Locked
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May eBay agent break the eBay policy?
Summary: tanktim purchased a phone from an eBay seller, believing it to be new and factory unlocked, but discovered it was locked to AT&T and blacklisted. Attempts to resolve the issue with eBay and the seller were unsuccessful. mr_lincoln suggested pursuing a refund through the payment source, highlighting the risk of buying such items on eBay. tanktim plans to try this approach, despite concerns about the time elapsed since the purchase.
I bought a Samsung phone from eBay seller. It was stated factory unlocked, new and never used. And it arrived in the sealed box. I inserted a SIM card and it worked. However, after the first security update it quit to connect to the cellular network, but kept working on Wi-Fi. At that moment 30 days after receiving already passed. I tried different sim cards it didn't work, I tried to contact Samsung to find out the reason. They told me that phone with this IMEI was activated few years ago, which is means it's not new, and that this phone was locked to AT&T network. But as soon as it was working before I did not care about it and thought it was the software or hardware issue. Was busy for few months to give another look at the issue. And week ago I tried again. I completely recet phone, it still didn't connect to the carrier, I went to AT&T to try unloke with their unlocking tool, and after I entered IMEI to proceed unlocking, I got a warning that it's impossible to unlock, because phone was reported lost or stolen.
I tried to contact to a seller again, they didn't reply, then I created report to eBay, described everything what I wrote above, and today I've got the email, that agent didn't find any violation.
As I know, by eBay policy it's forbidden to sell blacklisted phones on the platform.
What was that? Agent incompetence or they instructed to reject such type of reports not to lose sellers?
Whom should I do report now?
I cannot use this phone, but nobody taking responsibility for selling blacklisted items.
mr_lincoln
Mentor3 weeks agoHi @tanktim
-Due to the length of time you will have to pursue a refund via your funding source. Mentioning to them that the carrier identified it as a stolen phone may help you .
-eBay has no way to determine the history behind the items sold on their site so for certain items Buyers are at risk.
Really sorry it happened. As to the eBay rep, they were probably reading from a script without true knowledge of the situation.
tanktim
OP3 weeks ago · EditedBasically I wanted to keep that phone, but what I need it was cleaned from the AT&T end.
I tried to contact them and they suggested to visit the AT&T store, saying that they have instruments to unlock, but at the visit AT&T, rep said that they cannot unlock it. Also I'm not an AT&T customer and don't have an account there, and they can't do anything with my phone for that reason. Self unlocking through the web site is failing due to that warning message. It doesn't let me proceed further to the next step.
What do you mean under the funding source, bank which account was used to purchase?
mr_lincoln
Mentor3 weeks ago@tanktim
Correct or PayPal if you paid with them ...
tanktim
OP3 weeks agoThank you, not sure if that possible after 9 month from purchase, but will try.
If seller didn't quit from conversation and contacted to the AT&T to provide proof of phone clearance, if it was officially refurbished or something to remove the phone from the black list, that would be the best for everyone. But they prefer not to reply.
mr_lincoln
Mentor3 weeks ago@tanktim
Yes, it is possible the payment dispute may be denied based on that length of time. The Seller scammed you since they know they are only responsible for 30 days after delivery.