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citivolus

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 19, 2008
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I have AT&T and am buying an iPhone from someone on Craigslist. He said the phone is being financed with at&t but he switched to Verizon and that Verizon is supposed to pay off the phone to at&t. Should I be concerned that after I get the phone at&t will blacklist the phone because it wasn't paid off?
 
Verizon doesn't pay AT&T for the phone.
Stay away.
Verizon pays the customers etf but the customer chooses what to do with that money.
So if the customer doesn't pay the etf, then will at&t blacklist the phone? If this is really a scam then why would the seller disclose it is being financed?
 
I'd avoid it because there's plenty. It being financed that are for sale.

From what I've heard though att won't blacklist and will go after the person that owes the money only. T-Mobile is the one famous for blacklisting.
 
Meet him at an AT&T corporate store so you can verify that he pays it off before you purchase the phone. If he disagrees, don't purchase the phone from him.
This and as stated by EDH667, make sure its a corporate store and not a retailer location.
 
Thanks for the tips. Is there website where one can check if a phone is still being financed with the serial number?
 
Thanks for the tips. Is there website where one can check if a phone is still being financed with the serial number?

You don't need a website to do that. You can call the carrier directly and they can advise if their is pending money owed.
 
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ATT doesn't blacklist phones for non payment. Or at least they didn't used to as of a year or so ago. That said I would make sure henohone is paid off. It will also allow you to unlock it.
 
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I chatted with AT&T and provided them with the IMEI and they said the installment payments have not been completed yet. However they also said that in the event the owner stops making the installment payments, I can continue to use the phone on AT&T, but I just won't be able to unlock it. anyone have personal experience with this?
 
I got burned on an iPhone 6 one time. I will not buy another used iPhone again. its just not worth it. Your probably not saving much if any at all. I'd rather just buy a brand new one with a warranty and not have to worry about anything.

Oh and if Verizon were to pay it off they would want the phone there not just gonna pay it off and let him keep the phone.
 
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I didn't know it at the time but I ended up purchasing a 6s+ from a person who financed and never paid it off. AT&T never blacklisted it but they also never agreed to unlock it. I called customer service to confirm and they said it'll continue to work indefinitely.

Oops: didn't read your follow up post but yes, CS said the same thing to me
 
I have AT&T and am buying an iPhone from someone on Craigslist. He said the phone is being financed with at&t but he switched to Verizon and that Verizon is supposed to pay off the phone to at&t. Should I be concerned that after I get the phone at&t will blacklist the phone because it wasn't paid off?
TOTAL SCAM! Verizon requires that you turn in the financed phone to them before they will reimburse you for it. There is NO WAY to get Verizon to reimburse you for a financed phone without turning in the financed phone.
 
What AT&T is saying is true, they won't blacklist it, however, you're trusting that person not to turn around and do an insurance claim on it- that is what would blacklist it. Most people are honest and don't do that, but there are some unscrupulous people who bounce from insurance claim to insurance claim and carrier to carrier getting new phones and selling the old ones, so we can't have nice things.
 
I've been burned buying used phones. Even though the seller was found in the wrong, they closed his account and I only got back 20% of what I paid. I will not be doing that again unless I know the person in real life. It's not worth saving the few $$$ imo.
 
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