In response to the hundreds of emails this post has generated – we now offer  a discount on the checkmend service  at our website. http://www.mobilelizard.com.   Here you will be able to enter your phones  esn/imei/meid or serial number  to get the report which will tell you definitively whether or not your phone is currently blacklisted. 

Before we get into anything else, a little primer:

In the USA Sprint and Verizon phones operate on the CDMA using ESN numbers (sometimes called the MEID#) to identify each individual phone active on their network.  AT&T  & TMOBILE  operate on the GSM network . They use IMEI numbers to identify each phone. (These phones also use  sim cards)  For more of an indepth explanation on these systems – see the following link to an article at diffen.com

Cell phone companies can Blacklist (Block) any ESN or IMEI number, rendering the phone useless. Once a phone is blocked  it will be problematic to get it activated.  Prior to 2011/2012 it was fairly unusual for  phone companies to block phones for any reason other than non payment.  However with the popularity of the more expensive iphone and samsung galaxy models , Verizon and Sprint began to actively block ESN numbers due to a high incidence of  fraud.  Tmobile and AT&T joined in the activity to block IMEI numbers as well, and  as of 2013  AT&T and Tmobile have been sharing a ‘blocked imei list’.  This means its no longer possible to unlock a blocked AT&T phone and use it on a different network: Tmobile, simple mobile etc. Neither is it possible to unlock a Tmobile phone to use on any GSM network inside the USA.

 There are Bad people on Craigslist:

Unfortunately there are others who prey on buyers’  lack of this knowledge for the sole purpose of  getting quick cash.

These  sellers usually have one of  a few different scenarios going:

1. Individuals who bought bad esn phones themselves and are trying to pawn them off on others.

2. Individuals who have a large outstanding balance on their cell phone bill. Instead of paying it, they sell  the phone, collect the cash  leaving unsuspecting buyers to deal with the outcome.

3. Individuals selling stolen smartphones or smartphones they found.

4. Organized re-sellers – Individuals who earn extra cash by buying a brand new smartphone with a 2 year contract at  a low price (usually one of the top sellers – iphones/ Samsung galaxy phones)  then selling it at retail value, then reporting the phone lost or stolen to the phone company.

In each of these cases, if you’ve bought one of these smartphones:  Past due balance on phone/ Phone Reported Lost or Stolen,  you may find the phone works for a short time, but will cease to function shortly after purchase.  When you call the service provider  to find out what the problem is you’ll be told  by Sprint or Verizon that your phone has a BAD or BLOCKED ESN number, or in the case of  Tmobile and AT&T  the phone has a BLOCKED IMEI number

If you have bought a phone with a bad esn or bad imei number chances are you have a very expensive brick  /ipod/extra drive on your hands.  9 times out of 10 the buyer will not respond to your emails or calls. Plus the cellphone companies are not  exactly the most helpful when it comes to this scenario.  You’re pretty much on your own.

How to avoid buying a bad/blocked  smartphone:

There’s no 100% foolproof method of avoiding the bad smartphone deal on craigslist, but  there are a few ways to ensure you don’t become a willing victim.

1. Do your research.  As the old saying goes, “if its too good to be true…” If a brand new unlocked samsung galaxy s4 costs $700 retail at new egg or amazon/ebay  and someone’s selling one for $500, .     Many buyers fail to realize they don’t pay the true retail value of a smartphone at sprint/verizon/tmobile/at&t . Their price is subsidized. Don’t jump at the deal because the price is great. If you want to know what the real cost of the phone is  a little research will help.  Look around at new egg or online retailers to see what the lowest price is. Then see if the seller’s price is inline with that.  If you ask for $100 off and they agree, there is a chance something may be wrong with the phone

2. Ask  the seller questions:   If the phone is brand new – ask for the carrier details and more pictures.  If its used , ask  for pictures to show the condition, whether there is water damage, why they’re selling phone etc.

3. Try to buy from a reputable person on craigslist.  Ask  your friends for a referral.  If the seller has posted a website or store name/phone number  google it to see what’s been written about them. Email or call directly.

4. Make sure the serial number on the box  matches the serial number on the phone

5. Check blocked ESN and IMEI lists to see if the phone you plan to buy is on it.  Calll Sprint/Verizon/Tmobile/ATT  to check the number and see if there’s any outstanding issue.  You can get the ESN or IMEI number from the seller .  Some  sellers will provide the number without an issue. Some will not to prevent being found out, or to  protect themselves from scammers and cloners looking for clean ESN and IMEI numbers.

6. If the seller will not give you the IMEI or ESN before hand you can run a check when you meet up, but before you pay either by calling the service provider or using the following tool :  CHECKMEND.  – Available at our website<

The fix  is IN

At mobilelizard.com  we get daily emails from craigslist and ebay buyers all over the USA who’ve  found themselves  with a blacklisted smartphone.  Bad news first:  There is no known ‘legal’ fix for a bad IMEI number that’s going to make it golden once more.   You can unlock the phone for use outside of the USA, or sell it to a repair shop for parts.  We provide unlocking services for most GSM phones on Tmobile and AT&T – iphone 5, iphone4s.  All Samsung Galaxy  models and Tabs, Blackberry (inlcuding Z10 and blackberry Q10) , Nokia, HTC, LG, Huawei, Alcatel etc.  We also unlock providers in Europe/ UK/ Latin America/South and Central America and the Caribbean.

For  Verizon users with Blacklisted ESNs – there is some recourse .  Thankfully, we can help to clean and clear bad ESNs and IMEIS in some cases.  Email us for more info.

We hope this has been helpful!

Let us know if you’d like to hear more!

The post Buying a smart phone on Craigslist? What to do if the phone you bought has a bad ESN or IMEI and how to avoid this happening to you! appeared first on Mobile Lizard Phone Repair Baltimore.