FOUND EVO--What are my options?

[OnePalmAddict]

So a friend found an Evo in the parking lot of a retirement home where he was visiting a relative. It turns out that the ESN is listed as 'lost/stolen' with Sprint; HOWEVER, it is apparently currently registered on Verizon. Over the course of a month or so my friend has made repeated attempts to contact the previous owner, as well as relatives/friends listed in the contacts, all to no avail. He is now willing to part with the Evo for a $100 donation to the non-profit for which he works.

My initial thought was to use it for my wife on Sprint, which obviously isn't an option now. My second thought was to purchase it and re-sell it, but it seems unlikely I could make anything on it given what I described above.

So...........what are my options? Is there any way I can make this useful for myself as a fully functional phone (not interested in wi-fi only device)? Is there any way I can make it more valuable to re-sell?

Thanks for the input and suggestions.

ME

 

[mike198723]

You can use it as a nice paper weight. Or try those stores that buy old useless phones for parts.

Only person that can get it off the lost/stolen is the original account holder.

 

[npark]

it'll be pretty awesome as a wifi only phone. replacement landline phone.

or gaming device/ipod replacement.

i picked up a bad esn android phone for cheap off ebay, then set it up as a free landline / voip / wifi phone

 

[qitupx]

If I'm not mistaken, you can activate pretty much any phone on cricket. You just need to find someone to unlock it.

 

[OnePalmAddict]

So I I activated it on Cricket, could I ever switch it over to Sprint?

How would I go about making it a phone via wifi?

If I purchased it for $100, do you think I could re-sell it for more 'as is?'

 

[mike198723]

You wont be able to connected back with sprint.
You might be able to get more then $100check stores that do service and repair if they buy phones for parts and what they would give you for an Evo.

 

[2CupsWithString]

Sprint's system will never allow it because the ESN is listed as lost/stolen.

You can bring it to another carrier and unlock it which is totally legal and legit as long as the carrier permits it, a lot of regional carriers do.

You can use like a SIP client to make it a pure VOIP device.

It depends who you sell it to and what they want out of it. You can get a new Evo with a 2 year contract for $100 so it's a hard bargain unless someone wants it on a different carrier then it's cheaper than buying it out right new.

 

[OnePalmAddict]

Thanks, all. I knew I could count on you for accurate and helpful info.

ME

 

[mr.seth.price]

So I I activated it on Cricket, could I ever switch it over to Sprint?

How would I go about making it a phone via wifi?

If I purchased it for $100, do you think I could re-sell it for more 'as is?'

Something like Google Voice combined with an App like Line2. You'll need an app that will allow you to do a onetime purchase of a # dedicated to VOIP (wifi connection) And then forward that to Google Voice. Just no MMS...which sucks:-[

 

[Doc]

You can also bring it to the police and if no one claims it (I do not know the time limit) it should then become yours.

Doc

 

[rem_kujawa]

How could it be registered to Verizon? I didn't think this was possible or legal?

 

[mbeezy]

I've seen evo's on Craigslist converted to cricket for 400.00 maybe you could sell it to someone on cricket.

Sent from my EVO using tapatalk.

 

[2CupsWithString]

How could it be registered to Verizon? I didn't think this was possible or legal?

It's totally possible but Verizon doesn't allow it.

More regional carriers don't mind it because they don't get the latest and greatest phones and are probably just happy to have the contract, some of them will even flash the phone for you.

 

[willy900wonka]

Would it be totally naive to contact sprint and let them find the registered user? It's always a matter of conscience as whether to profit from another's loss.
You could then suggest to the registered user that you would be willing to buy it. AND if no guns were used in the finding of the phone, you and your friend could make out better.
Just saying..

 

[RUSH]

I guess after trying to contact the previous owner.. without any success - I guess in that case the phone would be his.

 

[jamjordan]

try to find out who owns it.

 

[Dave Blake]

Hmmm...just checking.

Dave

 

[HYDE]

Personally, I find it hard to believe that much effort was put into finding the owner. Not a single person from the contacts answered or returned a voicemail? I'm sure the real owner of the phone kept his/her number. When that number was called/texted, the owner never replied? The whole thing sounds fishy to me.

Someone "found" my wife's phone last night after they broke her window and stole it out of her car. It would take no more than 2-3 calls to the people in her contacts to be able to get it back to the rightfull owner if the person really was trying to do that.

 

[72guy]

Personally, I find it hard to believe that much effort was put into finding the owner. Not a single person from the contacts answered or returned a voicemail? I'm sure the real owner of the phone kept his/her number. When that number was called/texted, the owner never replied? The whole thing sounds fishy to me.

Someone "found" my wife's phone last night after they broke her window and stole it out of her car. It would take no more than 2-3 calls to the people in her contacts to be able to get it back to the rightfull owner if the person really was trying to do that.

+1
Maybe we could get a new Sticky:
Stolen Phones--How to make them yours

 

[2CupsWithString]

+1
Maybe we could get a new Sticky:
Stolen Phones--How to make them yours

LOL. I'd hate to help anyone who stole anything that's for sure, I hate stealing.

I hope that we don't have thieves on our boards. :/