National Retail - Scan for Activation

[wlo8]

Some GoPhone package has this labeling : "National Retail - Scan for Activation", if I buy the GoPhone from mail order like Amazon or Best Buy, does the seller actually scan the phone before they are shipped? Or, if I buy the GoPhone from ebay, the origin of the phone is unclear, should I be concerned? Thanks.

[spekkio]

Yes, that is a measure to deter theft. Stolen phones that are shoplifted from retailers cannot be activated because the IMEI was not scanned into the system when the phone was paid for. So long as you buy from a legitimate source then you have nothing to worry about. With eBay there is a small risk, but you are generally protected by eBay Buyer Protection if you receive a bum product from an eBay seller.