Buying a phone on eBay

[regression]

I am looking to buy a phone off eBay or Craigs List. I see lots of phones listed as bad esn. I assume that means I will not be able to activate it. So, why do people buy phones with bad esns? Is it to just use as a wifi only device?

 

[Sykotc]

I am looking to buy a phone off eBay or Craigs List. I see lots of phones listed as bad esn. I assume that means I will not be able to activate it. So, why do people buy phones with bad esns? Is it to just use as a wifi only device?

Phones with bad esn's can be flashed to metro & crickett

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[enjamin]

My understanding is yes on the wifi only deal but then I know a few guys that will buy them for the extra parts. Screens, casing, boards, qwerty kbs,
Once its listed as bad esn its the same as buying a stolen phone although this can also happen when someone neglects to pay their bill and the company drops them as a customer

I know a lot of hardware guys and we work with sodering irons a lot so get bored and try to do dumb things
My platoon sgt still uses a moto razor v3.2.... on his 5th screen and once we were bored so we soldered 2 pentium4 boards with processors and ram and got them to run parrelel and blew it up a little later

Sent from my LG-VM701 using Android Central Forums

 

[regression]

Thanks, I didn't realize that. Makes sense why I see so many phones with bad esns on there.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[enjamin]

.... unless it uses a sim card then your golden lol

Sent from my LG-VM701 using Android Central Forums

 

[GiantJay]

The thing about buying even a good phone on eBay or craigslist is that they could sell it to you with a good ESN then when you leave or a few days later can call the insurance and say it was stolen or lost and get a new phone sent to them and yours will be shut down, just a heads up I've heard this is a new scam some people do.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[regression]

The thing abut buying even a good phone on eBay or craigslist is that they could sell it to you with a good ESN then when you leave or a few days later can call the insurance and say it was stolen or lost and get a new phone sent to them and yours will be shut down, just a heads up I've heard this is a new scam some people do.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[jean15paul]

I've heard people recommend if you're buying a used phone from someone, to meet at a Sprint store and activate it on the spot before completing the transaction. I've never done this, but it seems like good advice.

 

[whatsitsname]

The thing about buying even a good phone on eBay or craigslist is that they could sell it to you with a good ESN then when you leave or a few days later can call the insurance and say it was stolen or lost and get a new phone sent to them and yours will be shut down, just a heads up I've heard this is a new scam some people do.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

This scam works on gsm phones, cdma (Sprint) phones not so much. You should be good to go on ebay with Sprint phones.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jude526]

If on ebay kook at the seller's rating. Choose someone who has been with ebay for a long time.
Regarding craigslist :if the seller refuses to meet you at a verizon store DO NOT deal with him/her. Not meeting you at a corporate store is clear indication not a good deal.

sent from my Rezound