Good ESN.......?

[kgonzalez16]

Ok so I am currently trying to buy a Note 2 for sprint online. I have found a few locally on craigslist but with all the ripoffs lately im freaking out and scared to give $400+ for a phone. I keep seeing this clean esn or bad esn. What exactly is this about?

Also let say somebody found or stole a phone and has it for sale on craigslist. But the phone has been reported lost or stolen. Would I still be able to activate it under my account? I knowwith SIM cards you just put a card In a stolen or found phone and you got yourself a new phone. What about sprint with no sim cards?

 

[Paul627g]

Stay away from anyone selling with a bad ESN. Basically a bad ESN in a nut shell is either a phone reported lost/stolen or more commonly someone skipped out on paying their bill and Sprint black listed the phone. Bottom line the phone can't be reactivated on Sprint until the outstanding debt is paid on the phone, no exceptions. Only way to make use of a bad ESN phone is having it flashed to a 3rd party carrier (normally prepaid) that allows such.

Sprint SIMs are built into the phone (non removable) so no work around there.

Best suggestion is if your buying off CL try and make it local and then you can ask to meet the seller at a local Sprint store or Sprint authorized reseller store and have the phone checked in person to verify it has a clean ESN before finalizing the transaction. This works to your benefit in a few ways..

1. Verify clean ESN (Honest sellers will not object to this. If they do or make excuses, etc.. RED FLAG !! )
2. Transaction taking place in a public place so least amount of worries of a bad situation with a stranger.

Good luck.

 

[kgonzalez16]

You pretty much told me what I was afraid to hear. The two people I was speaking with were all about the sale till I asked for the serial number to che k with sprint. Then they both backed out.

 

[Paul627g]

Yeah I would stay away.. An honest seller with nothing to hide will offer the ESN/serial number to be ran without question.. There's more out there, keep hunting friend.

Recommend our own http://forums.androidcentral.com/marketplace/

Most of the sellers in there are well known in the AC community and have a good reputation. Worth a look .

 

[GiantJay]

If you ever happen to buy a phone from a person locally have them meet you at a Sprint store and have them check the esn and activate it right there, and then pay for it once you know it is all good. If you look on eBay most legit sellers will have the esn on the seller page or will definitely give it to you upon request.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[yankeesusa]

I recommend swappa.com. All their phones are guaranteed to have a clean esn. They even have a new esn checker right on the site. I just sold my nexus s 4g and my brother in law is going to buy his nexus from there.

Sent from the Beast that is Galaxy Note 2

 

[delta7]

Stay away from Craigslist = scammer central I found several phones on there nib with bad esn. I had to literally harass a guy for him to admit the esn was bad on his evo lte. He wanted 250 for it and he didn't say bad esn on the as so you'd literally buy the phone after you met him on the street activate it and get owned.

If they can't meet you in stores and activate it I right in the store don't bother trust me, Craigslist is pos central.

 

[Paul627g]

Swappa has come a long way.

 

[yankeesusa]

Stay away from Craigslist = scammer central I found several phones on there nib with bad esn. I had to literally harass a guy for him to admit the esn was bad on his evo lte. He wanted 250 for it and he didn't say bad esn on the as so you'd literally buy the phone after you met him on the street activate it and get owned.

If they can't meet you in stores and activate it I right in the store don't bother trust me, Craigslist is pos central.

Same thing happened to me. A guy was feeling evo lte for 200. Before meeting he had been responding immediately to all my questions. Then when it was time to meet I asked him to send me the esn number so I could verify it. Never got a response again and his phone only went to voicemail. Your better off on swappa or even eBay on an auction that says, good esn, since eBay will protect you if you get it and esn is bad.

Sent from the Beast that is Galaxy Note 2

 

[megamaster5]

Yep avoid Bad ESN's like the plague. Some people do buy phones with bad ESNs, I guess for extra parts. But I wouldn't recommend using one haha. Craigslist is full of scammers. They all want you to send your phone to Africa. NEVER DO THAT. I almost fell for it.

 

[Mikey47]

Yep avoid Bad ESN's like the plague. Some people do buy phones with bad ESNs, I guess for extra parts. But I wouldn't recommend using one haha. Craigslist is full of scammers. They all want you to send your phone to Africa. NEVER DO THAT. I almost fell for it.

Well, if you want a 4.7 inch tablet, it could be great!