Bought phone online, ESN is Fraud- what to do???

I bought a phone through craigslist, tried to activate it- and the rep tells me I can't activate it because it's been flagged for fraud. I can't get ahold of the guy who sold it to me. What can I do???

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I thing you are pretty much screwed. Craigslist is not like ebay or other sites, were its easy to track people. I would hope that you paid with a credit card, and can cancel payment, or a check. Cash was a mistake if that is what you paid with. Craigslist has warned people about buying things that need to be activated or have individual codes, ie cell phones, ipods, XM radios. Way to much fraud on that site and others like it. Let me know if you have any questions.

I agree. You're SOL at this point. You could try going to a Sprint store to see if it can be cleared, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you.
STBY.

without a release form from the old owner, you are f**ked

lick your wounds and use this cell phone as a reminder "lesson learned"

Take the phone and place it on a block or something hard. Pull out a hammer and smash it! with a fraudulent ESN it's worthless so take out your anger on it.

Originally Posted by aychico

I thing you are pretty much screwed. Craigslist is not like ebay or other sites, were its easy to track people. I would hope that you paid with a credit card, and can cancel payment, or a check. Cash was a mistake if that is what you paid with. Craigslist has warned people about buying things that need to be activated or have individual codes, ie cell phones, ipods, XM radios. Way to much fraud on that site and others like it. Let me know if you have any questions.

Do you guys know how the ESN works? Is it hardcoded into the firmware or is it something that can be taken cared of by making it open line?

Do you guys know how the ESN works? Is it hardcoded into the firmware or is it something that can be taken cared of by making it open line?

With my Samsung SPH-A500 (circa 2003) the Electronic Serial Number (ESN) is part of the NAM keyboard programming.

More simply put, the kid at the Dealer who started yesterday, enters the Service Menu by keying in the Service Lock Code. Then chooses NAM programming to key in the costumer's new phone number. Pretty much all they do when the Dealer 'programs' your new cell phone.

They would also check that the ESN which is printed inside the battery compartment, matches the ESN displayed in the NAM programming. They also check if the ESN of the phone is in their 'system'.

Again, back to my Samsung SPH-A500 , when looking at the NAM programming, there is a choice of accepting the displayed ESN, or entering the 'akey' (authentication code) to change the ESN of the phone.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by phoneskickarse

I bought a phone through craigslist, tried to activate it- and the rep tells me I can't activate it because it's been flagged for fraud. I can't get ahold of the guy who sold it to me. What can I do???

Sprint did the same thing to a guy I sold a phone too, do a search on this forum for Sprint and Disgraceful and you will find my story. I talk about how I sold a phone and Sprint flagged it as stolen by mistake and then it was confiscated from the person I sold it too. I had to jump though tons of hoops to get the issue resolved. Call the guy that sold you the phone and have him call Sprint, they will tell him he has to go in to the store with you to sort it out but you can complain on the phone and they will eventually call the store manager. Sprint has horrible customer service but if you lean on them you can get this resolved.