I submitted an offer for an iPhone on eBay that was listed as unopened and brand new. I received the following message from the seller. I have never heard of such a thing. At first glance it seems shady. Anyone ever see this or deal with it before?
“but i want to first inform you that the phone may have a phone number come with it along with delayed text messages from that number. I assure you the phone is brand new, unused, and works with cricket service. The number that comes on the device can be replaced when you input your E-SIM settings when you go throught the phone setup process. Or when you factory erase it, it will allow you to put your E-SIM settings. Please confirm you are okay with this and I will accept your offer”
That’s not just shady, that’s a full eclipse.
Yeah, no. I can’t think of a reason why an actual factory-new phone would already have a number and people texting it.
Could he be selling returned “new” phones?
I can, and can think of some examples from when I was a T-Mobile tech support agent. And it may not technically be a scam, but the results are likely the same.
You and your friends/roomates/etc. join a carrier to get a “Free phone” with signup. Nothing wrong so far. That phone is normally activated NIB (New in box) with a new or current number. Then, all of you friends laugh at the getting the free phone and switch back to your old carrier or use a pre-paid SIM or what have you on your old phones, sell the new ones for a profit!
EXCEPT. That “free phone” is only free for values of free. It’s actually often a zero-down pay phone on a monthly installment plan. As long as the account is in good standing, you get a monthly credit each month for 24 months equal to the monthly purchase payment on the phone.
If you cancel the account early, you still owe the full value of the phone WITHOUT any of those future monthly credits. Which means generally 1-3 months later, the phone is IMEI locked as a “lost/stolen” phone, and the new purchaser on EBay may be out of luck depending on the time frame. And of course, the phone may well be carrier locked, since such phones sold through carriers don’t normally unlock until paid off.
I had one of those come up at least twice a month, sometimes more.
Good info, thanks! I already declined the purchase, but it’s good to figure out what the scam may have been.
Glad to hear it. And give yourself credit for realizing that there was something rotten in the deal!
Yeah…