Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Bought a stolen iphone.
- Thread starter phantoms
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Reporting a phone stolen when it's not is most likely fraud if someone tries to benefit from it, it's wasting police time (an offence in the UK), it's falsely accusing someone of a crime if someone gets accused (another crime), and worst case it's "perverting the course of justice" which carries a sentence of a few years if someone goes to court because of a false accusation.
You'd be surprised how little cops will do in some jurisdictions (especially if there's no immediate danger).
You should definitely contact the police and let them know the situation, and that they have made vague threats about coming to your house. The police can get a subpoena to get the ATT phone records and find out their information. I think it is worth it in this case to be overcautious.
With no proof what so ever? Seems a bit too good to be true that it would be that easy, especially considering all the cases of for example domestic violence where cops do uck fall despite proof and witnesses...
He has proof. Their threatening and harassing voicemails and text messages to him is proof.
And cops can pull up their name and address from the phone number they are using to contact him.
Either way if the more he ignores them the more pushy and threatening they get then its a good idea to get the police involved.
If the OP is to be believed, he has already contacted the police but they won't do anything without their full names. If it's a true CL transaction, they do not know where he lives so it's pretty much an empty threat.
Dude I am glad you posted here. This sounds like a scam. If I were you, before doing anything I would check up on it first. It sounded fishy to me.
There seem to be lots of scams going around, I think its because of the Christmas season. The other day my friend told me that her grandmother got a call out of the blue saying that her grandson was in the hospital and now he is in jail and they need money to bail him out...Being older she didn't know what to think. Thank god she tried phoning her grandson and he called her back to say he was fine.
Be careful. Think about it, if this was their phone, they would probably want their phone back, and not the difference in cash.
There seem to be lots of scams going around, I think its because of the Christmas season. The other day my friend told me that her grandmother got a call out of the blue saying that her grandson was in the hospital and now he is in jail and they need money to bail him out...Being older she didn't know what to think. Thank god she tried phoning her grandson and he called her back to say he was fine.
Be careful. Think about it, if this was their phone, they would probably want their phone back, and not the difference in cash.
This is 100% nothing more then a scam. Period.
If my phone had been stolen like this - I would NOT be ringing the current owner asking for more money etc. I would contact the police and let them deal with it completely. The seller shouldnt be doing any detective work whatsoever.
To date, the police havent contacted you at all - just this 'seller'. Again sounds dodgy.
At this point the worst that can happen is the seller reports the phone lost (did you get any kind of receipt etc by any chance?), in which case the IMEI number could possibly be blocked by the carrier (which is why I never buy phones this way).
I would either continue to ignore the calls and messages, or answer and politely ask the seller to meet you at the police station, along with this detective that is apparently working on the case.
If my phone had been stolen like this - I would NOT be ringing the current owner asking for more money etc. I would contact the police and let them deal with it completely. The seller shouldnt be doing any detective work whatsoever.
To date, the police havent contacted you at all - just this 'seller'. Again sounds dodgy.
At this point the worst that can happen is the seller reports the phone lost (did you get any kind of receipt etc by any chance?), in which case the IMEI number could possibly be blocked by the carrier (which is why I never buy phones this way).
I would either continue to ignore the calls and messages, or answer and politely ask the seller to meet you at the police station, along with this detective that is apparently working on the case.
I would call Matlock. Have you SEEN his documentaries? He always sorts these things out and gets one of those great "Ah-HA" moments with the bad guys. He'll find the kidnappers and maybe even loan you a powder blue suit!
And rats! Kidnappers?! I hate those guys (and gals). Always ruining the Apple "experience". I bet kidnappers are behind "scuffgate" too.
But back to the main point: Matlock. You need Matlock.
Problem solved.
/thread
And rats! Kidnappers?! I hate those guys (and gals). Always ruining the Apple "experience". I bet kidnappers are behind "scuffgate" too.
But back to the main point: Matlock. You need Matlock.
Problem solved.
/thread
Well I would think that the "owner", seller and scammer are all the same person playing different roles in this trick play.
Update sorry guys busy week.
Last Saturday I filed the police report. They said theirs nothing they can do unless they show up and confront me or something. The last time they contacted me was the next day I guess they gave up finally. They said they were going to report the phone stolen to att. So it would be blacklisted. So just to be safe I am using my old iphone 4 for the time being. Reason is from what I understand is that if you are using a phone and it is blacklisted it also blocks your sim. I am just trying to be safe as I need my phone and can't have it blocked for any long period of time with work. So I have been checking the sites that check the imei for being blacklisted and so far it is still clean. Does anyone know how long it would take for a phone to be added to the blacklist? I tried googling it and had no luck except for overseas. I doubt and obviously hope it doesn't make the blacklist. But I'm not sure it is instant or not that's why I am still not using it for the time being.
Thanks again for all the advice everyone.
Last Saturday I filed the police report. They said theirs nothing they can do unless they show up and confront me or something. The last time they contacted me was the next day I guess they gave up finally. They said they were going to report the phone stolen to att. So it would be blacklisted. So just to be safe I am using my old iphone 4 for the time being. Reason is from what I understand is that if you are using a phone and it is blacklisted it also blocks your sim. I am just trying to be safe as I need my phone and can't have it blocked for any long period of time with work. So I have been checking the sites that check the imei for being blacklisted and so far it is still clean. Does anyone know how long it would take for a phone to be added to the blacklist? I tried googling it and had no luck except for overseas. I doubt and obviously hope it doesn't make the blacklist. But I'm not sure it is instant or not that's why I am still not using it for the time being.
Thanks again for all the advice everyone.
Not surprised there's not much the police can do but there's no reason not to use it. They're instilling way too much FUD in you and you're falling for it.
They do turn off your sim but all you gotta do is call AT&T back and tell them you didn't know that the phone was stolen and put the sim in another phone and they will enable your sim again.
Its only a few minute phone call.