Sold phone on ebay, now buyer wants my SS#

[dhughes]

I know this is an android forum, but that is all I subscribe to. I am not a member of any apple forums. Anyway maybe someone can help me.

I sold my wife's used Iphone 5 on eBay because she wanted to get the GS3. The iPhone sold in Feb of 2012, the buyer paid on time, I shipped it out on time, and everything was good. Now two months later the buyer emails me and says the following:

"Hello from Russia! I finally got my hands on the Iphone 5 (thanks to mail forwading services) to find out I cannot use it here without your help, my fault, i know. I want to request a device unlock at AT&T website, could you please give me your first name, last name, e-mail adress and last 4 of your SSN? Your help will be much, much appreciated!
Thank you!"

I am not sure what to do. When I sold the phone the address for the buyer was in PA, but they are really in Russia??? I do not feel comfortable giving them the infoormation they are asking for, what do you all recommend?

 

[coggster]

I would suggest you say no. If you want to help get the phone details from this person and contact your provider and get them to unlock it. I am in the UK but that is what I did previously to a sold iphone4


Beamed from my iPhone5, until I get my HTC One, using Tapatalk

 

[SamsungGalaxySII]

I would say no too. it's a bit sketcy. First the buyer bought the phone from PA, but now it's in Russia? ! That's a thing to watch out for. There are a lot of bad people on internet.. so you should be more careful. Also, the buyer is asking too much personal info. In one word, no.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Android Central Forums

 

[PittiesRule]

Ummm that should be an obvious NO!

Sent thru cyberspace by my Samsung Galaxy Note 2

 

[IAmSixNine]

No as well.

Plenty of places offer unlocking services. Most are pretty cheap. IF the guy can afford mail forwarding and an iPhone 5 then he can buy a code.

 

[jblaze38]

You can request it from AT&T. Once he connects it to iTunes it will unlock. No need for you to provide your SS#.

Mr. Big

 

[androidluvr2]

"Hello from Russia! I finally got my hands on the Iphone 5 (thanks to mail forwading services) to find out I cannot use it here without your help, my fault, i know. I want to request a device unlock at AT&T website, could you please give me your first name, last name, e-mail adress and last 4 of your SSN? Your help will be much, much appreciated!
Thank you!"

I am not sure what to do.

Really, you are not sure what to do? Come on, not to be harsh but this is a no-brainer. The answer is no, I cannot give you that information. He would be able to access your ATT account via phone if had that info and could reset your password via phone and otherwise cause you trouble if he had that info.

When I sold the phone the address for the buyer was in PA, but they are really in Russia???

He said he used a mail forwarding service. That is not uncommon for international buyers. However, you are not responsible for the condition of the device once it is accepted at the shipping destination that you shipped it to.

Did you advertise the device as unlocked or as an ATT device?

 

[androidluvr2]

You can request it from AT&T. Once he connects it to iTunes it will unlock. No need for you to provide your SS#.

On Verizon, they make you have the phone active on your account before they will do the unlock. Perhaps ATT is different.

 

[Jnorton2724]

Don't give him that information.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Jude526]

Definitely NOT ! I would also notify eBay that a buyer is trying to get info from you. This person clearly is trying to pull something on you. Don't give into it.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note2

 

[dhughes]

I just wanted some other opinions. I am not going to give out the information they are asking for. I did read on some other websites that said this is a common issue for phones sold on ebay, because they are locked via the IEMI to your account and can not be activated by anyone who purchases them for some reason. There is a page on AT&T's website that allows for unlocking of phones, but I am not sure what all it entails. I am going to contact Ebay and see what they say.

When I listed the phone on Ebay I listed it as an AT&T phone, and said nothing about it being unlocked. I also had it listed as US shipping only, so I was unaware this person was in Russia till just today when they sent me a message.

Thank you everyone for the assistance.

 

[androidluvr2]

There is a page on AT&T's website that allows for unlocking of phones, but I am not sure what all it entails. I am going to contact Ebay and see what they say.

Contact ATT, too. You may be able to get them to unlock it without having it active on a line. Just tell them what happened. ATT is actually happy for you to send their phones out of the country because it means they can't be used on Tmobile here in the US.

When I listed the phone on Ebay I listed it as an AT&T phone, and said nothing about it being unlocked.

Remind the buyer of that. It is his job now to figure out how to unlock it, not yours.

I also had it listed as US shipping only, so I was unaware this person was in Russia till just today when they sent me a message.

How much were your paypal fees? If they were 4% instead of 3% then you know they used US dollars but a non-US paypal account to pay. Also check the paypal transaction email. What did it say?

 

[Jennifer Stough]

It is wise not to release that information. I know the feeling of wanting to help, but they should have researched how to get a US phone to work globally before purchasing internationally. You upheld your end of the deal. Contact att and see if they can help, but if not, don't feel responsible for it.

Sent from my Verizon Droid DNA

 

[ddot196]

Never give any of your social out. Russia? He'll probably use it or sell it to someone for a profit.

 

[cgardnervt]

Never give a SSN to anyone.

 

[VDub2174]

Remind the buyer of that. It is his job now to figure out how to unlock it, not yours.

^^ This.

The buyer asked you to ship to a PA address and you did. You said you never mentioned that the phone was unlocked and if he wants to unlock it, it's on him to do so without your help.

 

[Jon_Doh]

Absolutely not. He intends to steal your identity. He doesn't need your SS to get the phone unlocked. FCC rules dictate that a carrier has to unlock the phone if it is paid for. If he is in fact out of the country then having your SS won't help. He has to go another route.

 

[05GT]

He can get that phone unlocked on ebay for $2. Do not release any more information to that clown.

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[aokusman1]

I know this is an android forum, but that is all I subscribe to. I am not a member of any apple forums. Anyway maybe someone can help me.

I sold my wife's used Iphone 5 on eBay because she wanted to get the GS3. The iPhone sold in Feb of 2012, the buyer paid on time, I shipped it out on time, and everything was good. Now two months later the buyer emails me and says the following:

"Hello from Russia! I finally got my hands on the Iphone 5 (thanks to mail forwading services) to find out I cannot use it here without your help, my fault, i know. I want to request a device unlock at AT&T website, could you please give me your first name, last name, e-mail adress and last 4 of your SSN? Your help will be much, much appreciated!
Thank you!"

I am not sure what to do. When I sold the phone the address for the buyer was in PA, but they are really in Russia??? I do not feel comfortable giving them the infoormation they are asking for, what do you all recommend?

It's amazing that you are not sure what to do. What to do is nothing, end of story. He can get an unlock on eBay.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[krisguy]

There is nothing more to do. If you wanted to unlock that phone, you would have had to call AT&T beforehand. You didn't, you didn't say it was unlocked. End of story.

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