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Sold 3G on eBay - Help?

I

iPaddy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 17, 2009
294
23
So, in anticipation of the iPhone 4 launch, decided to sell my iPhone 3G on eBay. It sold on Thursday night for £200, sent immediately on Friday, received this morning.
Got a positive feedback for the transaction, which meant the money was released and I've transferred to my bank account.
Six hours later I've received a message from the buyer saying she wants a refund because the phone is 'barred'.

She bought the phone for fathers day, so doesn't sound too tech clued up, but I'm now trying to think if I've done something that won't let it work for her.

I went under general settings in the phone and erased all data, packed it and sent it.

Any ideas?
 
In the messages before she bought it, she asked if it COULD be unlocked. I said yes, she'd need to take it to o2 or wherever, but they may charge.
So she knows about that.

I'm now panicking, thinking I may have activated it on my computer accidentally? It was plugged in when I erased all the data, but didn't pop up in iTunes.
 
Sounds like she assumed it was unlocked. If you listed it under the correct section on eBay(there's one for at&t and one for unlocked), it's her problem not yours.
 
whatever you decide to do, don't release her money until the phone is back in your possession (if you decide to give a refund).
 
definitive said:
whatever you decide to do, don't release her money until the phone is back in your possession (if you decide to give a refund).
Click to expand...

I won't and if Paypal even consider reversing the transaction, I'll begin proceedings in the small claims court, not being stung.

At the moment, I think she's just not activated it or put an o2 sim in and has immediately panicked and contacted me.
Seems funny that she immediately wants a full refund, less than six hours after getting the device.
 
Then you're good. You have the money, she has the phone. And you didn't list any incorrect information. It's her own problem now that it's in her possession, if she misunderstood your listing. The phone is not bricked, so she will be able to use it, once she figures out how. Recommend that she perform a firmware restore in iTunes. If she wants it unlocked, she will have to do it herself or find someone who will -- since you didn't list it as unlocked, you're not responsible, so don't worry.
 
Jason S. said:
Then you're good. You have the money, she has the phone. And you didn't list any incorrect information. It's her own problem now that it's in her possession, if she misunderstood your listing. The phone is not bricked, so she will be able to use it, once she figures out how. Recommend that she perform a firmware restore in iTunes. If she wants it unlocked, she will have to do it herself or find someone who will -- since you didn't list it as unlocked, you're not responsible, so don't worry.
Click to expand...


This is my first reaction. If the phone, even after erasing all data is activated on my computer, can she still fix that?
I doubt that is the case, but when she used the word 'barred' I panicked.

I've asked her to give me all the details to see if I can help.
Thanks guys, appreciate the help and support.
 
iPaddy said:
This is my first reaction. If the phone, even after erasing all data is activated on my computer, can she still fix that?
I doubt that is the case, but when she used the word 'barred' I panicked.

I've asked her to give me all the details to see if I can help.
Thanks guys, appreciate the help and support.
Click to expand...

she can just restore and then activate on her computer
 
If I were you, I would offer to walk her through the process by phone immediately. Some ebay buyers can get super paranoid that they are being ripped off and they need to calmed down.

Do you know how to do soft and hard resets? These should clear any foolery that she has been attempting.

(BTW I have never been in a paypal dispute - but I understand they can get nasty and a PITA for a seller.... putting a freeze on bank accounts and stuff like that. Something to avoid!)
 
diabolic said:
You also may want to unlink PayPal from your bank account, at least temporarily, so they don't grab the money.
Click to expand...

Paypal can send you to collections, you know. They may act like a two-bit outfit but we can't forget money is involved.


OP I'm not saying you should back down but you can't just cut off communications with the buyer and skip town. If she opens a dispute against you, you only have so long to respond and if you do so inadequately she can recieve her funds back from paypal (who will come after you for the balance) and she can send you back an empty box.

Messeges sent like "HAHA sucker it's your problem now! :D" will not help anything at all. Walk her through the steps of the phone as mentioned above.

Now you may also be on the hook, because from what I can gather, o2 can unlock the phone, but you'd have to be the one to do so (from here and here), so for all intents and purposes, telling your buyer that SHE could go and get the phone unlocked is a falsehood as she wasn't the original contract holder.

If you meant a straight up dev-team style unlock, again if you said it "could" be unlocked, yet the baseband had been updated to an unlockable version, you could also be on the hook because it technically isn't possible and may not be possible in the near future (in which you would have stated such).

Please correct me if i've made any wrong assumptions.

edit: if she has o2 she should just be able to put in her sim and plug the phone into iTunes to activate.
 
My exact message regarding unlocking was 'I think it is possible, but you'd need to contact O2'.
Either way, she isn't complaining that the phone is 'locked' but 'barred'.

I'll see what her next email says then report back here.
 
Eddyisgreat said:
Paypal can send you to collections, you know. They may act like a two-bit outfit but we can't forget money is involved.


OP I'm not saying you should back down but you can't just cut off communications with the buyer and skip town.
Click to expand...

No, but I'd rather be in a position where they don't have immediate access to my money while it's being figured out. Turning off the link to your bank account isn't doing anything wrong.

I speak from personal experience and there are countless stories all over about PayPal not doing the right thing in situations like this.
 
PayPal send the debt collection agencies in, but I'm already prepared for that.
Law student FTW!
 
diabolic said:
No, but I'd rather be in a position where they don't have immediate access to my money while it's being figured out.

I speak from personal experience and there are countless stories all over about PayPal not doing the right thing in situations like this.
Click to expand...

hey i've been in my share of tussles with mafiaBay and GunPointPal a number of times also so I can sympathize. I used to have many accounts linked up. now i just have a throw away account to link to and a paypal debit card so I can get my funds out the same day they are sent by the buyer (unless there is a hold)

I'm just saying that ultimately unlinking your accounts and leaving a negative balance via paypal if they decide against you is essentially fruitless.
 
iPaddy said:
So, in anticipation of the iPhone 4 launch, decided to sell my iPhone 3G on eBay. It sold on Thursday night for £200, sent immediately on Friday, received this morning.
Got a positive feedback for the transaction, which meant the money was released and I've transferred to my bank account.
Six hours later I've received a message from the buyer saying she wants a refund because the phone is 'barred'.

She bought the phone for fathers day, so doesn't sound too tech clued up, but I'm now trying to think if I've done something that won't let it work for her.

I went under general settings in the phone and erased all data, packed it and sent it.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

if she left you positive feedback then you are set. You need not do anything because all Paypal disputes end when someone leaves positive feedback or there is a resolution. I believe the feedback is the kicker here. I wouldn't worry too much. Look at Paypal's policy on disputes.
 
She's just sent this message:

Sorry i mean when put my o2 sim card in da phone said no signal i took it 2 a phone shop and they tried anutha sim in there and it said the same thing no signal they told me the phone is blocked and i was advised to send it back as it cannot b unlocked i am soo sorry but everythink else is working fine its just not excepting sim cards again i am sorry

Any ideas?
 
brewser said:
if she left you positive feedback then you are set. You need not do anything because all Paypal disputes end when someone leaves positive feedback or there is a resolution. I believe the feedback is the kicker here. I wouldn't worry too much. Look at Paypal's policy on disputes.
Click to expand...

That's totally incorrect!

I was recently in the buyers position, received the phone and left positive FB. When trying to get the iPhone unlocked with Orange I was told the seller had obtained it fraudulantly and the handset was to be blacklisted (barred). Opened a dispute and got my money back..

I'd suggest going down the path you are now, and keep in regular contact with the buyer and try to resolve the issue over a phonecall, as mentioned above the buyer is probably just anaware of what's required to set it up again.
 
iPaddy said:
She's just sent this message:

Sorry i mean when put my o2 sim card in da phone said no signal i took it 2 a phone shop and they tried anutha sim in there and it said the same thing no signal they told me the phone is blocked and i was advised to send it back as it cannot b unlocked i am soo sorry but everythink else is working fine its just not excepting sim cards again i am sorry

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Yeah, she's a chav!

Call O2 and ask them if the handset is barred, hopefully you still have the IMEI, but if not they should have it on record. They should be able to tell you if it's blocked and why

If the phone is on contract I believe O2 (all carriers for that matter) can block it if another SIM card and account is used in the handset, as technically the phone is still owned by O2 although it's rare..
 
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