Do not buy NEW unsealed T mobile phones from ebay, craigslist, etc.

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This is apparently an ongoing scam especially inherent to T mobile devices as they most strictly adhere to blacklisted IMEIs.
While trying to buy a better quality smartphone on ebay for my existing t mobile plan, I kept refining the search criteria to NEW. I didn't want someone elses problem with a worn charging port, etc. I would get hundreds of hits for phones I wanted like the Note 3 and 4 yet virtually none of those listed as brand new actually came in sealed box. They all had descriptions like store demo, customer returns etc. Most sellers had like 98% feedback- usually complaining they weren't actually new. I started a discussion in ebay community with respondents saying whats the big deal, its always been buyer beware, check seller feedback, etc. But why so dodgey about condition? Then I found this thread:

Phone ends up with blocked IMEI # - The eBay Community

People are using fake/stolen identities, acquiring smartphones on 2 year plans then selling them on ebay as new or like new. It takes anywhere from 60 days to a year for T mobile to actually blacklist the phone, rendering it a brick. This is too late to leave bad feedback for the seller or get relief from paypal. (They recently extended protection to 180 days which may still not be long enough) and checking the IMEI at time of purchase is not going to reveal a problem.
There is no indication that other sites reselling phones (amazon, swappa) have any mechanism in place to prevent this. T mobile obviously doesnt care because they can sell more new phones and probably feel buyers of used were helping support fraud against them.
In conclusion I am glad I found out about this scam before I got burned and lowered my sights on a new phone, purchasing a new sealed galaxy S4 from walmart.com for $20O instead of the note 3/4 or Sony xperia z3 found "like new/unlocked" all over ebay for the same price.
Too good to be true as they say. I'm a little peeved ebay and other sites aren't doing more to make their customers aware of this.

 

[Almeuit]

This can happen with any phone that is bought on a payment plan at Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T. You have to ensure the IMEI is good and it is usually best practice to meet the seller at a store to have a rep ensure the phone isn't on a payment plan.

 

[jlarkins08]

Unfortunately for T-Mobile there is no way reps can tell if the device you bring in is on a CURRENT payment plan. Reps can only look up if the device has a block on it already.. I do agree not to buy off of eBay or Craigslist those sites or the worst when it comes to this sort of thing!

 

[Almeuit]

Unfortunately for T-Mobile there is no way reps can tell if the device you bring in is on a CURRENT payment plan. Reps can only look up if the device has a block on it already.. I do agree not to buy off of eBay or Craigslist those sites or the worst when it comes to this sort of thing!

This isn't true. My buddy sells / buys from CL all the time and refuses to do so if the seller won't go to the carrier store to check.

Also if you go here -- IMEI Status Check | See if Your Phone Works on T-Mobile 4G Network you can check. As you can see (below) that my phone says it is ready to be used on T-Mobile whereas my gf's iPhone says it is on a payment plan.

 

[jlarkins08]

This isn't true. My buddy sells / buys from CL all the time and refuses to do so if the seller won't go to the carrier store to check.

Also if you go here -- IMEI Status Check | See if Your Phone Works on T-Mobile 4G Network you can check. As you can see (below) that my phone says it is ready to be used on T-Mobile whereas my gf's iPhone says it is on a payment plan.

That message only appears when the phone is already blocked for none payment on the device.. There is no way the reps can tell if the device has a CURRENT installment plan active in store.. I know this because I am a rep for a corporate T-Mobile store.. If I look up my current imei with an installment plan in the system,there is no way of knowing in the system that I have an active installment on the device until I default on the payments! That's why it's saying outstanding balance the device is already blocked for none payment..

Update: Almeuit you are right! Sorry, this is news to me and I will update my coworkers on this! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Almeuit]

That message only appears when the phone is already blocked for none payment on the device.. There is no way the reps can tell if the device has a CURRENT installment plan active in store.. I know this because I am a rep for a corporate T-Mobile store.. If I look up my current imei with an installment plan in the system,there is no way of knowing in the system that I have an active installment on the device until I default on the payments! That's why it's saying outstanding balance the device is already blocked for none payment..

Update: Almeuit you are right! Sorry, this is news to me and I will update my coworkers on this! Thank you for sharing!

Glad I could help .

 

[boogas8]

This isn't true. My buddy sells / buys from CL all the time and refuses to do so if the seller won't go to the carrier store to check.

Also if you go here -- IMEI Status Check | See if Your Phone Works on T-Mobile 4G Network you can check. As you can see (below) that my phone says it is ready to be used on T-Mobile whereas my gf's iPhone says it is on a payment plan.

I just would like to highlight the fact he said his friend made sure the seller went to the store, as that is the very important to remember. A rep can see what is on a certain persons account. So of seller and buyer are together in store, reps can verify the device belonged to the seller and it is paid off. However if the seller is not there or the phone was not on the sellers account, then no, T-Mobile reps do not have a "guaranteed way" to tell unless it has been blocked. The website which everyone has access to is usually accurate, but every once in awhile it may be wrong.

(The following is opinion) People always wondered why you can't pay off blocked phones. You have to remember those were obtained through finance agreements and T-Mobile is not allowed to provide you information regarding someone else's agreement, which would mean how much is owed on the device. There for you can't pay on it. Not just that but think how much worse it would be if they let people pay off blocked phones, the amount off blocked phones sold online would be crazy.

Source: I was an employee for 3 years.

 

[Almeuit]

I just would like to highlight the fact he said his friend made sure the seller went to the store, as that is the very important to remember. A rep can see what is on a certain persons account. So of seller and buyer are together in store, reps can verify the device belonged to the seller and it is paid off. However if the seller is not there or the phone was not on the sellers account, then no, T-Mobile reps do not have a "guaranteed way" to tell unless it has been blocked. The website which everyone has access to is usually accurate, but every once in awhile it may be wrong.

(The following is opinion) People always wondered why you can't pay off blocked phones. You have to remember those were obtained through finance agreements and T-Mobile is not allowed to provide you information regarding someone else's agreement, which would mean how much is owed on the device. There for you can't pay on it. Not just that but think how much worse it would be if they let people pay off blocked phones, the amount off blocked phones sold online would be crazy.

Source: I was an employee for 3 years.

My buddy sells / buys from CL a ton and never runs into the issue. He is easily able to see if someone was trying to sell a phone they didn't actually own.

As for the OP... he says his friend went and made sure but it sounds like his friend may have not done the proper steps.

 

[boogas8]

My buddy sells / buys from CL a ton and never runs into the issue. He is easily able to see if someone was trying to sell a phone they didn't actually own.

As for the OP... he says his friend went and made sure but it sounds like his friend may have not done the proper steps.

I'm not trying to argue with you. I just wanted to clarify that point. As a rep I know the majority of the time it worked but I did have it happen once or twice where the site was wrong. From what i read your buddy is doing all the proper steps to cover himself. I was speaking more in general to make sure people have a full understanding, as I'm tired of seeing things like this happen to people. I hated it as an employee as well.

Also the more you sell the wiser you get.

 

[Almeuit]

I'm not trying to argue with you. I just wanted to clarify that point. As a rep I know the majority of the time it worked but I did a it happen once or twice where the site was wrong. From what o read your buddy is doing all the proper steps to cover himself. I was speaking more in general to make sure people have a full understanding, as I'm tired of seeing things like this happen to people. I hated it as an employee as well.

Also the more you sell the wiser you get.

Well you said you were a rep -- how long ago may I ask? Back when you were a rep it could have been different. I would find it hard pressed that carriers don't have some kind of system to tell if a phone is currently on a payment plan since they literally all do it now. Also I find it hard to believe since my buddy has done it flawlessly every time without running into this issue once.

 

[boogas8]

Well you said you were a rep -- how long ago may I ask? Back when you were a rep it could have been different. I would find it hard pressed that carriers don't have some kind of system to tell if a phone is currently on a payment plan since they literally all do it now. Also I find it hard to believe since my buddy has done it flawlessly every time without running into this issue once.

I quit two months ago.

 

[boogas8]

Well you said you were a rep -- how long ago may I ask? Back when you were a rep it could have been different. I would find it hard pressed that carriers don't have some kind of system to tell if a phone is currently on a payment plan since they literally all do it now. Also I find it hard to believe since my buddy has done it flawlessly every time without running into this issue once.

I know T-Mobile does have a system but at the store level we have no access to it and have no way to speak with anyone who does.

Trust me as a rep it sucks. Because most of the time the people that got burned were just your everyday person trying to save money and make a living. I hated having to explain this to them.

You keep referring to your buddy but remember the key thing he does, is have the seller go into the store. If the seller is there reps can just open the sellers account and see all device history. Like I said your buddy is doing it the right way.

 

[Almeuit]

I know T-Mobile does have a system but at the store level we have no access to it and have to way to speak with anyone who does.

Huh? If it isn't available in store usually any T-Mobile rep I have dealt with simply calls the T-Mobile Help Desk and talks to them as an employee to get things done. I would figure it would be the same way.

 

[boogas8]

Huh? If it isn't available in store usually any T-Mobile rep I have dealt with simply calls the T-Mobile Help Desk and talks to them as an employee to get things done. I would figure it would be the same way.

There's many things at T-Mobile you'd think would be simple but in fact are not. The biggest thing is the systems we used are old and there at least 5 or 6 different software items we had to know how to use. They have spent the last one and a half years working on a whole new system that unifies everything. Maybe this problem will be fixed then.

Here's another example. POS systems on iPads. AT&T and Verizon have had it for years. In my last one and a half years T-Mobile wanted reps to use the tablets but most of the time they didn't work. This is after dozens of updates. You would think if Verizon and AT&T, along with thousands of companies can use iPads for POS, in one and a half years T-Mobile would have figured it out but they haven't yet.

I was one of the top reps in my region for three years straight. Whether you believe me or not does not matter at this point. Whether it's makes sense or not doesn't matter either. I have said the facts and people can take it or leave it.

 

[Almeuit]

There's many things at T-Mobile you'd think would be simple but in fact are not. The biggest thing is the systems we used are old and there at least 5 or 6 different software items we had to know how to use. They have spent the last one and a half years working on a whole new system that unifies everything. Maybe this problem will be fixed then.
I was one of the top reps in my region for three years straight. Whether you believe me or not does not matter at this point. Whether it's makes sense or not doesn't matter either. I have said the facts and people can take it or leave it.

I guess so -- I am simply just asking questions and you are taking it the wrong way I believe (as in saying facts don't matter ,etc. etc.). Nothing wrong with asking questions to clarify for people. I am just going off what my buddy goes through in my area -- Maybe the stores here have different access than yours? Who knows? Stuff can easily vary from store to store. The facts I have mentioned (such as him never running into an issue when buying one of his many phones since he is chronic .. and I mean chronic switcher) isn't any less of a fact than what you said. You don't live near me so the case can be different .. just like with cellular coverage.

 

[boogas8]

I guess so -- I am simply just asking questions and you are taking it the wrong way I believe (as in saying facts don't matter ,etc. etc.). Nothing wrong with asking questions to clarify for people. I am just going off what my buddy goes through in my area -- Maybe the stores here have different access than yours? Who knows? Stuff can easily vary from store to store. The facts I have mentioned (such as him never running into an issue when buying one of his many phones since he is chronic .. and I mean chronic switcher) isn't any less of a fact than what you said. You don't live near me so the case can be different .. just like with cellular coverage.

All corporate store have the same systems and access. If you were to go to a franchise store they have even less.

I'm sorry if I'm taking it in the wrong way but you just make it sound that as if the reps helping your buddy were using some special system to check the phones. When in reality they are just looking at the sellers account. As for the whole fact part, poor choice of words on my part.

All in all I wish more people would do it the way your buddy does, in order to save themselves for potential scams. Like I said it really bothered me to have to explain this to people, as most have a hard time understanding this unnecessarily difficult selling/buying process.

 

[Almeuit]

All corporate store have the same systems and access. If you were to go to a franchise store they have even less.

I'm sorry if I'm taking it in the wrong way but you just make it sound that as if the reps helping your buddy were using some special system to check the phones. When in reality they are just looking at the sellers account. As for the whole fact part, poor choice of words on my part.

All in all I wish more people would do it the way your buddy does, in order to save themselves for potential scams. Like I said it really bothered me to have to explain this to people, as most have a hard time understanding this unnecessarily difficult selling/buying process.

Agreed. I hate thieves and it sucks when people get scammed by them.