Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
I just bought an iPhone 4S on eBay (from a seller with more than 650 auctions and 100 % positive feedback).

I checked the ESN on CheckESNfree, Swappa, and Verizon - and all three websites say that this ESN belongs to a Motorola Droid Razr. With CheckESNfree the ESN comes back clean, with Swappa it comes back as "NOT proper", with Verizon it seems to be ok.

I also checked the ESN with Apple (on Apple's support page, where you can check your service and support coverage, you can use either the serial number or the ESN) it says that this is not a valid number.

See also enclosed screen shots.

What does this mean? Is this just a mistake in the database or is this an indication that this was an iPhone with a bad ESN and that the current ESN got somehow hacked into it?

Greetings - desertman
 

Attachments

  • iPhone_ESN_Check_CheckESNfree_blurred.pdf
    265.4 KB · Views: 176
  • iPhone_ESN_Check_Swappa_blurred.pdf
    210.2 KB · Views: 186
  • iPhone_ESN_Check_Verizon_blurred.pdf
    199.8 KB · Views: 164
  • iPhone_ESN_Check_Apple_blurred.pdf
    87.1 KB · Views: 165

T5BRICK

macrumors G3
Aug 3, 2006
8,313
2,387
Oregon
I'm guessing someone went in and changed the ESN, although I didn't think that was possible with newer versions of iOS.

Anyway, the form you filled out at Apple isn't for the ESN, it's for the actual device serial number.
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
What does this mean? Is this just a mistake in the database or is this an indication that this was an iPhone with a bad ESN and that the current ESN got somehow hacked into it?

Yes, that would appear to be the issue.
But where are you reading the ESN number from? The phone or the eBay listing? Use the phone that is on the device and check.
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
From the phone. It arrived today. It had iOS 7.0.5 on it and I could update it to 7.0.6.

I would assume that the person who had the phone before somehow hacked the IEMI on the device to match the IEMI they got off a Droid RAZR. I'm sure it's not hard to do via a jailbreak (and there might be more ways to do it than just that).

Have you tried restoring the phone and seeing if the real IEMI number is revealed?

I don't really know much about IEMI. Perhaps the phone was flashed (permanently) or the IEMI was temporarily rewritten in the software via jailbreak. But this certainly sounds sketchy and I would file a complaint with Ebay.

EDIT: I mean ESN not IEMI.
 

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
... the form you filled out at Apple isn't for the ESN, it's for the actual device serial number.
You can use there the serial number or the ESN (MEID) and get the same results.

Try it for yourself: https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do

----------

Have you tried restoring the phone and seeing if the real IEMI number is revealed?
I reset the phone as a new phone ("Erase All Content and Settings") and it has the number I used to check it.
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
I reset the phone as a new phone ("Erase All Content and Settings") and it has the number I used to check it.

I would try restoring it from iTunes as a new device and seeing what it does. If the number doesn't change, I'd guess that someone flashed the device (somehow - I wouldn't know how) to a Droid Razer ESN.
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
Is there any difference if you use the iPhone's actual serial number at Apple's support page?

True. Can you put the serial number of the phone into one of those iPhone data bases (there are many of them online) and see if the ESNs match?
 

T5BRICK

macrumors G3
Aug 3, 2006
8,313
2,387
Oregon

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
True. Can you put the serial number of the phone into one of those iPhone data bases (there are many of them online) and see if the ESNs match?
I never heard of such databases and a Google search for "iphone database" does not bring something like that up. Which one are you usually using?
 

869639

macrumors 6502
Jan 2, 2014
327
0
Earth
I never heard of such databases and a Google search for "iphone database" does not bring something like that up. Which one are you usually using?

Few questions:

1) Did you type in all 15 Digits of IMEI = ESN/MEID or the first 14 on Verizon/Swappa?

2) Also to get the IMEI # did you do it via dialing *#06#?

3) Is the device jailbroken?

4) Do a factory restore and then see if the IMEI # changes, from the best of my knowledge it is impossible to change IMEI # on iPhones. <-- that is why I see lots of people offering unlock services for iPhones that are blacklisted via "CHIP" method where they basically setup the customer with a RSIM and the phone works....[Reliability of R-SIM I cannot comment on as I personally do not recommend the chip]
 

869639

macrumors 6502
Jan 2, 2014
327
0
Earth
All 15. Did you read my original posting?

Yes I did read once again.

Check the SIM Tray, it should also have the IMEI #, see what it is. If its the same, that means the error is somewhere in the database on Verizon's or Apple's end.
 

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
Yes I did read once again.

Check the SIM Tray, it should also have the IMEI #, see what it is. If its the same, that means the error is somewhere in the database on Verizon's or Apple's end.
The IMEI is the MEID with one additional digit at the end. It is also visible in the settings. What do you suggest to do with this number?

The SIM tray has a completely different IMEI number and also a completely different serial number. It is obviously not the original SIM tray because on another iPhone 4S that I have the numbers are identical.
 

869639

macrumors 6502
Jan 2, 2014
327
0
Earth
The IMEI is the MEID with one additional digit at the end. It is also visible in the settings. What do you suggest to do with this number?

The SIM tray has a completely different IMEI number and also a completely different serial number. It is obviously not the original SIM tray because on another iPhone 4S that I have the numbers are identical.

Call apple, give them the serial # and ask them to read you back the IMEI number. Explain them your situation and see what they give you.
 

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Jul 24, 2011
1,139
61
United States
I think someone wrote a cloned ESN to the phone. If the original Motorola phone comes online and is already activated on your carrier, you will have problems.

If the seller has good feedback they should replace it with a phone that has a valid ESN or refund your money.
 

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
I am quite the idiot. I had a typo in the ESN and used this wrong number with Copy & Paste again and again. With the correct ESN the checks come out everywhere perfectly ok and the phone is an iPhone 4S again.

Did you type in all 15 Digits of IMEI = ESN/MEID or the first 14 on Verizon/Swappa?

This brought me actually onto the right track. Thanks for that!

Greetings - desertman
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.