Got Scammed with a Samsung Galaxy S2 - Tmobile says IMEI is blocked
Im sure I'm not the first one who this has happened to
I purchased a Samsung Galaxy S2 from someone on Craigslist. I put my SIM in and it kept giving me a "your sim card does not allow a connection to this network" error every time I tried to connect to the network.
After being on the phone troubleshooting for 2 hours, Tmobile's "second level support" told me that the IMEI is blacklisted/blocked and only the original owner can call and release it (the guy who I bought the phone off of stopped answering his phone)
So, what can I do? Am I really just stuck with a $500 media player? I thought carrier's didn't blacklist IMEI numbers anymore.
Is there really Anything I can do at this point? I was really looking forward to using the S2. Heard great things about it.
Im sure insurance replacements stil get blacklisted...no way theyre gonna let u have two phones just for paying the deductible.
What u shouldve done was pop in ur sim and have verified that everything works as it shoukd b4 handing the money to the seller. I personally dont buy from cl without verifying one way or another.
Anyways, if it is a phone replaced under insurance, u will not be able to use that phone, ever. If it is blacklisted for another reason, well i would think the original owner of the phone would be the only one who can undo it.
Good luck~!
Leave a voicemail to the person that sold you the phone that he had better fess up. Explain that if he doesn't rectify the problem, that you will get the local authorities involved. Get a written explanation from T-Mobile explaining why the phone is blacklisted.
When did TMobile start a blacklist for stolen phones? I thought only CDMA carriers did this. And testing your SIM at time of payment is not enough, as it could be a newly stolen phone, yet to be reported and blacklisted hours or days later.
Im sure insurance replacements stil get blacklisted...no way theyre gonna let u have two phones just for paying the deductible.
There's no information that insurance replacements are blacklisted. T-Mobile rep, newguy78, recently posted that T-Mobile is specifically blacklisting phones that were purchased on the EIP payment plan and then not paid off.
This is more outrageous behavior on the part of the execs at T-Mobile USA. They are purposely doing this because they know it will depress the resale market when we go to sell our phones, and more people will buy phones from them.
Even testing a SIM card in the device won't be foolproof as the seller could make payments up to the time of the sale, default afterwards, and one day your device just won't work anymore.
T-Mobile has no legal right to do this. Thus complaints need to be filed with the FTC and the FCC. Perhaps a law firm that specializes in class action lawsuits could be found that would be willing to take this on.
T-Mobile doesn't even have the decency to notify customers that it is doing this nor does it provide them with a website to check that the IMEI numbers are in good standing. This action is so wrong on so many levels.
T-Mobile has no legal right to do this.
T-Mobile doesn't even have the decency to notify customers that it is doing this nor does it provide them with a website to check that the IMEI numbers are in good standing. This action is so wrong on so many levels.
I agree but I think Tmobile has their bases covered on this one in Terms and Conditions. Check out the underlined sentence below...
* Cancellation and Returns. Service Cancellation: You can cancel a new line of Service without paying an Early Termination Fee if you cancel WITHIN 14 DAYS of activating a new line of Service (30 days in California; other states may differ - ask your sales representative) ("Cancellation Period"). You remain responsible for all Charges incurred through the date of cancellation. To cancel Service during the Cancellation Period, you may be required to go to the place where you activated Service and return any T-Mobile Device you acquired at the time of activation. You must return your T-Mobile Device in its package with all original contents, undamaged and in good working condition with no material alterations to the Device's hardware or software. If you do not return your T-Mobile Device or if you return your T-Mobile Device in a damaged, altered or destroyed condition, we may take one or more of the following actions: (a) prevent your T-Mobile Device from working on any network; (b) charge you the Early Termination Fee; (c) elect not to process your Service cancellation; or (d) charge you the suggested retail price or the cost to repair a T-Mobile Device, (which may be greater than the price you paid), plus any shipping and handling charges. Device Refunds and Restocking Fees: For T-Mobile Device and accessory returns and exchanges, see the applicable return policy, which is available at your place of purchase. Some T-Mobile Devices and accessories may not be refunded or exchanged, and you may be required to pay a restocking fee.
I got on the phone again with Tmobile this morning and pleaded my case. I told them I was out $400 bucks because of someone else's actions, and that I have 4 lines with them that are coming up for renewal next month.. which won't be renewing. But they kept apologizing saying they couldn't do anything about it.
Somebody suggested that I put in a Simple Mobile sim to see if it works, but that doesn't either. I'm gonna try my buddy's AT&T SIM when I see him this afternoon. Hopefully it isn't blocked on all networks, like RAINIER mentioned above.
Also, it was suggested that I root and delete the EFS folder. Is that safe? I'm reading on a lot of developer and root sites that it removing the EFS messes up your phone permanently.
Bell 05/2005-08/2006, Virgin Mobile Canada 08/2006-11/2009
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I don't recommend the EFS idea.
AT&T is a reasonable idea, since it supports their 3G as well. Usually one carrier doesn't have access to the other's blacklist. If that works but you don't want AT&T, at least you know you could resell it for AT&T use.
I got on the phone again with Tmobile this morning and pleaded my case. I told them I was out $400 bucks because of someone else's actions, and that I have 4 lines with them that are coming up for renewal next month.. which won't be renewing. But they kept apologizing saying they couldn't do anything about it.
Somebody suggested that I put in a Simple Mobile sim to see if it works, but that doesn't either. I'm gonna try my buddy's AT&T SIM when I see him this afternoon. Hopefully it isn't blocked on all networks, like RAINIER mentioned above.
Also, it was suggested that I root and delete the EFS folder. Is that safe? I'm reading on a lot of developer and root sites that it removing the EFS messes up your phone permanently.
AFAIK deleting the EFS folder will reset the IMEI to a default Samsung IMEI. The only problem with this is this to could be blocked at a later date since it's not a correct IMEI and defeats one of the many reasons they have IMEIs in the first place. In theory it should work, at least for awhile. The worst thing you could do is back up the EFS folder and try it, and end up being forced to restore the original IMEI at a later date
Deleting that folder results in NO IMEI which will not connect to the T-Mobile network either. And on the Galaxy S II for T-Mobile the IMEI is not stored in the EFS folder, we don't know where it is.
AT&T will definitely work.
T-Mobile can block IMEI's all day long. Verizon and Sprint do it similarly. WE don't even know if this phone was stolen from T-Mobile in which they ALWAYS block the IMEI.
Obviously you would need to unlock the typical SIM lock that a branded T-Mobile always has before trying it on AT&T. Since T-Mobile won't give you the code, you'll need to find a third party provider for that.
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Originally Posted by jet1000
LIES!
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