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Looking at used iPhone - has "Device replaced" status

S

Sumesh

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 28, 2007
2
0
I found a used 4S for cheap – suspiciously low price, in fact. Plugged in serial number on Apple Self Service and it showed that the "device has been replaced".

But the phone is still in use, running iOS 5.01 and baseband 04.08.11. Haven't had a chance to personally inspect the phone yet.

If it helps, I plan to jailbreak the phone after I get it anyway – can't live without SMS+, notification toggles etc.

Talked to the seller about it and he acted innocent – said it was a gift from his sister in USA (I'm from India). I don't buy it, but it isn't a stolen phone either (or at least not blocked yet).

My question is, is the phone a ticking time bomb and possibly blocked in future? Should I meet the seller and inspect? Or not bother at all if there is any risk involved.

Update: Partridge, below, links to an an article by an Apple tech support about Apple denying phone support and warranty for phones with replaced status. I'm in a different country, so neither is applicable anyway, but if I take it to a store for repair and am willing to pay, will they deny it on grounds that it doesn't have an active serial?
 
Last edited:
According to http://coderedd.net/r/LifeProTips/comments/szabg/lpt_never_buy_a_secondhand_apple_product_unless/ (from google search) that means that:
I work in Apple Tech Support. I'm that guy you call when your product isn't working properly (Just iPhone, iPod and iPad for me). Never buy a used Apple device unless it's officially from Apple ~~(Which I'm 99% sure we don't do)~~. It could have been replaced, which will mean that if anything ever happens to it, you will have no tech support or warranty from Apple. (unless you're okay with that) I've been getting frequent calls with people in this situation, and they're basically SOL. I'm trying to help you guys not get screwed. **EDIT**: Okay, so some (read: most) of the information I have provided was incorrect, and I apologize. What I meant overall, was that buying a device from a source such as ebay or kijiji, could mean that the device has been replaced by another device and is not the active serial number on file. When a device gets replaced through apple they basically deactivate the serial number of the device being replaced, and as a result of this, the product will have no phone support or hardware warranty.

I don't think I'm explaining myself clearly. Allow me to try again. I'll put it this way: When you get a device set up to be replaced over the phone, there are two options, Standard and Express. In either case, you need to send the defective device back to Apple. When an express replacement is set up, Apple sends the new device to you first, with a hold on your credit card for the full amount of the new device. When you receive the new device, you are expected to send the defective one back. This defective device now has a "deactivated" (for lack of a better word) serial number. Now, if someone set up an express replacement with a stolen credit card, or they just didn't bother sending back the defective device, they would now be in possession of the device with the "deactivated" serial number and the new device. Now, because it has been replaced, the device with the "deactivated" serial number no longer has hardware warranty or phone support. It will show in our system that that device has been replaced and there is nothing we can do to help the person with it over the phone. The only way for an Apple adviser to provide technical support, would be to get the active serial number. I cannot speak for the Apple Store, as it would be at their discretion if they would provide support or not (Nor am I speaking on behalf of Apple). I am not referring to vintage products, and I am not saying Apple will deny service to anyone with a second-hand device. I am simply referring to devices that have already been replaced, but not sent back to Apple as they should have been, and sold for extra profit.
Click to expand...
 
Applejuiced said:
You'll be fine.
Having been replaced by apple before does not mean its stolen.
Click to expand...

That is reassuring.

mikeydeezy said:
Maybe he's giving you the serial number from the box and not the phone itself.
Click to expand...

No, he sent me a screenshot of the phone's About > General page (that includes all details I needed, IMEI, SL no, iOS version and Baseband version).

Partridge said:
According to http://coderedd.net/r/LifeProTips/comments/szabg/lpt_never_buy_a_secondhand_apple_product_unless/ (from google search) that means that:
Click to expand...


The phone was purchased in USA and I'm in a different country, so warranty is not applicable anyway. But won't Apple store do repairs if I pay for it? They wouldn't deny service because it is reported as replaced, right? That's what I am worried about.
 
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