So about 18 months ago I decided I wanted a newer iphone and being loathed to part with a lot of money I decided to buy a secondhand phone. I found ad on gumtree, got the imei and rang up and checked no stolen and all was ok. went paid money and got phone and all was happy. For 18 months have been using phone with no problems.
Two days ago it went dead – no service – so rang network and was advised it had been declared lost. so I went back through my messages and found the original owners number. Now heres where it gets a little tricky… I bought the phone from “ryan” and when I rang I spoke to “brendon” who told me he had taken the phone out on behalf of ryan due to issues with ryan getting a contract and the like and that ryan was meant to pay him but at some point in the last 18 months they had fell out and as such he had decided to exact revenge by cancelling the phone.
I explain I am merely an innocent bystander and not a party to much, and am told he would like me to go and give ryan some hassle – and furnishes me with a phone number and address. I politely decline and suggest we should come to a resolution over this issue – ideally let me have my phone to use given anything he does to me isn’t going to affect ryan in any way shape or form. He tells me he will think over it and then the next day he states he would be willing to pay me £100 for the 64gb iphone 6s. I politely decline saying it is worth more than that and given he has decided to make my life more hassled I would be reluctant to offer him a good deal. and then he decides to declare me a thief. Now I am happy I bought the phone in good faith and it is merely a change in circumstances that has let me to be in such a pickle.
I have tried to speak to the network who have no interest in this.
I therefore have a phone with no service but working in other ways.
any suggestions? I have a new phone (need for work)
the second point is I spoke to the network and said I had texts showing there was a sale and they didn’t seem interested. Their advice was when buying a secondhand phone to make sure you are dealing with the original owner and ask them to ring and remove the phone from their account – even if contract over or the like and state that they have no interest in the phone anymore.