Blacklisted iPhone 5 Help...

[mrsolis014]

So I bought a iPhone 5 off of craigslist two days ago, and that was my first time ever buying from somewhere other than apple 

When I tried activating it, it turns out it is blacklisted which now leaves me out $600

Is there anyway at all AT&T will be able to take this phone off the blacklist, I have proof I bought it from someone off of craigslist, I did not know the phone was stolen if I did that would be a class B misdemeanor and I don't want to get in any trouble. But I am not ready to do the police report just yet they will only take the phone and most likely not capture the guy and get me my money back

Im wondering what the blacklist policy is, if the person that filed the IMEI number stolen doesn't claim the phone in 30 days will I be able to keep it? Could AT&T just work with me and take it off if I speak to a supervisor and show them proof I did purchase this phone without knowing it was stolen.

Please help

Thanks

[satyr9]

just take it to another cellphone carrier.

elsewhere on these boards i read that you just have to take it to another provider and it should work.  it is only blocked on att, which means it was an att customer that it was stolen from.  the other cell providers do not automatically block them.

[Max69 ACE - Wizard]

---

satyr9 wrote:

just take it to another cellphone carrier.

elsewhere on these boards i read that you just have to take it to another provider and it should work.  it is only blocked on att, which means it was an att customer that it was stolen from.  the other cell providers do not automatically block them.

---

The phone is most likely locked, so taking it to another carrier won't work. AT&T would have to unlock it, and they won't do that if it's blacklisted.

And keeping the phone if you know it's stolen is no better than stealing it yourself.

[satyr9]

---

Max69 wrote:

---

satyr9 wrote:

just take it to another cellphone carrier.

elsewhere on these boards i read that you just have to take it to another provider and it should work.  it is only blocked on att, which means it was an att customer that it was stolen from.  the other cell providers do not automatically block them.

---

The phone is most likely locked, so taking it to another carrier won't work. AT&T would have to unlock it, and they won't do that if it's blacklisted.

And keeping the phone if you know it's stolen is no better than stealing it yourself.

---

gotcha, so there would be two different issues at play.

they didn't mention the locked issue in the other thread i just read about.

[gphipps]

That's exactly why I would never buy a phone off CL unless the seller can show proof of purchase.

Now that you know it's stolen you are violating the law by possessing it, at least in Ohio anyway.

[satyr9]

---

Max69 wrote:

And keeping the phone if you know it's stolen is no better than stealing it yourself.

---

I think the law would disagree.  Surely there are other recourses if you are the one who was swindled.

[satyr9]

---

gphipps wrote:


Now that you know it's stolen you are violating the law by possessing it, at least in Ohio anyway.

---

hopefully not in all cases. lots of police depts have yearly sales of impounded stuff from thieves (ie, bicycles, etc.) 

[gphipps]

Ohio Revised Code:

2913.51 Receiving stolen property.
(A) No person shall receive, retain, or dispose of property of another knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the property has been obtained through commission of a theft offense.

[satyr9]

---

gphipps wrote:
Ohio Revised Code:

2913.51 Receiving stolen property.
(A) No person shall receive, retain, or dispose of property of another knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the property has been obtained through commission of a theft offense.

---

guess it's different in all states.  fire stations & police depts raise a lot of charity funds from selling stolen/impounded/seized stuff (bikes, cars, etc.) from thieves, etc. at  annual sales & auctions.

[Facci]

I know you were a victim in this whole scenario also but how would you feel if it was your phone that was stolen? I'm sure you would want it back! You need to go to the police now. The longer you wait the harder it could be for the police to catxh the guy you boight the phone from. You know it's stolen so its illegal to continue to possess that phone now.

[satyr9]

---

Facci wrote:
I know you were a victim in this whole scenario also but how would you feel if it was your phone that was stolen? I'm sure you would want it back! 

---

the phoneless person probably replaced the lost phone the very next day, as most wouldn't be waiting around for their phone to be magically returned, because they'd need something to use immediately.

but, just as an aside -- when a friend was filing a police report about being mugged on the subway & getting her purse stolen, she had to list all of its contents that she could remember. when she asked the cop whether s/he thought any or all items could be recovered, the cop said no and added that most people said they didn't want them back anyway (unless they had sentimental value like rings) b/c the items were now "tainted" by the strangers who touched them, and that some recovered items like emptied wallets were found discarded in garbage bins, and they wouldn't be reusing those things from germy trash. the recovered items just become "evidence".

[Facci]

I am a cop and that is completely NOT true! But whatever you need to say to make yourself feel better about keeping someone else's property.

[satyr9]

---

Facci wrote:
I am a cop and that is completely NOT true! But whatever you need to say to make yourself feel better about keeping someone else's property.

---

[hi, sorry my browser's not showing the exact quote you are replying to, but just in case it's me, i was relaying a personal friend's experiences, so it's all so very true to her, unfortunately.]

[mrsolis014]

Well since you are a cop you should know that the odds of the investigator catching the guy and getting my money back are slim to none, 

But i will file the police report in a couple days

thanks for the info guys

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

satyr9 wrote:

---

gphipps wrote:
Ohio Revised Code:

2913.51 Receiving stolen property.
(A) No person shall receive, retain, or dispose of property of another knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the property has been obtained through commission of a theft offense.

---

guess it's different in all states.  fire stations & police depts raise a lot of charity funds from selling stolen/impounded/seized stuff (bikes, cars, etc.) from thieves, etc. at  annual sales & auctions.

---

the difference is they are doing it with unclaimed items or items that where impossible to trace back to the original owner. The do not sell stolen cars, stolen cars, if not claimed by the owner go to the insurance company that wrote the policy on the car, they sell cars that have been impounded and siezed in connection with a felony or used in a drug related incident. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the qouted section of the criminal code of justice is pretty much identical in all states, it maybe worded differently but it is there, not to mention the one that is in the federal criminal code of justice which covers the entire US.

There is a majir difference between a stolen item or a item that was impounded / seized in the commision of a crime

[Facci]

---

mrsolis014 wrote:

Well since you are a cop you should know that the odds of the investigator catching the guy and getting my money back are slim to none, 

But i will file the police report in a couple days

thanks for the info guys

---

Not necessarily. Especially with internet they can track the person who sold you this phone using his IP address if the investigator knows what he's doing and is not lazy. If you are in a larger city, than good luck because they have bigger crimes to solve. The person who sold you the phone could be just like you and bought it off someone else. Who knows? My point is that I know that if it were my iphone that was stolen I would want it back!

[Mic0266]

This Phone If you attempt to unlock it would be denied and you could be reported to the authorize. The iphone can also be tracked for recovery, fail to do the right thing I think you deserve the money you are out along with any repercussions.

[WV-mg11]

Well this is a life lesson for you. Unfortunately you learned the hard way. Next time you buy a phone, from Craigslist or from someone you don't know, meet them at an At&t store,or whoever is your wireless provider, and have them activate the phone right then and there.

[ghostryder ACE - Wizard]

---

mrsolis014 wrote:

So I bought a iPhone 5 off of craigslist two days ago, and that was my first time ever buying from somewhere other than apple 

When I tried activating it, it turns out it is blacklisted which now leaves me out $600

Is there anyway at all AT&T will be able to take this phone off the blacklist, I have proof I bought it from someone off of craigslist, I did not know the phone was stolen if I did that would be a class B misdemeanors and I don't want to get in any trouble. But I am not ready to do the police report just yet they will only take the phone and most likely not capture the guy and get me my money back

Im wondering what the blacklist policy is, if the person that filed the IMEI number stolen doesn't claim the phone in 30 days will I be able to keep it? Could AT&T just work with me and take it off if I speak to a supervisor and show them proof I did purchase this phone without knowing it was stolen.

Please help

Thanks

---

OK, after reading all the posts, you have to turn it into the local law enforcement in your area. Retired law enforcement officer here and no matter what anybody else says here, you gotta turn it in. It's stolen property in your possession which is a misdemeanor. Turn it in with all the information from the person you bought it from and cross your fingers. They might be able to turn this thief and get your money back cuz you're now a victim as well.

[jane697]

---

ghostryder wrote:

---

mrsolis014 wrote:

So I bought a iPhone 5 off of craigslist two days ago, and that was my first time ever buying from somewhere other than apple 

When I tried activating it, it turns out it is blacklisted which now leaves me out $600

Is there anyway at all AT&T will be able to take this phone off the blacklist, I have proof I bought it from someone off of craigslist, I did not know the phone was stolen if I did that would be a class B misdemeanors and I don't want to get in any trouble. But I am not ready to do the police report just yet they will only take the phone and most likely not capture the guy and get me my money back

Im wondering what the blacklist policy is, if the person that filed the IMEI number stolen doesn't claim the phone in 30 days will I be able to keep it? Could AT&T just work with me and take it off if I speak to a supervisor and show them proof I did purchase this phone without knowing it was stolen.

Please help

Thanks

---

OK, after reading all the posts, you have to turn it into the local law enforcement in your area. Retired law enforcement officer here and no matter what anybody else says here, you gotta turn it in. It's stolen property in your possession which is a misdemeanor. Turn it in with all the information from the person you bought it from and cross your fingers. They might be able to turn this thief and get your money back cuz you're now a victim as well.

---

Just curious--what happens if they are unable to locate the rightful owner or the owner does not come forward to claim the phone after a certain amount of time has elapsed?  Do the police then allow the person who turned in the phone to be able to claim it as his own...or as I suspect would be the case, they would simply auction it off like they do with many goods taken from folks involved on the wrong end of criminal proceedings?  I mean, that is definitely a possibility...after all, not all stolen property are successfully reunited with their rightful owners.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

---

jane697 wrote:

---

ghostryder wrote:

---

mrsolis014 wrote:

So I bought a iPhone 5 off of craigslist two days ago, and that was my first time ever buying from somewhere other than apple 

When I tried activating it, it turns out it is blacklisted which now leaves me out $600

Is there anyway at all AT&T will be able to take this phone off the blacklist, I have proof I bought it from someone off of craigslist, I did not know the phone was stolen if I did that would be a class B misdemeanors and I don't want to get in any trouble. But I am not ready to do the police report just yet they will only take the phone and most likely not capture the guy and get me my money back

Im wondering what the blacklist policy is, if the person that filed the IMEI number stolen doesn't claim the phone in 30 days will I be able to keep it? Could AT&T just work with me and take it off if I speak to a supervisor and show them proof I did purchase this phone without knowing it was stolen.

Please help

Thanks

---

OK, after reading all the posts, you have to turn it into the local law enforcement in your area. Retired law enforcement officer here and no matter what anybody else says here, you gotta turn it in. It's stolen property in your possession which is a misdemeanor. Turn it in with all the information from the person you bought it from and cross your fingers. They might be able to turn this thief and get your money back cuz you're now a victim as well.

---

Just curious--what happens if they are unable to locate the rightful owner or the owner does not come forward to claim the phone after a certain amount of time has elapsed?  Do the police then allow the person who turned in the phone to be able to claim it as his own...or as I suspect would be the case, they would simply auction it off like they do with many goods taken from folks involved on the wrong end of criminal proceedings?  I mean, that is definitely a possibility...after all, not all stolen property are successfully reunited with their rightful owners.

---

It depends on what your local authorities do........  If the phone comes back to you, get a release from the police and see if ATT will act on that but there is no guarantees....