iPad Help with a ‘Lost or Stolen” iPad Pro (2018) purchased on Swappa

[anthonymoody]

So Swappa checks IMEI numbers before sellers can list cellular enabled devices to prevent the sale of stolen devices. But, sellers can (and do, as I learned the hard way) list and sell stolen items quickly enough that they haven’t yet been reported as such and so don’t yet appear in the national databases checked by Swappa.

Swappa’s best response is to ban the seller which obviously doesn’t help me. And even though the item was listed as New they’re doing nothing for me.

So now I have an iPad that I can‘t use with cellular service (carriers check the same databases), can’t resell on Swappa, and can’t trade in to Apple. All because it’s “Lost or Stolen” in the databases.

I’ve thought about trying to sell it privately with full disclosure about the limitations, but wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas.

 

[Ludatyk]

So Swappa checks IMEI numbers before sellers can list cellular enabled devices to prevent the sale of stolen devices. But, sellers can (and do, as I learned the hard way) list and sell stolen items quickly enough that they haven’t yet been reported as such and so don’t yet appear in the national databases checked by Swappa.

Yeah, I tried to sell my cellular 2018 iPP and they asked me has it been paid off… I believe Swappa can’t really do much more than ask. Because if I’m not mistaken… on smartphones there’s a way for them to check if it’s paid off, not sure why iPads doesn’t fall under that same category.

I’ve thought about trying to sell it privately with full disclosure about the limitations, but wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas.

But yeah… selling it privately while being transparent about the issue, it would be a WiFi-only iPad… still functional. I don’t see how that’s a problem.

 

[more fps]

Open a claim with PayPal, assuming you paid with that

 

[iF34R]

I know the feeling OP. I have one from Best Buy in the same predicament. Apple can't do anything about it, and Best Buy says the order doesn't even show up in their system; even though I can log into my account and see the order. /shrugs

 

[AutomaticApple]

So Swappa checks IMEI numbers before sellers can list cellular enabled devices to prevent the sale of stolen devices. But, sellers can (and do, as I learned the hard way) list and sell stolen items quickly enough that they haven’t yet been reported as such and so don’t yet appear in the national databases checked by Swappa.

Swappa’s best response is to ban the seller which obviously doesn’t help me. And even though the item was listed as New they’re doing nothing for me.

So now I have an iPad that I can‘t use with cellular service (carriers check the same databases), can’t resell on Swappa, and can’t trade in to Apple. All because it’s “Lost or Stolen” in the databases.

I’ve thought about trying to sell it privately with full disclosure about the limitations, but wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas.

That's why I always buy from Apple and only Apple.

 

[Grohowiak]

I know the feeling OP. I have one from Best Buy in the same predicament. Apple can't do anything about it, and Best Buy says the order doesn't even show up in their system; even though I can log into my account and see the order. /shrugs

Print it and go to a store?
Make sure web address is visible.

 

[iF34R]

Print it and go to a store?
Make sure web address is visible.

Tried that. Store said since it was a bb online order, nothing they can do. That's two stores I went to.

 

[iPad Bro]

Man, that sounds like a total nightmare, guys. I’ve bought and sold on Swappa. One time I tried selling a PS5 and transferred half of the money over to my PayPal Prepaid Debit Card and then woke up that night to an e-mail from Swappa telling me they banned the user due to fraudulent activity and I needed to refund them for the purchase and not to send out the item which I already had packed up and ready to ship. I had to jump through hurdles to get that money back on my PayPal account in order to refund the purchase like going to an ATM and withdrawing money 3 times due to my limit and eating the fee all 3 times. Then I had to use my phone to scan at CVS Pharmacy to load the money back onto my PayPal account. It was just really horrible. Made me not want to sell there anymore, but I just learned not to transfer money over until it was WAY in the clear and ready to ship out within minutes. Best of luck to you, OP.