[ubuntu-uk] non ubuntu related question! Buying a second hand phone, how can i avoid being scammed?

[Kris Douglas]

On 9 February 2012 10:28, javadayaz <javadayaz at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
> First of all i would like to apologise for the non Ubuntuness of this
> thread.
>
> I would just like to pick your brains on something.
>
> I am thinking of buying a preowned phone from websites like gumtree. My
> concern is after i have bought the phone, the seller rings up his insurance
> reports it stolen and my phone gets blacklisted i.e blocked imei.
>
> I was under the assumption that a network provider registers a phone to
> their network but this doesnt seem to be the case. I have already asked a
> network provider (orange) if they would register me as having new ownership
> of a phone bought but they refused saying this cannot be done.
>
> What are your thoughts on this?

I work for a mobile phone company, there are ways to find out if the
IMEI (unique identifier) has been reported, but there is no safe way
to take a mobile from someone that may subsequently be blacklisted.

It's hit and miss.

-- 
Regards, Kris Douglas.
 www.krisd.eu