So, believe it or not, I was one of the first three people on the release date for the iPhone 5S and camped out to become my initiation into the Apple iPhone series. I'm a first-time iPhone user (fmr. Android), so I was happy to upgrade to an iPhone, especially being the latest one. I bought the factory unlocked 64 version on t-mobile.
Unfortunately, I had it stolen in a room with other people. I didn't precisely see it happen when I moved around in the room, but I realized it was missing right after everyone left and there were a bunch of warning signs that it happened. Unfortunately, found out too late to catch the possible people who could've nabbed it. Before I called LE and right after it was gone, I had the phone called immediately and went right to voice mail. Pinged FMI and it was offline, still have not gotten a notification of it found yet. This was immediately after the event as I had my laptop on me and the iPhone had half the battery, so it didn't just randomly die. I know they were experienced because they turned it right off.
Lesson learned, get a phone holster on your belt (no matter how tacky it looks) and strictly keep it in there when you're not using it. And if you suspect it's lost, assume it's stolen and immediately call LE. Get the people that were with you to stop and look for it while LE comes, and if one of them runs off, it's obvious. Backtrack and just be generally aware to know who was last around you, where people are in the room, etc. The LE have a job for a reason and get them there to apprehend the suspects. If it's just lost, that's fine, better safe than sound when you are dealing with hundreds of dollars. And if it occurs and you know the suspect, call LE and have them chased, call the carrier, and immediately FMI pinging it. Always have location and data services on and a decent charge. Consider pursuing criminal charges on the LE reports and, when positively identified, file civil suits for respective losses undergone that are which legally available in your jurisdiction to burn these pieces of trash, scum-of-the-earth. In some jurisdictions, stealing and selling items of this value will get you a felony. Make these filthy criminals burn and get a record and some jail time. This business is hot because people aren't doing ANYTHING about it. So DO something. Since this stuff is probably small-to-medium claim type stuff, you could do the filing without an attorney, although I recommend consulting with one prior to any legal action. I bought this with real money, legally paid for, not stealing from anyone, while working at my job and they just grab it all right from me. That's unacceptable and no one should take that AT ALL.
Additionally, if you are buying and suspect the seller is criminal or is selling stolen items unknowingly, contact LE, get their descrip., ID, license plate, etc. during sales. Consider bill of sales for purchases to protect yourselves in the event you accidentally purchase a blacklisted phone. You should avoid buying used AT ALL as the phone could secretly be defected, water-damaged, or stolen and could be blacklisted at any time and there's NOTHING you can do about it. If you just buy new, you avoid all of the trouble, have 100% guarantee of quality on the phone, have a method of return, full warranty coverage, and cannot possibly be purchasing a stolen phone. Don't feed this underground market.
Last, but not least, do not take matters into your own hands when confronted by the robber/thief/situation. Let LE handle it and get as much info as possible and QUICKLY as possible contact LE and follow-up quickly, get a report, etc.
Anyways, I'm so pissed off because I paid so much money for this phone ($800 + up front) and waited all night for it. I used it for everything and that idiot ran off with it. I got it carrier (T mobile) blacklisted within an hour, but do I have a chance of getting it back? Can it really be sold being blacklisted? How can they still use it? etc. The iPhone was on the latest OS, fyi. Since this is the latest iPhone and on a relatively newer carrier, shouldn't it be stricter with blocking?
Unfortunately, I had it stolen in a room with other people. I didn't precisely see it happen when I moved around in the room, but I realized it was missing right after everyone left and there were a bunch of warning signs that it happened. Unfortunately, found out too late to catch the possible people who could've nabbed it. Before I called LE and right after it was gone, I had the phone called immediately and went right to voice mail. Pinged FMI and it was offline, still have not gotten a notification of it found yet. This was immediately after the event as I had my laptop on me and the iPhone had half the battery, so it didn't just randomly die. I know they were experienced because they turned it right off.
Lesson learned, get a phone holster on your belt (no matter how tacky it looks) and strictly keep it in there when you're not using it. And if you suspect it's lost, assume it's stolen and immediately call LE. Get the people that were with you to stop and look for it while LE comes, and if one of them runs off, it's obvious. Backtrack and just be generally aware to know who was last around you, where people are in the room, etc. The LE have a job for a reason and get them there to apprehend the suspects. If it's just lost, that's fine, better safe than sound when you are dealing with hundreds of dollars. And if it occurs and you know the suspect, call LE and have them chased, call the carrier, and immediately FMI pinging it. Always have location and data services on and a decent charge. Consider pursuing criminal charges on the LE reports and, when positively identified, file civil suits for respective losses undergone that are which legally available in your jurisdiction to burn these pieces of trash, scum-of-the-earth. In some jurisdictions, stealing and selling items of this value will get you a felony. Make these filthy criminals burn and get a record and some jail time. This business is hot because people aren't doing ANYTHING about it. So DO something. Since this stuff is probably small-to-medium claim type stuff, you could do the filing without an attorney, although I recommend consulting with one prior to any legal action. I bought this with real money, legally paid for, not stealing from anyone, while working at my job and they just grab it all right from me. That's unacceptable and no one should take that AT ALL.
Additionally, if you are buying and suspect the seller is criminal or is selling stolen items unknowingly, contact LE, get their descrip., ID, license plate, etc. during sales. Consider bill of sales for purchases to protect yourselves in the event you accidentally purchase a blacklisted phone. You should avoid buying used AT ALL as the phone could secretly be defected, water-damaged, or stolen and could be blacklisted at any time and there's NOTHING you can do about it. If you just buy new, you avoid all of the trouble, have 100% guarantee of quality on the phone, have a method of return, full warranty coverage, and cannot possibly be purchasing a stolen phone. Don't feed this underground market.
Last, but not least, do not take matters into your own hands when confronted by the robber/thief/situation. Let LE handle it and get as much info as possible and QUICKLY as possible contact LE and follow-up quickly, get a report, etc.
Anyways, I'm so pissed off because I paid so much money for this phone ($800 + up front) and waited all night for it. I used it for everything and that idiot ran off with it. I got it carrier (T mobile) blacklisted within an hour, but do I have a chance of getting it back? Can it really be sold being blacklisted? How can they still use it? etc. The iPhone was on the latest OS, fyi. Since this is the latest iPhone and on a relatively newer carrier, shouldn't it be stricter with blocking?
.
