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Suspicious guy on ebay wants my information.

Zellio

Zellio

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 7, 2012
1,165
474
What do you guys make of this? I sold my iphone 5s gold, to some guy exactly one month, yesterday I get this:


Do you have the IMEI number from the phone I purchased from you? It activated on your number and is asking for the last four of the original owners social and the zip code to get past the lock screen. What is your area code? I have the full phone number. Get back to me asap please. Vinny

So I called verizon about this issue (Also notice that my account was locked, has to reset stuff), and they told me in the end he needs a new sim card. So I tell him that.

Today he sends me this message:

Because you didn't unseal it and activate it first and agree to the terms and conditions of the upgrade that you used
it automatically activates on your account. Get me the IMEI then you will have to call Verizon and give me the zip code
and last four of the social.

What do you think of this? I've already reported this guy to ebay. Verizon told me this guy only needs a new sim card (And not my account information so he can log in!)
 
Last edited:
jasonxneo

jasonxneo

macrumors regular
Sep 7, 2010
149
43
Ozone Park, New York
Yes, I would give it to him. If its only the last 4 of the social it shouldn't be a big deal considering he spent a couple hundred to buy the phone from you in the first place.
 
Squilly

Squilly

macrumors 68020
Nov 17, 2012
2,260
4
PA
jasonxneo said:
Yes, I would give it to him. If its only the last 4 of the social it shouldn't be a big deal considering he spent a couple hundred to buy the phone from you in the first place.
Click to expand...

Absolutely not. Giving any portion of your social is a huge red flag. It can be used to verify your account if you "forgot your password" or something.
 
Erendiox

Erendiox

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2004
706
12
Brooklyn NY
Squilly said:
Absolutely not. Giving any portion of your social is a huge red flag. It can be used to verify your account if you "forgot your password" or something.
Click to expand...

Somehow I doubt he went through all this trouble, spent all that money, then waited a month, just to steal the last four digits of someone's social.

I would go ahead and help the guy out - it seems like he's good intentioned.
 
question fear

question fear

macrumors 68020
Apr 10, 2003
2,277
84
The "Garden" state
That makes no sense. He needs a new SIM, he should remove the SIM that's in the phone and then install one registered to him.

I've bought Verizon LTE phones on ebay (not iphones, but still) and just popped my SIM into the phone to activate it on my account.

I have never activated a phone and been asked by the phone for any of the numbers of my social.
 
zioxide

zioxide

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2006
5,737
3,726
Erendiox said:
Somehow I doubt he went through all this trouble, spent all that money, then waited a month, just to steal the last four digits of someone's social.

I would go ahead and help the guy out - it seems like he's good intentioned.
Click to expand...

Sorry but no way in hell he should give out that info to anyone online EVER.

This is like textbook out of the online scam/phishing book.
 
Zellio

Zellio

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 7, 2012
1,165
474
Kilamite said:
Did you send him the phone with your SIM card in it?!
Click to expand...

It was brand new (still sealed) , but nowadays if you buy a brand new device from a carrier it comes with your phone information preinstalled on the sim card, waiting for you to activate. I didn't know that.
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Also, I've never been asked for such information on my iPhone when activating before. Is this new in iOS 7?

Or is this only displayed if you try to activate on a different SIM card on the same carrier to what the phone was expecting?
 
0007776

0007776

Suspended
Jul 11, 2006
6,473
8,170
Somewhere
Erendiox said:
Somehow I doubt he went through all this trouble, spent all that money, then waited a month, just to steal the last four digits of someone's social.

I would go ahead and help the guy out - it seems like he's good intentioned.
Click to expand...

Even if he has good intentions Verizon is saying the guy just needs a new SIM. I'd say it's 50-50 if he's trying to scam the OP vs just being naive, but either way I wouldn't give out that information, just tell him to take it to Verizon and get a new sim.
 
Huntn

Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,456
26,580
The Misty Mountains
question fear said:
That makes no sense. He needs a new SIM, he should remove the SIM that's in the phone and then install one registered to him.

I've bought Verizon LTE phones on ebay (not iphones, but still) and just popped my SIM into the phone to activate it on my account.

I have never activated a phone and been asked by the phone for any of the numbers of my social.
Click to expand...

I'm not an expert, but if he needs a new SIM card, it sounds like he should buy one and activate on his own account. I would not give him info so he can use something registered to the OP.. Definitely not the last 4.
 
Shrink

Shrink

macrumors G3
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,727
New England, USA
Erendiox said:
Somehow I doubt he went through all this trouble, spent all that money, then waited a month, just to steal the last four digits of someone's social.

I would go ahead and help the guy out - it seems like he's good intentioned.
Click to expand...

Surely you jest!:eek:

You can tell the character of an individual from their 'net persona!?

I wouldn't give out one number in my SS number, and suggest OP not give the information.
 
Astroboy907

Astroboy907

macrumors 65816
May 6, 2012
1,387
14
Spaceball One
Have him talk to Verizon. Also ask Verizon your self if he needs the last 4 digits. Sounds pretty sketchy to me, but I've never done this before... Make sure to ask Verizon if he needs to have that info. Perhaps he is misinformed and needs the last 4 of the CC used to purchase? Someone please tell me if I'm misinformed as well :D
 
Zellio

Zellio

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 7, 2012
1,165
474
Verizon told me themselves he needs a new sim card and not to give him this information. That's one of the reasons why I alerted ebay on this scammer.

This topic wasn't a question of 'should I get my Verizon account stolen' as much as it's 'how do I deal with an ebay scammer'. You know how ebay sides with buyers should he try something :rolleyes:

I suppose the guy could be naive, but he sells WAY too many phones himself to be.
 
lelisa13p

lelisa13p

macrumors 68000
Mar 6, 2009
1,946
47
Atlanta, GA USA
When I activated my new AT&T iPhone 5 in September 2012, purchased online from the Apple Store, the activation process did indeed ask for me to enter the last 4 digits of my SS#. That was to verify the iPhone with my AT&T account, which was used to subsidize purchase cost.

Your buyer needs to go to his own provider & get a SIM that will be registered to him. He doesn't need your info because he's not going to be using your account. Tell him politely but firmly.
 
Mac'nCheese

Mac'nCheese

Suspended
Feb 9, 2010
3,752
5,108
Are people actually arguing over this? Give a complete stranger the last four numbers of your SSN?!?! Unbelievable.
 
ravenvii

ravenvii

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,585
492
Melenkurion Skyweir
Mac'nCheese said:
Are people actually arguing over this? Give a complete stranger the last four numbers of your SSN?!?! Unbelievable.
Click to expand...

This. I LOL'd at the first poster to say "go ahead, it's no big deal" thinking it's sarcasm.

Then…

Squilly actually showed more sense than some of you in this thread. Squilly!
 
MICHAELSD

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,412
3,407
NJ
He's right. The phone really does require this if you bought it with a contract even with a new SIM.
 
Zellio

Zellio

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 7, 2012
1,165
474
MICHAELSD said:
He's right. The phone really does require this if you bought it with a contract even with a new SIM.
Click to expand...

Don't lie. I've bought phones on ebay before and simply put my sim card in them.
 
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