Blocked IMEI :-( - PLEASE HELP

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CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Blocked IMEI :-( - PLEASE HELP

Hi All

I,m trying, desperately to get some advice, i,m so upset 😢.

I purchased my iPhone 3GS last August (after saving for almost 2 years for it, wanted one since they came out), i was so excited, i purchased it from a reputable seller on AV Forums (very well researched and also knew users that have used this before) - it was a very good condition WHITE iPhone 3GS 16GB, paid more than most places (£250) for this but thought it was worth it as it was second hand and that it was a well reviewed place to buy. I got my phone the next day, i was so excited and absolutely love my phone and of course look after it like it was my child......... I have been using my phone ever since on an O2 Simplicity tariff, it is always with me.

On the 23rd of January my phone service just disappeared :-(, i thought that this was just a service issue and contacted O2 on the Monday (24th), they told me that there was nothing wrong with my SIM, Contract or IMEI and that i should just reset my phone and if that didnt work that there may be an issue with the phone and that it may need to be repaired. The reset didn't work and so i booked it in and took it to get repaired on the Wednesday, after 15 minutes of the iPhone Guru having my precious iPhone he called me at work and said that my IMEI had been blocked and there was nothing that he could do 😢.

After collecting my phone i contacted O2 and they looked on their 'Other System' and confirmed that it had been blocked and that there was no note as to why this had been blocked, i shoed them my receipts, messages, bank transfers, confirmtation that the man i had bought it from (who owned the phone for 18 months) had not reported it stolen, etc and they said that would request an unblock/unbarring of the handset and that i needed to keep doing a full reset, restore and full power down on my phone and to keep checking it. I have been doing this since Wednesday last week and O2 had aparantley submitted this request a total of 4 times, but it still hadnt worked.

Yesterday i decided that i needed to try to get this resolved quickly (i actually live in the middle of 'nowhere' and i broke down miles from anywhere without a phone to contact anyone :-( or do anything and it was raining and dangerous in this small lane :-() and so i contacted O2, i spoke to a manager and he said that he would get it resolved and that he was sorry for my inconvenience, but that he would ensure that my handset would be sorted - so excited and pleased - even crying about that one too!

Today the Manager called and said that there was nothing that he could do, that the IMEI had been blocked and that there was really nothing he could do, the best he could do was offer me to come out of my current contract (12 months remaining) and that i could take out another contract with them with a 20% discount on the monthly bill - i cant afford a new phone or to pay more than i currently am a month, as with everyone at the moment things are tight, very tight :-(.

I really dont know what to do?? The police arent interested, O2 cant/wont help, my phone is out of waranty........ I,m so lost :-(, can someone please help?? and give me advice, i am completely stuck and so upset about all of this 😢😢😢

Thanks for any Help - in advance.

iPhone 3GS, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Jan 31, 2012 6:38 AM

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Answer 1

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:43 AM in response to CMG1980

Sorry, but if the carriers in the UK have blocked your phone, there isn't anything anyone can do for you. Only the carrier that initiated the block can remove it and if they refuse to do so...there's not much you can do. File suit against the person you bought the phone from.

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Answer 2

KiltedTim

Level 10

226,008 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:46 AM in response to CMG1980

CMG1980 wrote:

Hi All

I,m trying, desperately to get some advice, i,m so upset 😢.

I purchased my iPhone 3GS last August (after saving for almost 2 years for it, wanted one since they came out), i was so excited, i purchased it from a reputable seller on AV Forums...

There is pretty much nothing you can do. Either the original purchaser reported it lost or stolen or did not meet the conditions of the contract under which they purchased the phone in the first place. You're pretty much hosed unless your local police or courts can do something for you.

The "reputable seller" appears to be a thief at worst, or a deadbeat who doesn't pay their bills at best.

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Answer 3

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:49 AM in response to wjosten

Thanks for your reply wjosten,

I have spoken with O2 and it is not the carrier that has blocked the phone, they informed me that they believe the wrong IMEI must have been listed by an insurance company as they had received no notification on my actual IMEI number. O2 would have and said they could have unblocked it if it had been them that blocked the IMEI, but now i,m completely stuck :-( and dont know what else i can do :-(

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Answer 4

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:56 AM in response to CMG1980

This is a common scam in the UK...seller sells you iPhone...reports it lost/stolen to Insurance Co...gets money from you & Insurance Co...Insurance Co blocks IMEI...you're left holding the bag.

Next time, don't purchase unless from someone you know & trust or from an official source.

Hunt the individual down & take him/her to court.

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Answer 5

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:56 AM in response to KiltedTim

Thanks for your response KiltedTim,

The guy says that he hasn't and the police arent interested at all :-(.

I cant believe that there is no fail safe for things like this, where people have genuinely purchased something and that the person committing the fraud that has made the mistake is made to pay for this, why is there always an innocent victim and no one is interested in the actual crime that has been committed? :-( I dont understand how there is nothing that can be done in these circumstances, why should the innocent party be further victimised by someone elses actions :-(

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Answer 6

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 6:57 AM in response to wjosten

But there should be a fail safe for the innocent person in all of this and they should actually target the person committing the crime - ive done nothing wrong :-(

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Answer 7

KiltedTim

Level 10

226,008 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:00 AM in response to CMG1980

Then talk to the police or the prosecutor where you live. Apple can do nothing about it.

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Answer 8

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:01 AM in response to CMG1980

Look, it's a common scam because thieves know the police are unlikely to get involved. Ya gotta protect yourself in this world. Now you know.

I'm originally from New Jersey...we have a saying there..."We don't get mad, we get even." Hunt the individual down & take him/her to court.

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Answer 9

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:10 AM in response to wjosten

How can you protect yourself from this sort of thing.....?! I work for the NHS over here, with a very limited salary and bills that are going up all of the time with no increase in wage for 3 years...... There is very high unemployment area, i work hard, look after the things that i achieved and have had to save and work hard for everything i have - alike to many other people...... But one thing i have never been able to do or will ever be able to do (unless i win the lottery - big) is to buy an expensive product, such as an Apple iPhone from new..... If i were to buy the handset from Apple direct i would have had to have saved an additional £130 back then - just not do-able........

I get what your saying about going after the person that sold the phone, but they are being protected by the AV Forums, where i purchased it and they have said that they have had no involvement in the IMEI blocking - i would love to be able to get the person who has done this but really dont know how i can do that - over here there is no real justice system for things like this, if the police arent interested you have nothing.......... And i actually dont know and no-one will tell me who has had the handset blocked (could have been anyone, or even an IMEI error as O2 have suggested) to actually 'go after'.

I still feel there should be a fail safe for the innocent party in all of this

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Answer 10

varjak paw

Level 10

182,668 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:27 AM in response to CMG1980

I understand the frustration that comes when you are cheated and cannot get anyone in officialdom to take notice, much less take action. It's certainly not fair. But if you look at it from the viewpoint of the police, they're forced to be more concerned with threats to life and limb, or thefts of much more money. They just don't have time and resouces to follow up individually on small thefts and frauds.

The only failsafe is to purchase only from authorized resellers. If you purchase from a private party, particularly from a stranger, regardless of what product you purchase, you're taking a risk of the item being stolen, not being as advertised, being defective, etc.

All you can do at this point is pursue private legal action in the courts, if O2 can't or won't do anything. Such action may well not be worth the time and effort (and probably cost), so you may just need to chalk this up to a learning experience and move on.

Regards.

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Answer 11

KiltedTim

Level 10

226,008 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:31 AM in response to CMG1980

CMG1980 wrote:

How can you protect yourself from this sort of thing.....?!

Not to be cold, but you protect yourself by purchasing the phone from a legitimate, authorize source. If you can't afford to buy one from a legitimate source, then don't buy it. Just like anything else in life.

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Answer 12

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:38 AM in response to KiltedTim

Ok then KiltedTim, so your saying that its only those people that are well off, in good jobs that are paid large salaries, that have a wealthy family, etc that can ever really afford an iPhone!!

And just for your information, i checked out the place i purchased it from, very closely, over the space of a year, i also checked out the seller and the feedback was very reassuring, an actual legitimate authorised source with mediators, and members that have been buying and selling for in excess of 10 years, etc - not to mention that O2 have received NOTHING on my IMEI number and actually believe that this may have been entered incorrectly by someone.

I,m obviously just someone that could never afford an iPhone and therefore doesnt deserve to have one - Thanks!

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Answer 13

CMG1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:42 AM in response to varjak paw

I completely understand that police have better things and more important things to investigate and deal with, hence why there should be some other way to assist people in these sorts of things - they wont even tell me who has reported this or who has claimed?? O2 believe that the IMEI number has been blocked accidently as they have not received the usual information they receive on insurance claims......

To be fair, i researched and watched the place that i bought my phone from for a year, it is well known for it and you have to be a member for a specific period of time and have the correct feedback in order to buy, sell and give advice, etc on there......

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Answer 14

KiltedTim

Level 10

226,008 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:50 AM in response to CMG1980

CMG1980 wrote:

Ok then KiltedTim, so your saying that its only those people that are well off, in good jobs that are paid large salaries, that have a wealthy family, etc that can ever really afford an iPhone!!

If you need a car and you want a Lotus, but can't afford it, you may have to settle for a Ford. You may be able to find a Lotus in your price range, but don't be surprised when the car is siezed by the police because it was stolen. If a deal is too good to be true, then it probably is.

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Answer 15

varjak paw

Level 10

182,668 points

Jan 31, 2012 7:51 AM in response to CMG1980

Reviews and postive feedback are easily faked - eBay has that problem constantly - and membership in a site for any length of time is absolutely no guarantee that problems will not arise. Again, the only way you can be reasonlyable certain of being protected against fraud is by working only with authorized vendors.

Anyway, it could well be O2's mistake and problem. But if they won't do anything further, then unless you're willing to take legal action or try to get some sort of consumer ombudsman involved, you're at a dead end. The police certainly won't (in fact, they can't) become involved in what would be a contractual matter. Only in the case of the seller fraudulently filing a stolen-property claim would it become a criminal matter, and the police aren't going to expend any resources for such a small item.

Sorry, there's really nothing more anyone here can offer in the way of advice.

Regards.

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