Verizon won't unlock phone
Gwest3
Enthusiast - Level 2

Help! I purchased a new unlocked pixel 6 in 2021 from Best Buy and activated it on my Verizon Wireless business account. I purchased it in full and have the receipt.  I'm trying to switch wireless carriers now and successfully transferred my phone number to the new carrier. However, when trying to activate the new eSIM by scanning the QR code from the new carrier I get an error that says my phone is locked by Verizon. After 3 days of talking to tech support and fraud support at Verizon they still refuse to unlock my phone SIM. My SIM lock appeal was denied because  Verizon has no record of me purchasing the phone. Fraud support said Verizon cannot unlock it because I purchased it at Best Buy, and Best Buy support says they don't have any ability to lock unlocked phones. I've already filed a complaint with the FCC. 

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29 Replies
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello, being on top of your equipment is vital, especially if you are managing your phone status. We want to guide you in the right direction.

 

For your reference, here is our unlock policy: https://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy.

 

To verify more details on your business line device, please reach out to our Business Team through any of the numbers found on this link: https://www.verizon.com/business/contact/.

 

Hope this information helped.

~Gilbert

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Gwest3
Enthusiast - Level 2

Gilbert, @vzw_customer_support 

Thanks for your reply. Please read my post in full. The Verizon unlocking policy you sent does not apply since I purchased an unlocked phone from Best Buy, not Verizon. I have contacted the business team several times and have no solution to this problem.

 

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Gwest3
Enthusiast - Level 2

@vzw_customer_support  

Minor update. I've contacted both Google and Best Buy customer support. Both confirmed that the phone is SIM locked by Verizon and Verizon is the only one who can unlock it. 

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SynthpopAddict
Champion - Level 1

@Gwest3  sorry to see you've been affected by an IT glitch.  Someone else recently posted about the exact same thing and also had to get the FCC on it before their phone could be unlocked.  I'm shocked that CS can't at least route your request to the correct department.  Never mind that whomever you spoke with earlier couldn't tell by looking at your account that you did use the phone for the required 60 days on Verizon's network in the past.  This fulfilled the unlocking policy requirement and the phone should have automatically unlocked itself.  Sure hope your situation gets sorted out soon.

P.S. - How in the world does a factory unlocked phone somehow get locked by a carrier??? 😯

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I'm not a Verizon employee, just another customer trying to help.
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Gwest3
Enthusiast - Level 2

@SynthpopAddict 

Thanks for the reply. I just received another SIM Lock Appeal - Denied email from Verizon @vzw_customer_support  with no useful explanation as to why. Looks like I'm forced to purchase a new phone in order to use a different carrier. 

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SynthpopAddict
Champion - Level 1

@Gwest3has the FCC responded to your inquiry?  Sorry to see you haven't gotten a resolution.

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I'm not a Verizon employee, just another customer trying to help.
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Gwest3
Enthusiast - Level 2

@SynthpopAddict I was notified yesterday that my FCC complaint was served to Verizon. although I have not heard anything from Verizon yet. Maybe they will call me today to address this issue. I've given up calling tech support after my Enable SIM Unlock request was denied again yesterday. 

 

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ghowell
Enthusiast - Level 1

Any update on this?  Did contacting the FCC work?  I'm having the same issue.  

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello, ghowell. Help is here. Please share some details on what's happening. 

-Natasha

ghowell
Enthusiast - Level 1

Hi Natasha,

I'm having the same issue as the original poster.  Purchased phone from Best Buy in fall of 2021.   My phone is still locked and Verizon hasn't been able to help so far (3 calls since Feb 2024).  Best Buy indicates issue is on Verizon side, Verizon say's issue is with Best Buy...

 

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Thank you for those additional details, Ghowell. The original poster stated they bought an unlocked, to make sure we're aligned, was yours an unlocked phone as well? This will help with direction. 

-Melissa

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ghowell
Enthusiast - Level 1

Hi Melissa,

I believe this was to be unlocked.  It was paid in full at the time of purchase.  

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Thanks so much for that information, ghowell. To best assist, we'll be sending a Private message.👍

~Izzy

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Batmanluver21
Newbie

I’m having the same issue but I bought my phone at Walmart and after a week of back and forth phone calls from Walmart and Verizon I can’t get no where. What is the FCC?

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello,Batmanluver21. Help is here. Did you purchase a prepaid device? Please see the link below for our Device Unlocking Policy for the time frame and qualifications to unlock your device. 

https://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy

-Natasha

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Christypruitt83

I have called several times to get someone at Verizon to unlock my son’s eSIM. I called 1 week ago and they told me it would be unlocked In 2-3 business days but keep denying my request. This is a phone that my husband bought on his company purchasing plan, and not a Verizon retailer or part of Verizon. They have held my phone hostage after trying to move away from Verizon to T Mobile. I had a past due payment and thought that might be the reason,and the only reason I hadn’t paid yet is I was finished with Verizon waiting for the final bill, but I paid that and after being on the call with Verizon for almost 2 hours, they still have not unlocked it. Today they reactivated my Verizon service after I told them that with their policy that it states you have to wait 60 days for them to unlock a phone once activated, and she reassured me that would not be the case, but they still have not unlocked it, the lady told me she needed to wait 15 mins for me to shut the phone down and she would call me back, but never did. I just feel that they are being rude and not helping me out, when my son needs his phone. What happens if he has an emergency and has no way of getting in contact with us. I am a very worried mom at this point and I don’t feel Verizon is being of any help. I need this resolved. I had no problems switching all my other lines, so I don’t understand why this one line is a problem?

 

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Chela9090
Newbie

Honestly this my first being a customer of Verizon in very Ling time oh boy this is bad they have bad customer service really bad always getting disconnected the other day I had a isssed never talk to 6 different agents from fraud department to sales none of them ever help was there for on the computer chat I'm terminating my service today 

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Chela9090, we never want you to leave the Verizon family, and we're sorry if you've had issues with our customer service in the past. We want to make sure you're always getting the help you need when you reach out. What issues were our customer service team unable to help you with?

~Jesse

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I have the same issue..i purchased a phone from Swappa...paid in full...anf verizon has locked my phone and refuses to unlock it..i talked to 7 different people today who all gave me different answers...

  Anyone have the FCC link???i would like to file a complaint...Verizon had no bussiness locking my phone...im not even a verizon customer...

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hey there, krazyclausen, sorry to hear you're running into an issue with your phone! Was this a new or previously used device that was purchased? Is there a specific message you see on the phone that is preventing you from activating?

-Lauren

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