I think I was sold a stolen iphone. What do I do?

Hello FilipeV, I was reading an old post of yours on lost/stolen iphones. May I ask how you recovered your stolen Iphone from the DC restroom? Mine was stolen from a Los Angeles restroom about 2 days ago and when my Find My Iphone alerted me yesterday that the phone is now in South Florida, I called it immediately only to have it powered down. I've called Los Angeles airport police as well as the local Florida police to explain my problem. The police say if I were in Florida they could then go to the address that the Find My Iphone alert is providing but I live in NJ. I have a message to contact me but seems they have no plans on returning my phone or turning it in to local police. I have not had my phone backed up so all the precious pictures will be gone to me. In fact, because I have lost several iphones pictures due to water damage and not having them backed up, I will be paying Apple a visit first hand when I go to get yet another phone. I feel terrible but a big lesson once again is to have the pics loaded to my computer immediately after taking them. I have about 4 to 5 vacations with no picture memories as well as family outings that cannot be remembered by pictures.

If you have the IMEI for the phone it would help both of us.

Cell phone carriers often have access to national databases for device that have been reported as lost or stolen. If this is a carrier-specific device, try contacting that carrier to determine whether the device has been reported as such by the original owner. If this is the case, the carrier may offer to help return the device to its owner for you.

Checking the IMEI of a used device prior to purchasing it online is a good practice I learned while working at a cell carrier.

Sure, but I don't know if it would help you. The phone was left by my son in the restroom of a restaurant in DC. He came back 10 minutes later and it was gone. At once he put turn on Lost Mode using his iPad, but the phone was offline. A couple of days later the phone went online and it showed the location to be in the SE section of DC about 5 or 6 miles away. He called the phone and it went off line after ringing 2 or 3 times.

About 2 days later it went online again and he sent a text message to the phone saying that whoever had it was not going to be able to use it because it was activation locked and that he was willing to give the "finder" a reward. And furthermore that he knew where the phone was and that he had already informed the police. This was enough incentive for the "finder" to eventually return the phone and he got a $50 "reward".

Hope it helps.

Thanks for the information! I pretty much did exactly as you did except leave a message on the Lost Mode phone stating there would be a reward involved if turned it. I feel like the individual who took the phone from Los Angeles to South Florida has no intention to return my phone. I am not sure what use the phone is as I hear you would have to go through a great deal to get the phone unlocked and working. Going to continue to pray that someone will be honest enough to turn the phone in.

Turn it in to the police.

Hi

If you bought it from a website or shop get your money back.

Cheers

Brian 🇬-1F1E7;

Thats actually a good Idea, but Id have to call the police in the city It was shipped from.

Thanks for the data.

It will not. There is no way for you to track the phone via IMEI.