Unlocking Sprint Phone (eBay)

Question

Level 1

9 points

Unlocking Sprint Phone (eBay)

I bought a sprint iPhone 4s off of eBay. I contacted sprint but they refuse to unlock the phone because I don't have the original phone number password or any other account information. I informed them I purchased it off eBay but they don't care.

Is there any other way to unlock this phone? I've searched google for ways to unlock the phone and the main way is to contact sprint (which I've tried) or attempting to download an unlocker app which I'm thinking is probably a virus or something fishy as you have to complete "offers" in order to be eligible to download the app...

any suggestions?

iPhone 4S, iOS 9.3.1, Sprint Blah

Posted on Apr 2, 2016 1:05 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 30, 2017 2:24 PM in response to brendanmaher

The only way to remove activation lock is to have the person who set it remove it. There is no other way. See: Find My iPhone Activation Lock: Removing a device from a previous owner’s account

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Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:07 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

No, the lock is an anti theft measure, would be useless if you could defeat it. Only Apple can unlock it

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Answer 3

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:14 PM in response to Csound1

So Apple can unlock it not Sprint?

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Answer 4

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:19 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

Possibly they both can, but Apple definetely can, if they will

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Answer 5

imobl

Level 7

20,298 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:20 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

Apple will not assist with Activation Lock on a second hand iPhone.

If the eBay auction did not describe the iPhone as Activation Locked,

immediately open a claim to get a refund. If the iPhone was described

as Activation Locked, you are now the owner of a useless iPhone unless

you can get the original owner (who may not have been the seller) to

remove the Activation Lock.

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Answer 6

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:24 PM in response to imobl

I can't remember the details exactly when I bought it. However it's activation ready just threw Sprint...I want to unlock the phone for T-Mobile

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Answer 7

sberman

Level 10

263,655 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:35 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

Unlocking an iPhone for use with another carrier has absolutely nothing to do with unlocking an Activation Locked iPhone.

Your iPhone is Activation Locked. You must obtain the original owner's consent to unlock the iPhone (from Activation Lock) or you will never be able to use it, and nobody including Apple and any cellular carrier can ever help you.

Get your money refunded if you can.

Find My iPhone Activation Lock - Apple Support

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Answer 8

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:40 PM in response to sberman

Just found this on the original listing.

IPhone 4s Sprint - This item has a CLEAN ESN, which means it is ready to be activated on Sprint & Ring Plus network.This is NOT AN UNLOCKED phone.

I don't want to get a refund as originally I was using this as a wifi phone. Only recently I wanted to try and use it with a cell carrier.

EDIT: I already contacted Apple they said only Sprint can unlock the phone to be used on other carriers they cannot.

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Answer 9

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,189 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:41 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

If Sprint won't unlock it, then you're out of luck. Sell it to someone who can use it if you don't want to sign up for service with Sprint. They "own" the lock. Sprint is within their legal rights in refusing to unlock it if you are not a current customer in good standing.

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Answer 10

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:45 PM in response to KiltedTim

I sent a message to the eBay seller. I felt uncomfortable asking them as they were clear in their listing...this is why I won't ask for a refund it's not their problem. Maybe they will be generous enough though to get it unlocked for me.

Once I get unlocked (if I can) is it unlocked for good?

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Answer 11

sberman

Level 10

263,655 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:47 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

If you visit http://www.icloud.com/activationlock from a computer's browser, you can enter the iPhone's serial number and determine if it is Activation Locked. If it is, then if not now, then at a point down the road you are certain to have issues with this iPhone.

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Answer 12

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:50 PM in response to sberman

I'm not sure what you mean by activation locked. I've already have been able to use the phone with my apple id and icloud and app store. So it's not locked like reported stolen or anything. It's just locked to only be activated with Sprint carrier.

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Answer 13

sberman

Level 10

263,655 points

Apr 2, 2016 1:58 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

BubbieCheeks wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean by activation locked.

This could hurt you ... please try to understand. I'll explain a bit below, but there is more info in the above links.

iPhones with iOS 7 or later have Activation Lock. The owner of an iPhone, by registering it in Find My iPhone (which almost everyone does), adds a layer of protection if the iPhone is ever lost or stolen (which is the point - perhaps you purchased a previously stolen iPhone on eBay). Once you attempt to re-activate and use your device, if the original owner did not disable Find My iPhone (which would be the case if you purchased a stolen iPhone), you will not be able to use the device.

Again, you can check to see whether the iPhone is activation locked at the website http://wwwi.icloud.com/activationlock

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Answer 14

BubbieCheeks Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 2, 2016 2:15 PM in response to sberman

Again I've already said when I got the phone I was able to use my own Apple ID and I was able to use it with find my iPhone and everything. It's not activation locked to the last owner it's activation locked to me.

It is not icloud locked and find my iphone was disabled when I got it. It was ready to use.

I turned off find my iphone and checked it's not activation locked.

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Answer 15

Apr 2, 2016 2:53 PM in response to BubbieCheeks

With all of the posts, it's still not clear about which lock you are talking about. If it is SIM locked you will see a message to insert a valid SIM. If this is what you see you are out of luck, as Sprint will only unlock phones for current or former customers, and even then they put up a fight about it. The only way you can use the phone is in the US on the Sprint network.

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