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Sold iPhone, buyer saying it's activation locked...am I being scammed?
- Thread starter gdjsnyder
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yeah it was weird. when i got my 6s i had waited a few days to start using it while i had some new cases come in. I do remember it was some weird yahoo email as the apple id. Like "this is a brand new phone from apple, wtf''. At least it only took them about a day or two to wipe it.
A video will never prove that that's the actual box being opened.
Very probable that more than one scammer is operating on eBay...if I were you, I'd think again about selling yours there.
/ people never learn...shakes head/
Finally got another response. A week after the return request letting me know he's taking his own pictures prior to sending so I can't accuse him of tampering with the "non-working phone". So I'm guessing he hasn't sent it back yet.
I seriously do not understand why someone would keep a phone they couldn't use for over a month now when I've offered a return since the beginning... /sarcasm
Anyway, I'm hoping Apple will help me out with this. I have the original receipt and I have Apple Care Plus on the thing which was never used. Ugh. Stressful.
I seriously do not understand why someone would keep a phone they couldn't use for over a month now when I've offered a return since the beginning... /sarcasm
Anyway, I'm hoping Apple will help me out with this. I have the original receipt and I have Apple Care Plus on the thing which was never used. Ugh. Stressful.
Are these some sort of time-lapse pictures on film that then has to be carefully developed that it's taking a week or more to do?
Probably trying to sweat you outbid offering in something he'd be happy to take. A popular scam is getting a large portion of the money refunded and calling it a day. The seller claims they'll just sell the phone for parts and so they only want the portion the overpaid plus a little more for the inconvenience. Think refunding something like $250 off a $400 sale. They still spent money on the device but only $150. They then resell it or keep it and know they've scored.
This was probably mentioned already but what does this person's feedback (and yours if you want to share) look like? Do they have many? Do you?
Do you seriously think the buyer's feedback would accurately tell if he was legit or not.
More fool you.
I'm merely asking if it was a new account or one with many feedbacks. If it's a two feedback account and the seller has dozens of more eBay is more likely to side with the individual with a longer stands positive reputation with the company.
When I was a power seller on eBay I had to deal with a few of these. I won all but one case, and that case was one where the item got lost in the mail; eBay sided with both the buyer and seller in that case (in other words eBay ate the cost). This was at least six years ago now and eBay has continued to go downhill. I no Lee sell anything there for this among other reasons.
Surprisingly the only time something along those lines was brought up was once, earlier in the discussions. I think he said something along the lines of can you assist me in getting the phone to work or what else can you offer to make it right. Something like that, it rubbed me the wrong way.
Feedback wise, he was a member longer than me. But feedback is in the 40's. I've been a member since 2009, my feedback is 276. 100% positive (as of this writing, as I'm POSITIVE that will be changing) however I may fight eBay on that one as much as I can. I don't think I care though. I doubt I'll ever use them again. I'll try craigslist, and maybe the marketplace here or r/appleswap or something.
I do plan on being much more cautious going forward. I will send the buyer the IMEI and Apples tracking website and tell them to confirm its unlocked before I ship. And then will once again have them confirm to me it's is unlocked after I ship. And I will have detailed screenshots and all that. Not 100% protection by any means, but extra precautions may go along way, who knows.
Wow, most likely he won't mail it back at all.
All this time now and he's still just dragging his feet.
He knows he'll lose the dispute and might keep it but will keep accusing you and asking for money back.
All this time now and he's still just dragging his feet.
He knows he'll lose the dispute and might keep it but will keep accusing you and asking for money back.
Scammers usually try to drag it out as long as possible in the hopes that the victim will give up and cough up the money/product to make the whole situation go away.
Okay...so I received the iPhone back today (just now actually). It is my iPhone. IMEI and serial numbers match. I turned it on, popped in a SIM card and it walked me through set up like normal. The iPhone is NOT activation locked. It never asked me for a password at all when I was setting it up. It doesn't look like it's been tampered with in any way at all. So...I don't know. Now the only thing I can think of is either: 1. this person was a scammer and figured out I kind of knew what I was talking about or 2. buyers remorse and since I don't accept returns made up an issue to get me to refund it?
I am going to contact eBay and report the buyer for improper use of returns.
I am going to contact eBay and report the buyer for improper use of returns.
Glad you got your phone back and nothing was wrong with it. Very surprising for sure.
Well that was anticlimactic.
Sounds like all you can do. At least it turned out being a waste of time, but nothing more. I think this is the best possible resolution.
Yep, all those crazy stories how it was activation locked and when you checked it was under someone's icloud account. Now all of a sudden it arrives clean and with that icloud account removed.
Sounds like he knew he would lose so he didn't even bother. What a total waste of time and aggravation for nothing.
The good thing is the only thing you lost was time and energy and didn't get a rock or any surprises in return.
I am happy for you that it worked out and you got your phone back intact. What a pain in the posterior. I think you spooked the scammer and decided not to risk being banned. High five to you!
OP, now you should hold the refund as long as you can. I am a believer in giving people the taste of their own medicine.
I second holding off on the refund til the very last minute. He's given you enough grief and if he wanted it quicker he would have sent it back weeks ago. Either way I'm happy you resolved this.