Good IMEI inquiry

iphone5inquiry

I called Verizon customer service to inquire about an iPhone i wanted to purchase, I have the rep the IMEI # (removed) from the iPhone 5, I was told that it was still on the customers line and needed to removed, the rep told me he would contact his manager and get approval to remove the phone from the users account, took my telephone # and said he'd call me back in 15-20 minutes.

No problem, clean IMEI so I bought the phone... waited a little over an hour with no response from Verizon so I called back...

I got another rep, explained the previous call and he confirmed the IMEI #, he also said he'd contact the phones owner to remove the phone from their account, then after some time he comes back on the line and tells me the owner was a kid and that he had lost the phone and that the phone I purchased was lost/stolen and part of an insurance claim and for some reason wasn't put on a "blacklist" some significant time earlier and will be added to the black list now!

Verizon worker(s) who didn't do their job(s) allowed me to be able to purchase a lost/stolen phone and now I'm stuck with a phone that's useless.

How can you assure me it's a good IMEI and then come back and say it's not going to be anymore!!! Somebody needs to look into this because I want answers and I want them now!!!

Your workers neglected to blacklist the phone when the insurance claim was submitted and now I have to pay for your negligence?

>> Edited to comply with the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

deloused

The insurance is ran by a different company. They process claims not only for theft, but even for minor damage so many customers (including the original owner) may choose to not contact Verizon to report the phone as stolen to be blacklisted. Verizon cannot do that without the customer requesting it. In fact even in stolen situations some customers request the phone to remain on and not blacklisted in hopes to try and catch the thief. The fact that the phone was still on another customers account still is also a good indication, as physically once the phone was in your possession you could have used it for free since it was still connected to their account. Good thing you're honest tho. A good lesson but all is not lost- call the police as it is illegal to sell a stolen product, the law can help you get your money back from the seller.