[hailfire]

I recently bought an LG G3 off a guy on craigslist. He told me it was used however he switched to a different plan. I know I'm really stupid, but I bought the phone without checking the ESN. I got home and there was no connection to the phone and I could not activate it. I texted my seller and told him the story. He told me that he would fix things up and after 15-20 minutes, I started to get connection bars on the phone. I have a different phone number on it and multiple numbers have texted me, but I can't read the message. Is it possible that he just did not completely disconnect the phone? I can not make calls or texts with it, but I do see that I am getting connection. Does a bad esn still mean you can get connection on the phone?

[hawkwind212]

Is this a jail break phone? I. E. You can use any mobile provider. Also, have you tried to turn the phone on using your own plan?

Sent from my LG-E980

[hailfire]

I can't activate this phone because it has another phone number on it. I don't think he stole it, since he gave me the box and everything included with it. So the dilemma is whether or not I should wait for him to fix the phone, or to just sell it as a bad esn.

[Rukbat]

You activate it by asking your carrier to switch your equipment to the ESN of the new phone. Then after a while (it could be hours if you call, they'll usually make sure it switches while you wait if you bring it in), it'll be on your number and it'll work. If they check it and it's blacklisted (bad ESN), you have legal recourse against the guy you bought it from. (He faces a "sale of stolen property" charge, in addition to fraud and larceny charges. With those things against him, he'd be likely to give you back enough money to buy a new phone from the carrier.)

But I don't think it's a bad ESN problem, I think you just didn't have your carrier do an equipment swap to the new phone. As far as their database is concerned, that ESN is still connected to his number. He can't change it - you have to (by calling them or going in).

BTW, ALL Craig's List cellphone sales should take place at the carrier's store, so they can register the ESN to you at the time of sale. (That way he can't claim, next week, that the phone was stolen, keep your money and get a new phone for the copay on his insurance - leaving you with a useless phone. I'm not saying this is what happened, but it's a common thing on Craig's List, so anyone buying a phone there should be aware.)