My iPhone 8 is locked

I must not have been clear.

1. I had and I used the iPhone 8 for several years.
2. I wanted to change carriers.
3. I called about 5 carriers with inquiries of their pricing, discounts, availability in my area, etc.
4. All of them told me they required the specific MEI number before giving me a quote.
5. One salesperson, who I think was responsible, kept trying to get me to buy a new iPhone 14 (last month). She was livid when I didn’t sign up with her and yelled about me wasting her time.
6. I think the culprit probably was her, but certainly have absolutely no evidence and would NEVER accuse her.
7. I was told, by a different provider I was calling, when I gave them my information, that my phone was reported as lost or stolen.
8. The rest is in my original question bubble.
9. I called the company back from the rude woman and asked to speak to the supervisor. He was the one who repeatedly implied I had a stolen phone.
10. I asked if there was any way to trace WHO reported it as lost or stolen. No, he said.
11. I asked that if one of his representatives did it out of anger or as a mistake, could it be found out or tracked, at my expense.
12. Impossible. They get no information on who makes a report, he said, just that “someone” reported it.
13. Now my very old, one owner, very beaten up iPhone 8 is locked because it was reported, erroneously, as lost or stolen.

The above hopefully makes it clearer.

Every provider I called said that before they could give me a quote, they needed that to see what deals are offered in your area” or to check to make sure the phone was covered or compatible with our system” especially since it was so old. (No SIM card)

I hated giving it out, but they all said it was required.

Thanks for responding.

i found the date from my 2017 BestBuy stuff. Thanks to everyone who replied!

It seems like an amazingly effective way for someone to harass someone.

My situation does beg the question, how can you find out WHO erroneously reported your device as “lost or stolen” when you can prove it never was?

I don’t remember the date. It was a little after it first came out. I think I got it at Best Buy.

Bob for the win

!