly no one knows what they are buying when this happens to them. But if you sell it, you will be knowingly selling stolen goods. If one of your customers gets blacklisted, you could be the one held liable.
Don't take it wrong, I'm just trying to help!
And I'm just curious, what do you mean by "carrier flashing"?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4
I understand where you're coming from and I will not sell this phone except to one particular customer who takes them outside the country. My son is using it now on LycaMobile which is a UK based reseller using T-Molile towers. We will see how long it lasts...strange circumstance there since the provider is not from the US, will they also adhere to universal blacklist? I dunno...time will tell. At $30 per month they are cheapest unlimited I know of(Only 50MB 4G data, then 2G/3G).
I run a legitimate part time business and have rarely had phones returned, but always made the customer happy. Happy customers come back and most of my profit is selling refills and flashing/rooting/unlocking...not the actual phone sales.
Carrier flashing: Mainly I've flashed older Metro phones to work on PagePlus and GS3's from Sprint or Verizon must be flashed for pageplus because they don't yet allow 4G phones. I never do any ESN changes. I'm an old techie and I go way back to Nextel mods in mid 90's. lol
BTW I installed CM 10.1.2 RC2 right from the phone yesterday after originally flashing the CM10 linked in Doc's T999L thread. It flashed perfect right through CM update utility automatically and seems to run perfectly.

T-Mobile IMEI Check WebService

Hi
I wanted to share a recent story with all of you, what happened with my experience. 4 months ago, I purchased an S3 from someone off of CL. I am extremely careful with purchasing mobiles from there, due to the possibility of getting screwed out of hard earned money that only benefits the person screwing you. Before I purchased the mobile, I did an IMEI validation through T-Mobile's web service, along with a couple more IMEI checks. T-Mobile's web service advised that the phone was not reported lost or stolen and that it was ready for activation. The other web services reported the same result, so based on what is supposed to be a reliable source of information, especially from the carrier itself, I bought the mobile.
GoSmart wouldn't add the phone to my plan because they said the phone had been blacklisted as lost and/or stolen. I told GSm that was impossible since the carrier who issues the device reported the phone clean. This started what turned out to be a 3 month battle between myself and T-Mobile. I phone them up, and after a bit of "we're checking, hang on" or "give me just a few minutes more as I am having to access another system", they informed me that indeed the phone had a lost/stolen insurance claim on it and that the IMEI was blocked. I escalated to a supervisor, only to be told the same information. I explained to them that had their web service been working at the time I used it, I would not have made the purchase. And for the next month, once per week, I continued discussing with customer service, along with checking their IMEI site showing that the phone was still reported clean. They advised me that Asurion claims and blocks do not show on the IMEI site, and I told her that the customer is in the dark about that, and there is no disclaimer on the site alerting anyone of this fact. I also wanted to verify #1 that I was not losing my mind, and #2 to make sure I was on solid enough ground to insist to be escalated to someone in TMo's IT department. I wanted someone to first explain to me why their web service was not accurate, and 2nd to make sure that someone who could make that change to their system got the ball rolling on fixing their web service so that some other unfortunate soul would have to go through what I'd been through so far.
Enter Alisha, systems analyst from TMo IT. Out of anyone who I have ever talked with in any customer service arena, she was by far the best, sympathetic, and understanding person I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Ever. I told her I was a system analyst, I know what they go through when it comes to issues like this and that it needed to be resolved. She then did what no one in customer service offered to do for me, and that was to check both systems to see if I was telling the truth. And sure enough, she discovered that they did in fact have an issue. Even after this discovery, she said that due to the phone being blocked by Asurion that she was powerless to do anything. I told her that the hope of the phone being unblocked was well in the past now, by goal was to get them to fix the problem that forced me down this road in the first place.
The end is near I promise. I still think I was wronged on the business side of the equation, so I went to the BBB and filed a complaint. The following Friday, I receive a call from TMo Customer Service, and after an hour on the phone the gentleman told me that due to the way the claim was filed, that he would open a ticket to send to the team that would be able to unlock the phone and that it would be unlocked by that coming Monday. I was elated. Monday comes, and the phone is still locked. I call customer service again, only to be told "the gentleman who told you that did not have the authority to do so, and did not have the means to make a promise like that due to the phone being insurance blocked." I went off, stating that their company's inability to effectively train their employees, especially those who handle escalated issues was not my concern. She apologize profusely. I went back to the BBB and updated my ticket, stating that the company made an obligation to me, they didn't follow through and to contact the business again. 2 days later, an email arrives from TMo stating the obvious "Mr Harrison should not have purchased a phone from an unauthorized source, yadda, yadda", followed by "due to the nature of the circumstances, we are willing to make a 1 time exception for him and have unblocked the IMEI number." My phone was unblocked and remains unblocked today.
I wanted to share my story with all of you because the bottom line is that until you pick up that phone and talk to someone voice to voice at TMo, do not use the IMEI site as your only source of verification. I thought I was safe by using not only their site, but 2 others, and a call to the police to see if the phone was stolen, but I wasn't safe. Use the site as a preliminary determining factor, but then pick up the phone and talk to their customer service directly to make sure the site is telling you right. And when they tell you it is, then double-check to make sure the phone does not have an insurance IMEI block on it.
Thanks!
I don't think you understand that yes the phone was fine before you bought it but afterwards the person who sold it to you reported it stolen, and probably got another one after paying a deductible while still making money off of the one sold to you. You keep repeating about before you bought it, but you failed to realize its a common scam on CL and you should really be careful next time. You're lucky T-Mobile hooked you up though.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Though there may have been a breakdown in the systems being able to communicate, it still doesn't change the fact that the phone you bought was stolen. You can argue specifics about who told you what and when, but in the end it doesn't change the fact that the device is stolen property.
I'm not saying you shouldn't be upset about getting scammed, but you sound like you are trying to vent all your anger in T-Mobile's direction, when it is not their fault that someone stole a device from them and used it to scam you. It's the criminal who stole the phone and then stole your money that you should be most angry with.
Sure, you didn't know that you weren't getting info from all the sources you should have, probably would've been the same for me and everyone else, but it's not really anyone's fault. They have been updating the way blacklists work for some time now, and while it's getting better, we can't expect instant perfection.
I am glad you shared that T-Mobile doesn't currently have their blacklist synced to Asurions btw, that is very good to know. I just think your anger is a little misplaced is all. From what I've read T-Mobile has been one of the more proactive in sharing blacklist info. Currently they share theirs with AT&T, possibly others.
As I understand it though, in a few months this should all become a bit of a non issue. I've been told that they will be implementing a nationwide blacklist, that all carriers and insurance companies will use, so there will only be one to worry about, and when a device is added to the list, it is instantly blocked everywhere in the US (and maybe Canada).
Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but I consider you extremely lucky to have got them to unblock it. I seriously doubt that would've happened anywhere else. I'm happy for you that they did nonetheless.
Sent from my SGH-T999N using Tapatalk
@dudenphx
First off, allow me to commiserate with your travails. I really do feel bad for you. I am glad it has ended well in the end.
It is a great discovery you made that T-Mo IMEI Checker does not have Asurion Blocks. That alone in my mind gives you Kudos that you greatly deserve. I thank you for that.
So to the problem per se. I am afraid I agree with Doc. You did check on CL Scams. But that was probably was not sufficient. The modus operendi of CL Scam is to Report Stolen AFTER the Sale Not before .
If at all I am buying a phone on Craig's list, I'd first take the IMEI to Assurion and have them Change Ownership on their records for that IMEI. This is similar to Vehicle VIN Number registration to DMV. After that, I'd call the Carriers to do the same thing. Only after that has happened, that I will pay the seller the full amount. I am sure this is not a foolproof way, but at the least I can hang it on Assurion so they don't block the IMEI. If I know them any better, they will still wriggle out of that and block it. But may be I am the half empty kind.
Thanks
Perseus71,
Thanks for the kind words. It felt like Rudolph vs the Abominable Snow Monster, and that really sucked.
There has to be a solution that isn't 100% airtight (nothing is these days), but something that would be as low of a risk as possible. Have you called Asurion before and did the ownership change? What would they require for this to be done? I like buying stuff on CL, this was the first bad experience I had, but I would like to continue buying on CL. The risks are there, but isn't life full of risks anyway?
thanks!

Verizon Corp Stores VS Verizon District Manager VS Samsung

I want to clarify as a manager one time in a retail store I understand the stock issue and this brought me to why I went through the process I did and having documented and signed off from the correct people and dotted "I's" and crossed "T's". I knew exactly what I was getting into or so what should have happened. The other reason i'm making this a separate thread is to address how these issue the VERY poor communication that occurs between people and even with the correct chain of commands refusals and issues still arise and how this arises outside this recall. So without further ado ..
We are now without Cell Phones .. After going through the last couple days double and triple checking through chains and people and corporate offices. Verizon Screwed us over really bad yesterday which was the final nail being their customer.
We drove OVER a "HOUR" with "documented record and permission" from a district manager at Verizon corporate office to exchange our recalled our Samsung Note 7's. We were going to one of his stores, we get there they take our nail and we wait 45 minutes, after the wait they tell us they will NOT be able to exchange out Recalled phones cause they were not bought in that store. However according to the stores district manager (with documented proof) they were to suppose to allow it however the corporate store would not and refused to follow orders. I was pissed for driving OVER after calling BACK to corporate office and no way to get a hold of the district manager as he was in conferences, they had no way to enforce the letter I had but they would contact someone to further deal with it and it could take a few days. I at that point had, had enough with the issues we've had with Verizon and then to get screwed like this it was time to end my time with them. I told her, i'm closing all 6 lines and you can play games with other people. I then hung up.
We drove over a hour back and to our local store whom my friend is the store manager and he made calls as did the Samsung reps and I talked to some big big wigs, they wanted us to go back to that other store and meet with the district manager (would have been today), to exchange the note 7's and discuss what took place and how they can handle the situation, as things were badly mishandled. I explained I have a life and things and cant just jump and drive here and there at will especially when OTHERS screw up. I told them thank you for making a late attempt but if someone like myself who knows the system had this much of a issue I can only imagine how others who don't and that kinda service doesn't need rewarded. I made it clear the attitude between the employees and companies and HORRIBLE lack of communication was beyond unacceptable for me and my family to remain customers.
They were very apologetic but to me you need to be proactive about issues and not reactive and this situation was a very simple one and could have no only kept customers but also could have given them a atleast a great review on how they handed it. Instead they are losing 6 lines and how badly their communication/orders are.
few questions answered.
1. my area out in nowhere land isn't slated to get replacements note 7's till 9/29
2. the district manager of our store has notified locals we have permission (with documentation to go one of HIS another stores for replacements)
3. I also noticed they were selling Note 7s yesterday to anyone while there were a TON of people there for replacements and they had limited stock. Samsung Reps said (as t-mobile and at&t are doing they are suppose to be for exchanges first)
4. Ive been researching on who we will move to, ive been with at&t before and where we live has limited coverage with carriers, so thats the BIG factor. I am aware basically all carriers have issues with things and someone with at&t will go to verizon and someone with tmo will go to at&t so... its all a moving game. its what suites us best.
Matttrix said:
I want to clarify as a manager one time in a retail store I understand the stock issue and this brought me to why I went through the process I did and having documented and signed off from the correct people and dotted "I's" and crossed "T's". I knew exactly what I was getting into or so what should have happened. The other reason i'm making this a separate thread is to address how these issue the VERY poor communication that occurs between people and even with the correct chain of commands refusals and issues still arise and how this arises outside this recall. So without further ado ..
We are now without Cell Phones .. After going through the last couple days double and triple checking through chains and people and corporate offices. Verizon Screwed us over really bad yesterday which was the final nail being their customer.
We drove OVER a "HOUR" with "documented record and permission" from a district manager at Verizon corporate office to exchange our recalled our Samsung Note 7's. We were going to one of his stores, we get there they take our nail and we wait 45 minutes, after the wait they tell us they will NOT be able to exchange out Recalled phones cause they were not bought in that store. However according to the stores district manager (with documented proof) they were to suppose to allow it however the corporate store would not and refused to follow orders. I was pissed for driving OVER after calling BACK to corporate office and no way to get a hold of the district manager as he was in conferences, they had no way to enforce the letter I had but they would contact someone to further deal with it and it could take a few days. I at that point had, had enough with the issues we've had with Verizon and then to get screwed like this it was time to end my time with them. I told her, i'm closing all 6 lines and you can play games with other people. I then hung up.
We drove over a hour back and to our local store whom my friend is the store manager and he made calls as did the Samsung reps and I talked to some big big wigs, they wanted us to go back to that other store and meet with the district manager (would have been today), to exchange the note 7's and discuss what took place and how they can handle the situation, as things were badly mishandled. I explained I have a life and things and cant just jump and drive here and there at will especially when OTHERS screw up. I told them thank you for making a late attempt but if someone like myself who knows the system had this much of a issue I can only imagine how others who don't and that kinda service doesn't need rewarded. I made it clear the attitude between the employees and companies and HORRIBLE lack of communication was beyond unacceptable for me and my family to remain customers.
They were very apologetic but to me you need to be proactive about issues and not reactive and this situation was a very simple one and could have no only kept customers but also could have given them a atleast a great review on how they handed it. Instead they are losing 6 lines and how badly their communication/orders are.
few questions answered.
1. my area out in nowhere land isn't slated to get replacements note 7's till 9/29
2. the district manager of our store has notified locals we have permission (with documentation to go one of HIS another stores for replacements)
3. I also noticed they were selling Note 7s yesterday to anyone while there were a TON of people there for replacements and they had limited stock. Samsung Reps said (as t-mobile and at&t are doing they are suppose to be for exchanges first)
4. Ive been researching on who we will move to, ive been with at&t before and where we live has limited coverage with carriers, so thats the BIG factor. I am aware basically all carriers have issues with things and someone with at&t will go to verizon and someone with tmo will go to at&t so... its all a moving game. its what suites us best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I exchanged my defective Note 7 for a new one at a DIFFERENT store from where I originally purchased the defective one with no questions asked. I would be furious if I were you, and totally agree with your actions.
mysmartone said:
I exchanged my defective Note 7 for a new one at a DIFFERENT store from where I originally purchased the defective one with no questions asked. I would be furious if I were you, and totally agree with your actions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
chillsen said:
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, UPS and FedEx are refusing to handle the recalled phones, so the only option is to return them to corporate stores. Samsung reps are actually picking them up at the stores to return them to a location where they can be processed.
Dodge DeBoulet said:
Unfortunately, UPS and FedEx are refusing to handle the recalled phones, so the only option is to return them to corporate stores. Samsung reps are actually picking them up at the stores to return them to a location where they can be processed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPS has posted this statement.. (effectively ground shipping only and likely will need specific shipping materials to go)
https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/20160915_samsung.html
dottat said:
UPS has posted this statement.. (effectively ground shipping only and likely will need specific shipping materials to go)
https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/20160915_samsung.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for posting that. It will certainly be useful for those who purchased their phones directly from Samsung. I don't believe Verizon customers will benefit from UPS's flexibility, though.
My comments were based on multiple news reports of FedEx and UPS outright refusing to handle the return shipping of recalled phone. Guess that wasn't quite the truth ...
chillsen said:
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
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Completely true, reps in the store simply cant do an exchange in the system. Its as if you bought something from walmart and tried to return it at target. Imo authorized retailers are the worst! They can set their own prices and promotions and when I worked in the store I could literally tell that one close to me was selling returned phones because the esn had been active on many accounts. Essentially the district manager would be agreeing to giving you a new phone cause in no way shape or form could it be an exchange in the system.
mickeyleah said:
Completely true, reps in the store simply cant do an exchange in the system. Its as if you bought something from walmart and tried to return it at target. Imo authorized retailers are the worst! They can set their own prices and promotions and when I worked in the store I could literally tell that one close to me was selling returned phones because the esn had been active on many accounts. Essentially the district manager would be agreeing to giving you a new phone cause in no way shape or form could it be an exchange in the system.
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I think the truth is just more likely an evolving story here. Hopefully this all gets sorted soon for everyone's benefit.
dottat said:
I think the truth is just more likely an evolving story here. Hopefully this all gets sorted soon for everyone's benefit.
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I got a update...
The district manager came to personally meet with me and we had a hour meeting and we joined by the general manager of the corporate store. The store manager apologized for his and his employees mistake, the district manager explained there was poor communication on their part, this should have been handled much better. However due to supply issue they are unable to give me new phones till October 5th. They have paid my current bill and 25% of each phones costs when I get them. As I agreed to remain a customer and sign a new phone agreement. I also got everything in writing again. If anything under the current deal is unable to be met i can withdraw without penalty etc and their payment on my bill will not be charged back to me.
After what I went through im going cover extra extra everything. I don't trust anything. Ill keep you all informed about it.
I can't believe the amount of time spent by so many people on so many levels for a couple phones.... I get the principle aspect of it.... but these are cell phones. Unnecessary. A luxury. I simply don't understand going to such great lengths over such a minor thing. Life is so large, what in the world will you do when something actually important doesn't go as planned?
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neyenlives said:
I can't believe the amount of time spent by so many people on so many levels for a couple phones.... I get the principle aspect of it.... but these are cell phones. Unnecessary. A luxury. I simply don't understand going to such great lengths over such a minor thing. Life is so large, what in the world will you do when something actually important doesn't go as planned?
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Carrington Event
Updated
I got called this morning and got told the Blue Coral are behind on stock and I could get another color tomorrow. I am disappointed but at this point another few days I'll live.
What this whole subject has been about to me is the communication issues, promises, documented orders by region people, stores not following orders, the list goes on and on. I did put myself in hell but at the same time. I made them deal with their failures and address their issues. Sitting there hearing them admit they ****ed up and offering to pay my bill and discount my new phones was a "start".. But I still think about the countless others who go through such bull**** while these companies walk on us. Hopefully my situation will get others to step up to make companies do what they say and offer.

EE pixel XL extortion. Read before buying from EE

2 days ago I contacted EE to change to their network and get a Pixel XL 128. The credit check went to refer. I have little credit so no great surprise. The lady said she would call me at 9.30 the following morning.
She called as promised and said that I'd passed but they had had difficulty confirming my identity. Not on the electoral register it seems (I've checked and I am but hey ho). I also have my broadband with EE and was a customer with them, at the same address, fo over 10 years until 2 years ago so I'm struggling to accept that they can't identify me. She wanted a ?100 deposit to be refunded after 3 months. No biggie but I'd left my wallet at home so she would call me again at 6.45pm
I got home and sure enough she called. She did a few checks to ensure she was speaking to me again and we were ready to go. All of a sudden though the handset became ?100 more expensive (on top of the extra deposit) and the line rental had gone up by ?5 per month. This is a total of an extra ?320 over 24 months. I checked their website and the deal I agreed was still showing. She couldn't explain the difference so I asked for a manager. He couldn't explain it either but said it was to prevent fraud because fraudsters who intercept delivery won't pay the extra. This is obviously ludicrous, fraudsters won't actually be paying. He said he would get his manager to call me back this morning. No one called.
Fed up I decided to call car phone warehouse who were perfectly happy to do the deal EE originally offered me, actually they could better it and the handset would be from Google, unlocked.
The problem is EE have blocked me from using cfw. I called EE back and they are actually blocking me from using cfw so that if I want to go with EE I have to go through them and pay ?320 more. This is disgusting, extortionate and not entirely legal.
DO NOT attempt to get a phone through EE. Go to cfw straight away. EE's stance as soon as you contact them is to block you from going to CFW and then they hike the price.
Bait and switch is specifically illegal.
I have recordings of the calls I intend make public so people can hear exactly how the conversations with EE and CFW have panned out.
The plot thickens. EE's senior manger finally called me. He firstly told me cfw have no access to EE systems. In the next sentence he revealed that they can see some details. When I pointed out he'd contradicted himself he got very upperty about "being called a liar". A bit rich from a company who are saying they consider me to be a high fraud risk. I pointed this out and he climbed down from his high horse a little.
He is now calling cfw to find out why they told me EE have an internal block on me and will call me back.
I still await a logical explanation as to how charging me extra prevents fraud. Totally unacceptable that they are happy to do a deal but at a higher than advertised price.
EE have now assured me that what went wrong is that the people at cfw tried to create new accoutrements for me on each occasion and ran 4 separate credit checks. They should apparently have spotted the existing, credit passed account and used it. The senior manager I've been dealing with at EE has cleared it all up, given me the account number for the credit check passed account and told me if I ring them again and give them that account number they'll be able to just sort tell deal and finish up.
Time will tell. I'll call cfw again this pm. The manager at EE tells me he'll call me tomorrow and check that it's all sorted. If it is all sorted it will mean that this block was all the doing of cfw but the highly dubious practise of charging extra if a customer has little credit still whiffs a little to my mind.
Been with EE for years. Always offered me great deals and can't fault their customer service when things didn't go as expected on one occasion.
Unfortunately not got anywhere. CFW have said what I was told was nonsense. EE unable to explain how they can do as described.
Someone has also done 4 credit checks and this has destroyed my credit rating. Both parties blaming each other.
I'm going to have to get lawyered up now. No way I'm doing business with either company.
I'm just going to wait until the phone is available to buy from Google again and buy it outright.
The manager from EE says he is going to try to find someone in a local cfw store who knows how to use the system and set me up with an appointment tomorrow. Gotta give this guy his due, he has absolutely taken posession of this and I'm very grateful to him. As an individual he rocks.
Are we all supposed to know what EE and EFW are?
EE is a phone network, and CPW is carphone warehouse (shop) ?
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I got a pixel xl 128gig from EE, passed the credit after answering a bunch of security based around my finances. (questions basically what bank do you have, who did you take finance with on a certain date and such) all went through without a hitch and everything went through perfect, even with the 20% monthly reduction on the contract I get through my works rewards scheme.
they did say if you had bad credit you would need to get referred to a third party, the reason for the price increase it's likely due to paying for the credit with someone outside of EE as they will have their own fees. as I said EE explained all of this to me before I even signed up or did the credit check.
so I wouldn't say it is a scam, just you couldn't get the credit with EE so they had to outsource and that had a fee or interest, as I said this was explained to me by the sales person before even performing the credit check.
as for the extra credit checks they were likely performed by the third party finance suppliers that EE uses.

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