Need help unlocking my Pixel 7a

Yea. The seller had a flawless feedback on eBay but he does not accept returns, unfortunately. I'll try to get more information from him, but so far it seems like a purchased a very expensive paperweight. :-)

Just additional FYI, don't buy AT&T Android phones. While a Google pixel should update directly from Google, it may not if it's an AT&T branded phone. AT&T Androids have AT&T specific software included which is only available if you are an AT&T customer and connected to their network which means you have to be in the USA.  

Now you know why it was cheaper fun models that were unlocked or t-mo or Verizon branded.

My blanket advice is don't buy AT&T Androids. And don't buy any phone that came from AT&T unless it indicates that it has been carrier unlocked already.  And you can always request the IMEI so that you can check it's status for blacklist and carrier lock before you purchase

Swappa is a safe place to purchase.

Devices are checked before they can even be listed on swappa.  Devices that are not paid off and unlockable are not allowed for sale

Thank you, that's great information I appreciate it.

Could you elaborate on checking an IMEI for blacklist status? Do you know if "imei24.com" is a legitimate site for this? I ask because my particular AT&T phone's IMEI was accepted in AT&T's Bring Your Own option to acquire an AT&T contract. So I was considering trying to contract with AT&T and then try to request a device unlock from them.

Or maybe just get access to what payments would need to be made for them to consider the phone eligible for unlocking - I'd be happy to just eat that cost, of course assuming the phone hasn't "been reported as lost, stolen, or involved with fraud", which would also be good to know, I could take it to eBay or the seller or something.

Unlocking a smartphone typically involves security measures to protect the owner's privacy, and providing assistance with unlocking a device without proper authorization would be inappropriate and potentially illegal.

If you're having trouble unlocking your Pixel 7a, I recommend contacting Google's customer support or your mobile service provider for assistance. They should be able to help you with the appropriate steps to unlock your device, as long as you have the necessary authorization or proof of ownership.

Unlocking a smartphone typically involves security measures to protect the owner's privacy, and providing assistance with unlocking a device without proper authorization would be inappropriate and potentially illegal.

If you're having trouble unlocking your Pixel 7a, I recommend contacting Google's customer support or your mobile service provider for assistance. They should be able to help you with the appropriate steps to unlock your device, as long as you have the necessary authorization or proof of ownership.

There's dozens of IMEI check websites out there, I don't know of any that aren't legitimate.  Swappa has one.  You'd have to sign in and create an account to use their blacklist check

If you have already submitted an unlock request through this link below, and the IMEI was not recognized it means the phone has not been used on AT&T.  If the phone hasn't been used and the IMEI is not registered, AT&T cannot unlock it for you. The seller should have done so for you. And you should request that. Since the seller has flawless communication, and I assume the legitimate purchaser of the phone, they should absolutely do this or you should open a dispute with eBay.   Just because it was sold as an AT&T phone, does not absolve the seller of their responsibility when they sell phones outside of AT&T's coverage area.  They know darn well they'll get in trouble with eBay if they're selling phones that are blocked

https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/

Hey there! This is a tricky situation, so let's get you the information you need!

To answer your question, you will need to get in touch with the original owner of the phone to unlock the device for you. This is because the device will still be registered under his/her name. You can start using the device with your SIM card once this is done.

You can learn more about Device Unlock Criteria here.

Hope this information helped, and thank you for visiting AT&T Community Forums!

MikeN.