@Anonymous wrote:
Hi All!
I'm looking at buying an iPhone 5 that is an unwanted upgrade locked to 02. It is apparently still sealed in the box.
What are the risks involved?
Can the seller still get the phone blocked even though it hasn't been opened or registered?
I will get the IMEI & Serial number from the seller in advance to check them out.
Does the phone still belong to 02 - and what if he defaults on his contract payments?
Anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks!
Hi,
Do you know this person at all or is it being purchased off a selling site ?
Every phone despatched has its imei recorded so if the original owner reports it as lost or stolen, then it could become imei blocked and made unusable.
Usually the Networks are primarily concerned with a Pay Monthly Contract being paid.
Normally the handset then becomes the sole property of the owner at the end of the contract term, but in my experience its rare for a Network to block a phone for non payment. They simply chase the account holder for payment and eventually sell the debt onto a debt recovery agency.
What I'm not sure about is the new 02 Tariff 'Refresh' where the handset is paid for separately ! Maybe another Community Member can jump in here and advise us both !
I would suggest that you insist on gaining a receipt for the phone if possible, and speak to 02 about transferring ownership to yourself.
You are wise to check the serial number of the iPhone to checkout what its status is.
Here's the link if your not already aware.
https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do
If not buying off an auction site then meet somewhere public with a friend in tow and draw up some kind of document for the seller to sign to show as a bill of sale.
If your buying from fleabay then pay with payPal only and be aware of the pitfalls of buying this way. ie : Non turn up of product or phone not in the box, phone already blocked.
Personally I would not entertain buying phones from there myself for the above reasons.
It may be also be worth looking at a shop called CEX who trade in many gadgets , phones included which are also sometimes upgrades. They check out the phone before buying it, add their own 12 month warranty, and provide a bill of sale. Plus if a phone does become blocked they simply give you another and chase their registered member.
For an Apple iPhone 5 16gb, locked to 02 your looking at £455 for mint condition and £430 for good condition.
