What would stop someone from doing this?

[A-Mart]

As I understand it, the only way to walk out of the store without your iPhone activated is to say it is a gift. Well, I was thinking about the new plan costing more money and came up with this:

Let's say I walk into an ATT store and say I want to purchase the iPhone 3g as a gift for my brother for his birthday. They would tell me that he has to bring the phone in within 30 days to have it activated, correct? Well wouldn't it be possible to take the phone home, unlock it, and use it on my previous iPhone plan for the same amount of money I'm paying now? I don't want to do this because I think it might be fraud, but it began to puzzle me why this wouldn't be possible.

 

[Tallest Skil]

I was deeply under the impression that you can't gift anymore. Thus stopping much unlocking.

 

[fishkorp]

AT&T's FAQ about a "gift" says that if you want to give someone an iPhone 3G as a gift, buy them a $200/300 gift card instead. You can't buy an iPhone as a gift, where did you read something that made you think you could?

 

[A-Mart]

I was deeply under the impression that you can't gift anymore. Thus stopping much unlocking.

that's what I was afraid of. Was I right in assuming that this is fraud/illegal in some way?