Bought an "unlocked" iPhone from someone from USA .. but. [ Edited ]

[Carzone]

I bought an iPhone from someone on a forum. He said it was unlocked. I paid $550 via paypal and close to $100 in duty fees for it to come to Canada only to see that it's locked with AT&T.

What can I do? Can AT&T unlock it for me?

I'm really worried because the guy blocked me on the forums and on skype.

Thanks,

Martin

[gphipps]

Sounds like you're out of luck. AT&T can unlock it but they require the account holder information to do it.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

Dispute the sale through Paypal! AT&T has no responsibility for a private sale.

[Carzone]

I tried charging back and failed to win the dispute.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

Try Google for third parties that provide unlocking.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

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Carzone wrote:

I tried charging back and failed to win the dispute.

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So how did the seller word the item so as not to be selling an unlocked iPhone?  This should have been easy?

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

You can try going through the Device Unlock Portal to submit a request. 

[cousintim]

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Carzone wrote:

I tried charging back and failed to win the dispute.

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If you bought it through eBay, it is very unusual for a buyer to lose a dispute.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

The op did not use eBay. They did use PayPal so I can only assume that the sale was worded very shady as to cause the buyer to loose the dispute.

[stufried]

What about saying "jailbroken." People often thinks it means "unlocked."  You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now..  The bigger issue is whether the phone shows up otht he new blacklist.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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stufried wrote:

What about saying "jailbroken." People often thinks it means "unlocked."  You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now..  The bigger issue is whether the phone shows up otht he new blacklist.  

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really did not know that Apple was selling unlock now, where is it on their website?

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

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wingrider01 wrote:

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stufried wrote:

What about saying "jailbroken." People often thinks it means "unlocked."  You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now..  The bigger issue is whether the phone shows up otht he new blacklist.  

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really did not know that Apple was selling unlock now, where is it on their website?

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Check out this page: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone5

Just before the section "iPhone at a Glance" is a link for "Or get iPhone unlocked and contract-free"

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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youngjm wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

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stufried wrote:

What about saying "jailbroken." People often thinks it means "unlocked."  You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now..  The bigger issue is whether the phone shows up otht he new blacklist.  

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really did not know that Apple was selling unlock now, where is it on their website?

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Check out this page: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone5

Just before the section "iPhone at a Glance" is a link for "Or get iPhone unlocked and contract-free"

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per the poster - still do not see where " You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now" on that page

[cousintim]

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wingrider01 wrote:

per the poster - still do not see where " You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now" on that page

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It's not there and Apple does not sell unlocks.  Google will show that factory unlocks are available from other sources.  The price varies by model.  I think that the cost for current technology is around $35.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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cousintim wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

per the poster - still do not see where " You can unlock an IiPhone with an iTunes unlock for $10 now" on that page

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It's not there and Apple does not sell unlocks.  Google will show that factory unlocks are available from other sources.  The price varies by model.  I think that the cost for current technology is around $35.

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ah unoffical ones,  If they where official then apple would be advertising the service. remember reading in a security journel a couple of months ago that Apple has started persuing those unofficial unlockers and they have shut down a number of them, and relocked the phones.

[cousintim]

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wingrider01 wrote:

ah unoffical ones,  If they where official then apple would be advertising the service. remember reading in a security journel a couple of months ago that Apple has started persuing those unofficial unlockers and they have shut down a number of them, and relocked the phones.

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Perhaps that is true, but if it was happening in any magnitude, there would certainly be news reports of it beyond your security journal.

 I am not recommending that anyone use these services but they have built a thriving cottage industry.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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cousintim wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

ah unoffical ones,  If they where official then apple would be advertising the service. remember reading in a security journel a couple of months ago that Apple has started persuing those unofficial unlockers and they have shut down a number of them, and relocked the phones.

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Perhaps that is true, but if it was happening in any magnitude, there would certainly be news reports of it beyond your security journal.

 I am not recommending that anyone use these services but they have built a thriving cottage industry.

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You mean like this two?

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/22/iphone-unlocking-service-providers-shut-down/

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971350

the way these companies actual unlock the phone is interesting, it requires access to the carriers IMEI database through a inside connection at the carriers offices. As we all know Apple is not much for publishing anything that will tarnish their lower their my little pony image to the consumers. So I doubt they would let this information out to the 5th estate willingly unless they are akin to the pirate bay level of illegal organizations 

[cousintim]

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wingrider01 wrote:

You mean like this two?

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/22/iphone-unlocking-service-providers-shut-down/

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971350

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Both articles are almost two (2) years old.  If you doubt that there are several credible merchants that have offered such a service for quite a while, you should avail yourself of one of the leading search engines.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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cousintim wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

You mean like this two?

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/22/iphone-unlocking-service-providers-shut-down/

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971350

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Both articles are almost two (2) years old.  If you doubt that there are several credible merchants that have offered such a service for quite a while, you should avail yourself of one of the leading search engines.

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Have availed myself to the souce, per the manufacturer, the only valid unlock service in the US is apple, there are no supported, validated 3rd party services available.  

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

There are no "credible" sources selling unlocks. Caveat emptor. Apple has gotten WAY ahead of the unlockers with respect to the newest phones and versions of iOS. I often check out the news at Redmond Pie to see what's shaking, and it's gotten increasingly difficult (if not downright impossible) to unlock the newest and shiniest devices. If you'd saved SHSH blobs in the past, you could still downgrade and unlock, but I'm not sure how those would be preserved as you updated the OS.

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cousintim wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

You mean like this two?

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/22/iphone-unlocking-service-providers-shut-down/

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971350

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Both articles are almost two (2) years old.  If you doubt that there are several credible merchants that have offered such a service for quite a while, you should avail yourself of one of the leading search engines.

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