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DarkFlame

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 21, 2007
205
0
Any tips or suggestions on what to immediately check when I see the phone before buying it? Its an 8gb for 300 bucks, 2.5 months old in excellent condition but she has no receipt. Comes with all box accessories except headphones/usb cable.
 
Make sure its not a stolen phone. Insist you take it to ATT store and have it activated on your line before you pay.

Why? Because stolen phones esn #'s are frozen on the system and will
not be allowed to be activated. EVER. I used to work for cell phone carrier.
 
Any tips or suggestions on what to immediately check when I see the phone before buying it? Its an 8gb for 300 bucks, 2.5 months old in excellent condition but she has no receipt. Comes with all box accessories except headphones/usb cable.

sounds like a decent price. I sold my 1G phone for $400 on CL. Before I sold my phone I sent it in to Apple for repair and they gave me back a refurbished phone, no scratches or blemishes etc...perfect condition. Just make sure it works by putting in your sim card and making a call. If that works then you shouldnt have any problems...
 
Any tips or suggestions on what to immediately check when I see the phone before buying it? Its an 8gb for 300 bucks, 2.5 months old in excellent condition but she has no receipt. Comes with all box accessories except headphones/usb cable.

Make sure she's hot, hot girls don't lie.
 
Is there anyway I can just call in with the number to see if its stolen or not?
 
Is there anyway I can just call in with the number to see if its stolen or not?

You could call AT&T customer service and give them the IMEI number and see if they have any information on it. Lots of people lose their receipts for things - I don't think that's necessarily a red flag.

But I think you could get a feel from the seller first about whether it's stolen or not - see if she's knowledgeable about using it or not, or if she seems sketchy in any way.

Also, most of the accounts of lost/stolen iPhones here and other forums have not stated anything about AT&T locking the IMEI so it can't be used on their network at all. Despite what a previous poster said, I don't think AT&T does this, and the iPhone should continue to work even if it is stolen (though I still wouldn't recommend you buy it if that's what you think after meeting the seller).
 
Yeah, definitely meet in a very public place. Since you'll most likely be carrying cash.

Give it a test run...and I think contacting at&t with the imei is a fantastic idea. :D
 
Cool, I guess I will have ATT's number ready. I wish there was a way I could check by the serial number if it was under warranty at apple. Anyone know if I can just call the mac store and have them check to make sure its really 2.5 months old.
 
make sure it's an actual iPhone. the counterfeits are getting pretty sophisticated, down to copying the icons and box art.
 
I wish there was a way I could check by the serial number if it was under warranty at apple. Anyone know if I can just call the mac store and have them check to make sure its really 2.5 months old.

There is a way to do it online: https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

See if the seller can send you the serial number before you meet, or do it while you're meeting her and can see the serial number yourself...
 
Make sure its not a stolen phone. Insist you take it to ATT store and have it activated on your line before you pay.

Why? Because stolen phones esn #'s are frozen on the system and will
not be allowed to be activated. EVER. I used to work for cell phone carrier.
Interesting but sorry, this is not true in the US. There is no "Blacklisting" of IMEI of phones. I wish it was true but the only thing that AT&T wil do is block the SIM so that you are no longer responsible for the voice / data usage.
 
go with at LEAST 2-3 friends. just in case she brings along some friends of her (or his) own.
 
Interesting but sorry, this is not true in the US. There is no "Blacklisting" of IMEI of phones. I wish it was true but the only thing that AT&T wil do is block the SIM so that you are no longer responsible for the voice / data usage.

Half true. Verizon Wireless and Sprint do blacklist ESN/MEID's, at&t and T-Mobile do not blacklist IMEI's.
 
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