What should I do? I knew it was a too good to be true deal to begin with.
I'm an Android guy so I didn't know that iPhones could be locked by a previous owner completely. I have messaged the seller, called them and they of course haven't replied once. It was an iPhone 7 Plus for $300. I have the sellers address where we met and their phone number.
I am a student who really needs the money so I can't just let it be. I'd like to get my money back.
Who do I contact?
Did you boot up the iOS to check before paying?
It was booted up but I didn't try to set it up. I have never used an iPhone before so I wasn't aware that this was even a thing.
you can do this on android too
@dcep: Really? damn. I guess I should do my research then. I have bought tons of computer hardware off gumtree for years but haven't bought many phones so I just assumed it would be as simple as it was with PC hardware - see it working, pay, leave.
@Ostrk: There are still problems if it's an insurance scam and it gets reported stolen or deactivated after the sale.
Yea you ain't getting your money back. File police report with details you got
Where do I do that. I am looking on their website and can't find it. I have their address, their number and screenshot of our conversations, will that be enough details?
police station
Darn won't be able to do that until tomorrow. What about crimestopperswa.com.au? is that a phony site or should I make an online report there too?
Some of my friends including the one who introduced me to gumtree have said that the police does (profanity) all. I will still try tomorrow afterschool but I don't have high hopes.
@Ostrk: True. They won't visit the house overnight or a week later, maybe 2 weeks, give them a month, or never.
No rush to report it tonight.
I knew it was a too good to be true deal to begin with
money is gone
Are you sure it was the sellers actual address?
If so file a police report.
If you met outside/it wasn't their address you are boned.
We met at a house. The seller came out in casual clothing that suggested they were staying there. I'm pretty certain they lived there.
they can't be that dumb unless it's their phone, selling it for cash and claim stolen
careful, they bite you back with theft
You mean they might say I stole it from them? I think the phone may be stolen though so I don't see that hapepning, if it was their phone they wouldn't have sold it for so cheap right?
@Ostrk: 1 - Contact the seller and tell them about the issue.
2 - If no response after a while, or you have tried a couple of times then go to the Police station.
3 - If you have emailed him via Gumtree (before you called) then the message it is kept on Gumtree records for proof.
Good luck
Cheers
you knew exactly what you were buying.
I didn't. I have gotten tons of absolutely fantastic deals off gumtree on computer hardware and not once have I had a problem so I just assumed I got a good deal like I always do but this time with a phone.
It did cross my mind when I first saw the ad, but when the seller told me to meet at their house and not in a public space I dropped that idea completely - because I assumed that no one would be dumb enough to sell something stolen at their own house.
I knew it was a too good to be true deal to begin with.
I didn't know that iPhones could be locked by a previous owner completely.
what you said prior suggests otherwise.
You bought a $300 brick. Give it to the police so they can return it to the rightful owner.
That's the plan. Will head down to the station and give them the phone. I just wish there was a way for me to get my money back though.
Who do I contact?
The seller, duh. You have his contact and home address. Bring a friend or bikies, just in case. Don't waste copper's time.
Her* and no. I'd rather take the tiny chance of the police helping me get my money back. I understand from the comments here that I probably won't get my money back but hey at least the original owner (if the police finds him) can be happy. I do blame myself for being so careless but I'm sad that this type of stuff happens in the first place.
Would you mind posting some of the serial number, like the first and last parts, and colour just in case it belongs to someone reading this.
I had my Black iPhone 7 Plus stolen from me (I still have receipt and box) and, just saying that, if that was mine I would be willing to pay you a reward.
Good luck
Would you mind posting some of the serial number, like the first and last parts, and colour just in case it belongs to someone reading this.
How can you even get the serial number if the phone is locked and erased? Just spill out the entire serial, it's not like anyone can do anything with a hacked serial….
What makes you think it is stolen?
You need to do a bit of prep work to sell your iPhone. A factory reset won’t cover it.
Is it stolen? Or did the previous owner just not unlock it ?
Either way you aren’t getting your money back…
If a factory reset is done properly (and there's no other way) it is enough for reselling. The message saying the phone has been lost and erased suggests that the original owner may have had it stolen and has remotely erased it, which can be done via find my phone.
Maybe this seller was caught out and has now moved the problem on to someone else. Or maybe they were the thief. OP, you have done your dough. the only person who can unlock the phone is the original owner. Hand it in and hope the real owner might have pity on you and give a reward. (unlikely, but…)
Incorrect - if the previous user didn't sign their Apple ID out before factory resetting, then the issue OP is having will happen. That's literally all that is required. Source: I work in the Corporate Office in I.T. for a retailer and am constantly dealing with iOS.
Did you not check if the phone is working fine before buying it?
That is logical, but even that is not enough. Plenty of packages are swiped off people's front doors. It takes weeks for the courier company to investigate and then it can be deactivated remotely well after the sale and it's near worthless. Plenty of insurance scams as well. There is so much risk involved in buying phones that it isn't worth it. You'd have to pay half and the only people selling at that price are dodgy.
I did. You can't find out it's iCloud locked until you start setting it up though - which I didn't sadly.
What a classic post - the number of people who get burned from something they purchased on Gumtree is amazing.
Do you want a couple of Perth OzBargainers to meet up with you to go to the seller's address and intimidate them to give you your money back?
Gumtree, Scumtree, looks the same to me
BIKIES!!!!!! VIETNAMESE GANG!!!!
Thread closed, requested by OP.
It takes me to the activation lock screen which says:
'This iPhone was lost and erased. Enter the Apple ID and password that were used to set up this iPhone'