Note 4 - IMEI blocked - seller won't respond. What are my options?

[adic27]

i bought a note 4 on ebay last year and almost a year later it gets blocked by tmobile. turns out the previous owner never finished paying for the phone and the only way to get the phone pack on is to pay the due balance. the problem is the seller closed his/her ebay account so i cant contact them. all i have is their email address which im sure they wont answer. they closed their account a short while after i contacted them to get a partial refund because the phones camera had a focus issue. the seller admitted they knew about this although they didnt bother to mention it in the listing. ebay nor paypal didn't grant me with the refund and said to ship the item back for a full refund but i wanted to keep the phone so they just closed the claim case that i filed. im trying to figure out what i can do. ebay suggested i file a complaint on some third party FBI site and im looking to do that but i was just wondering if there is a way to use my note 4 with another carrier

thanks

 

[Almeuit]

Re: phone blocked from tmobile network

Unfortunately there isn't much you can really do. Once the IMEI gets blacklisted the owner must pay off the phone in order to get it taken off that blacklist. The blacklist is shared among carriers as well so it would be blocked anywhere.

The only change you have (which may be a long shot) is to call T-Mobile about the phone and see if they will let you pay off the balance to see if you can get it off this blacklist. Otherwise you may be able to sell the phone to someone for parts and then have to buy a new phone.

 

[dpham00]

You are young to have to return the phone for a refund. You cannot force the seller to pay off his phone.

 

[natehoy]

Your best bet is to go into a T-Mobile store and explain very politely that you'd really like to keep giving them money in return for their services like you have been for the last year with this exact same phone, but that you are not willing or able to pay off someone else's bill in order to continue giving them money in return for their services.

It's funny, Verizon is known for being the worst about things like this, but I picked up a used Jetpack from a friend who I knew had an outstanding balance. I went to the store to get it activated on a 2GB/2 month prepaid plan. I was up front with the rep about it having been once on a postpaid plan that I was pretty sure had a balance. Sales rep looked at me like I had two heads and said, "how is that your problem? Hardware's perfectly good, no sense throwing it away. Gimme a sec to get you a prepaid SIM and wipe this thing clean for you" and I walked out of the shop with an activated Jetpack registered to a prepaid card in 10 minutes. Total outlay $38 including taxes.

Go into a T-Mobile corporate store and explain the situation. If they decide that trying to punish you for buying a phone from a deadbeat is more important than a continued relationship with you where you give them money in return for services, then I guess you have a decision to make.

You can easily sell the phone with a clear conscience as long as you make it very clear that the IMEI is not clean, and that it would have to be used as a tablet or WiFi-only device. Admittedly you probably won't get a lot for it, but it'd make one heck of a nice tablet for someone.

 

[adic27]

great response! i thought about selling it as you mentioned but not about going to a t mobile store. i think i just might do that. i post back after.

thanks