For anyone who buys used smart phones off Craigslist.

[itsrayray]

www.androidpolice.com/2012/03/16/ne...ut-the-status-of-a-phones-esn-with-pocketesn/


I have not tested this or are affiliated with it in any way. Just seems promising so i thought i would share.

Sent from your mom's phone.

 

[LeslieAnn]

DO NOT TRUST THIS.
These tools are good for obviously bad esn's, but do not trust a good esn.


What is happening is this:
Say I sell you the phone attached to my account, you run the ESN, it shows good.
You pay me, and I call and cancel my account.
When you get to Sprint to have it activated, my account shows terminated, and that I owe an early termination fee or I report it stolen to get the insurance. Either way the phone is now locked with a bad ESN and you are stuck.


If you want to buy a phone, run the ESN, but you still need to meet them at the store and have them remove the phone from their account BEFORE you pay them. For VM phones you need to have them remove it from their account or transfer it to yours before you pay them.

 

[kwknott]

DO NOT TRUST THIS.
These tools are good for obviously bad esn's, but do not trust a good esn.


What is happening is this:
Say I sell you the phone attached to my account, you run the ESN, it shows good.
You pay me, and I call and cancel my account.
When you get to Sprint to have it activated, my account shows terminated, and that I owe an early termination fee or I report it stolen to get the insurance. Either way the phone is now locked with a bad ESN and you are stuck.


If you want to buy a phone, run the ESN, but you still need to meet them at the store and have them remove the phone from their account BEFORE you pay them. For VM phones you need to have them remove it from their account or transfer it to yours before you pay them.

Yep agreed. My wife bought an Optimus V from a family friend but he never removed it from the account. Instead he just let the account lapse but that kept the phone tied to the account. They WOULD NOT let us activate it until we could provide his phone number and pin number. Luckily we knew him and got the info easily but if you bought one from a stranger then you might not be lucky enough to get the info

 

[itsrayray]

Well hell, at least you can ask for the esn so you can see if the phone is worth the drive.

Sent from your mom's phone.

 

[mknollman123]

I have actually called the provider with the number and told them the situation - then i have had the cell provider themself tell me the exact process to make it work. I have done this as both a buyer and seller - hasnt failed me yet. I always end the conversation with - "So there is nothing else I need to do to get this phone to activate on another account?" - once the answer is a simple No with not qualifying statements you are golden - but do this BEFORE you drop the cash.

 

[LeslieAnn]

The problem with what you are saying is that the person you speak to is only telling you that the phone is CURRENTLY clear.

They are not telling you if the phone is attached to an account that is still on a contract that could be closed as soon as you drive away with the phone.

 

[itsrayray]

The problem with what you are saying is that the person you speak to is only telling you that the phone is CURRENTLY clear.

They are not telling you if the phone is attached to an account that is still on a contract that could be closed as soon as you drive away with the phone.

I meant you can see if the esn is clear and go from there. As in, i call the dude, and its clear then we can go to step 2. Is there a plan, or go to a store to deattach the phone from account.

Sent from your mom's phone.

 

[LeslieAnn]

I meant you can see if the esn is clear and go from there. As in, i call the dude, and its clear then we can go to step 2. Is there a plan, or go to a store to deattach the phone from account.

Sent from your mom's phone.

No, yours made sense, and I completely agree.
It was Mknollman123's post I was replying to.

 

[itsrayray]

No, yours made sense, and I completely agree.
It was Mknollman123's post I was replying to.

oh sort I'm reaaaaaaly inrebriated.

Sent from your mom's phone.