vB Easy Archive - sanyo 5300 ESN and how to change it

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sanyo 5300 ESN and how to change it
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Posted by: trainspotter

I am a complete n00b to this forum (and cellphone "hacking" as well), so forgive me. anyways, I won an auction for a "used" cellphone (Sanyo 5300) on ebay and received the phone monday. I tried to transfer my current number to it, but was informed the ESN I was trying to use did not match the phone number still present on the phone (I was giving the technician the ESN off the box). I checked the phone's ESN and found it to be different than the one on the box. I was then informed the phone in my possession had been reported lost/stolen and there was nothing I could do to have it activated. I did find out the ESN on the box "could" be used had that been the correct ESN for the phone. Can someone tell me if there is a way to change the ESN on the phone to match the ESN on the box?

Posted by: YK010181

I'm sorry to say to my knowledge, no. That's why you should have read the FAQ's here about buying used phones. You ALWAYS get the seller to give you the ESN so you can check if everything is okay, then you pay with say PayPal or a credit card, some form of payment where you have some recourse. I hope I'm not sounding mean, I'm just telling you the blatant truth. Anyways, I hope you paid with PayPal, contact them and hopefully your money should be returned. I'm sorry to say that's all I can tell you.

Posted by: smokybear

Wirelessly posted (Audiovox CDM-8500 (Vox 8500): CDM-8500/T10 UP.Browser/4.1.26l UP.Link/5.0.2.9)

The ESN can be easily changed with a data cable. This is illegal and with an activated phone with an altered ESN you would easily be caught and possibly prosecuted. This just goes to show how under handed people can be online. Best of luck to you...

Posted by: trainspotter

I have considered the consequences and decided to go against the idea of editing the ESN. I spoke to a Sprint manager (in-store) today and she informed me they could not do anything with the phone I received off of eBay mainly due to the fact the account that is still attached to the phone is under investigation for fraud. I will also be filing a fraud claim, but through eBay. Hopefully, I’ll get my money back and be able to apply that to a new phone directly from Sprint (and you KNOW I will get insurance on it as well). The manager stated the only thing she could do regarding the phone would be to give me a $50 credit towards the purchase of another phone. She also gave me the option of canceling my account (which ends January 27th) in order to catch the deals going on w/ the picture phones right now (check the Sprint website or your local sprint kiosk/store). Downside to that is we will lose both cell numbers (2 phones on a shared plan). Whatever choice I go with it will NOT be with changing the ESN on the current phone I have in my possession. I think the only thing I will use this phone for (if eBay doesn't want it for some strange reason) would be for extra parts.
Anyways, thanks you two who answered. I’ve passed the desperate stage and moved onto the logical stage now. (c;