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El3ctronics

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 30, 2011
1,017
40
NYC
So I'm an idiot and I purchased a stolen iPhone that is attached to an iCloud account and is basically a paperweight to me. As such, I'd rather return it to the original owner who lost it so they can get their phone back instead of it collecting dust in a drawer. Any way to find the original owner?
 

SeilerBird

macrumors 6502
Nov 12, 2014
265
179
I would call the local police department and have them search the national database of stolen objects, if there is one.
 

MaskedCarrot

macrumors 6502
Mar 25, 2009
464
270
Northern VA
Forget the local police department. Most people never file police reports.

Take it to whichever carrier its on and they will find the original owner.
 

cnev3

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2012
462
56
So I'm an idiot and I purchased a stolen iPhone that is attached to an iCloud account and is basically a paperweight to me. As such, I'd rather return it to the original owner who lost it so they can get their phone back instead of it collecting dust in a drawer. Any way to find the original owner?


Give us more details. Did you buy it from craigslist, or ebay? Do you have the contact info of the seller?
 

AFDoc

Suspended
Jun 29, 2012
2,864
629
Colorado Springs USA for now
So I'm an idiot and I purchased a stolen iPhone that is attached to an iCloud account and is basically a paperweight to me. As such, I'd rather return it to the original owner who lost it so they can get their phone back instead of it collecting dust in a drawer. Any way to find the original owner?

What was that little ditty P.T. Barnum used to say?
 

El3ctronics

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 30, 2011
1,017
40
NYC
Give us more details. Did you buy it from craigslist, or ebay? Do you have the contact info of the seller?

It was purchased on Craigslist and I should have checked the IMEI but I didn't even try to set it up until I got home when it told me it was linked to another iCloud account. I tried contacting the seller but he used a Google number and never answered or responded to any messages again.

I did contact the police and they took down all the information about the phone and about the seller but they haven't been much help at all unfortunately.
 

BeeGood

macrumors 68000
Sep 15, 2013
1,859
6,120
Lot 23E. Somewhere in Georgia.
Man I'm sorry to hear that. Some people really suck and I hate that you're our a few hundred bucks because of that.

I second the guy who said take it to the carrier. The police will likely be no help and and if it was stolen in another jurisdiction they can't help you even if hey tried. Someone at your carrier store should be able to look up the IMEI on the back and find the owner. Good luck and kudos for doing the right thing!
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
awesome gesture from you OP to find the original owner. Good luck.
 
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