EE and o2 are mobile phone networks within the UK.
I have seen instances on MacRumors where people have bought a second hand iPhone and some months later the seller has contacted their network and reported the phone as lost/stolen.
The IMEI is then blacklisted leaving someone out of pocket and with a brick.
If that happened on Verizon, Verizon would unblacklist the phone if you contact Verizon equipment fraud department, tell them what happened and went into a Verizon corporate store with the phone and showed ID.
You also could file a police report for fraud here in the US against the seller. The cops wouldn't do anything but it would help your civil lawsuit against the seller.
idk about any other carrier but Verizon, but Verizon would help you out if you had been using the phone on your line and someone did that to you. If you had not been using the phone on your line, then no. You have to get through to the right department - equipment fraud.
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iPhones don't depreciate very fast so I can't imagine why you would buy a used one and run the risks to save maybe $100.
$100 plus sales tax minimum - if you are willing to overlook some scratches on the housing of the device, even more.
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Make sure you have some kind of proof you have bought the phone. And as soon as you get the phone, include it to your account.
Yes, this is key. Get something in writing and then activate it right away on the line.
Personally, I would have the person meet me in a Verizon store and ask the reps to verify that the ESN was clean and that the device was not financed through Edge. Verizon will do that for you.