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Please help! How can I avoid this potential Verizon iPhone scam?

A

ap3604

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
1,929
0
Hi guys,

I was looking to purchase a Verizon iPhone off of Craigslist but I was worried about this potential situation and getting scammed :(

If I meet the person at a Verizon store, have the rep check the ESN/MEID # to make sure its clean, and then activate the iPhone... what happens if this person immediately goes home and calls Verizon and says their iPhone just was lost/stolen? :confused:

Does Verizon just assume since he is the original owner on file that he must be telling the truth and de-activate my service and shut my phone down completely?

I know this is a little paranoid but I want to make sure I don't get scammed for over $400 just because I end up dealing with a malicious person.

I could imagine a reason a person might do this is because they might have insurance on the phone and would say it is lost/stolen in order to get my $ and then have the old one in my possession shut down and a insurance replacement sent to them free of charge.

Most likely won't happen but I appreciate any info you can give me :)
 
ap3604 said:
Hi guys,

I was looking to purchase a Verizon iPhone off of Craigslist but I was worried about this potential situation and getting scammed :(

If I meet the person at a Verizon store, have the rep check the ESN/MEID # to make sure its clean, and then activate the iPhone... what happens if this person immediately goes home and calls Verizon and says their iPhone just was lost/stolen? :confused:

Does Verizon just assume since he is the original owner on file that he must be telling the truth and de-activate my service and shut my phone down completely?

I know this is a little paranoid but I want to make sure I don't get scammed for over $400 just because I end up dealing with a malicious person.

I could imagine a reason a person might do this is because they might have insurance on the phone and would say it is lost/stolen in order to get my $ and then have the old one in my possession shut down and a insurance replacement sent to them free of charge.

Most likely won't happen but I appreciate any info you can give me :)
Click to expand...

Meet at a Verizon store and have the guy that works there acitivate the phone to your number. Once it's all working, then pay the guy. And also ask Verizon for a reference number or something of that nature. If that's possible.
 
Get the guy to make receight which he has signed, dated with the address his Verizon account registered in which says that he has sold the phone to you and you bought it for a price you both agreed on etc.
 
If I were the seller and asked for a receipt with my account number, I'd pass. Just do it in a Verizon store, if there's ever an issue, you have store employees and video on your side.
 
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