About to grab a used Verizon Note 4...Any issues I should check for?

[bubbarob1978]

As the title states, looking at a 6 month old Verizon Note 4 to purchase. Any major issues I should check for when I meet up with the seller? I plan to drop my SIM in it and make sure it activates but are there any major known issues with the Verizon version?

Thanks,

Rob

 

[Laura Knotek]

The main thing to look out for is if the MEID is clean. The device could be blacklisted if he didn't pay his bill, or if he reported it lost or stolen. I would suggest that you meet him at a Verizon store (corporate, not authorized reseller) so that they can confirm that the MEID is clean (no money owed and no report of lost/stolen device).

 

[bubbarob1978]

Thanks for the info, I had thought about that as well. What's to stop her from calling and reporting it stolen after I purchase it, even if I put my SIM in it during the sale? Is that not possible once it's on my account? Couldn't the same thing be done if we meet in a store and later she called to report it stolen?

I was also thinking more along the lines of any hardware or screen/signal issues I should be aware of?

Thanks again,

Rob

 

[justabrake]

All good points !

 

[natehoy]

Thanks for the info, I had thought about that as well. What's to stop her from calling and reporting it stolen after I purchase it, even if I put my SIM in it during the sale? Is that not possible once it's on my account? Couldn't the same thing be done if we meet in a store and later she called to report it stolen?

I was also thinking more along the lines of any hardware or screen/signal issues I should be aware of?

Thanks again,

Rob

I suppose it's possible that the seller could call Verizon and report the phone as stolen after you buy it, but if you go to the store with the seller present and the Verizon rep adds it to your account the chances of them succeeding are pretty minimal. If Verizon's records show the phone on your account and off theirs, then it's kinda unlikely they could report it. Not even sure why they would want to, honestly.

You could get some small measure of extra assurance by getting a signed bill of sale with the IMEI printed on it, because you can then take that letter into the Verizon corporate store and say it is your phone.

As far as signal and whatnot, I don't think there are any major reported issues with the Verizon variant. You could request the ability to check it out at the store, but you'll only be able to do a cursory test. Such is the nature of buying used, though. At least the battery is replaceable cheaply, so there's that.

 

[Kjthomas0724]

Check the camera. It might sound silly but a bunch of Note 4s had issues with the camera focusing correctly.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[anon(5719825)]

Check the camera. It might sound silly but a bunch of Note 4s had issues with the camera focusing correctly.

Posted via the Android Central App

My T-Mobile Note 4 had that problem. After several months, it fixed itself and hasn't happened in five months now.

 

[natehoy]

Check the camera. It might sound silly but a bunch of Note 4s had issues with the camera focusing correctly.

Posted via the Android Central App

Good point, I remember all the posts about that issue. That's easy to check out during a brief inspection, too - just take a bunch of pictures of the store.

 

[Kjthomas0724]

My T-Mobile Note 4 had that problem. After several months, it fixed itself and hasn't happened in five months now.

My first note 4 had the camera problem. I ended up having to have it replaced. It wouldn't focus no matter what I did.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[bubbarob1978]

Thanks all. The phone actually had a ton of issues including screen burn in and some dents and dings. I did grab it from the buyer for next to nothing as a result of the defects. I'm giving it a try to see if I like it. Then I'll grab one in better shape in the future.

So far just has killer battery drain which I've found many things to try to fix it. No camera or signal issues.

Rob