Can an unopened iphone be blocked?

toonarmani · 27 Jan 20, 06:41 PM

Considering buying a brand new/sealed iphone off Facebook Marketplace, however not sure if someone could potentially report it as lost/stolen from O2 and get it blocked and a replacement (to cash in on it?)

Is this possible? as the IMEI number would be on the box and they could have noted it down?

May be paranoid, but it's an iPhone 11 so a few quid I don't want to potentially risk

Leggibone · 27 Jan 20, 06:48 PM

It can be blocked by Apple or the network through the imei - if it was reported as stolen it would have been blocked. So on that tact I wouldn�t risk it - no one in there right mind is going to pay iPhone 11 contract prices and sell the phone unless they are hard up for cash imo. The cheapest way to get an iPhone 11 without paying outright is actually a cheap sim only for the data you want, then Do the 0% finance with Apple themselves. Or mobiles.co.uk have some pretty reasonable deals for refurbished handsets.

I actually did once take out a handset tarriff for the sim plan - but it was a htc hero mini or something that was worth c. �300 on eBay, on a cheap contract and I was keeping my phone at the time, so sold a brand new sealed phone.

toonarmani · 27 Jan 20, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Leggibone

It can be blocked by Apple or the network through the imei - if it was reported as stolen it would have been blocked. So on that tact I wouldn�t risk it - no one in there right mind is going to pay iPhone 11 contract prices and sell the phone unless they are hard up for cash imo. The cheapest way to get an iPhone 11 without paying outright is actually a cheap sim only for the data you want, then Do the 0% finance with Apple themselves. Or mobiles.co.uk have some pretty reasonable deals for refurbished handsets.

I actually did once take out a handset tarriff for the sim plan - but it was a htc hero mini or something that was worth c. �300 on eBay, on a cheap contract and I was keeping my phone at the time, so sold a brand new sealed phone.

This was listed as an unwanted upgrade and seems genuine enough but for the money I�m hesitant

daytonababe · 27 Jan 20, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Leggibone

It can be blocked by Apple or the network through the imei - if it was reported as stolen it would have been blocked. So on that tact I wouldn�t risk it - no one in there right mind is going to pay iPhone 11 contract prices and sell the phone unless they are hard up for cash imo. The cheapest way to get an iPhone 11 without paying outright is actually a cheap sim only for the data you want, then Do the 0% finance with Apple themselves. Or mobiles.co.uk have some pretty reasonable deals for refurbished handsets.

I actually did once take out a handset tarriff for the sim plan - but it was a htc hero mini or something that was worth c. �300 on eBay, on a cheap contract and I was keeping my phone at the time, so sold a brand new sealed phone.

Loads of people get the latest phone as a upgrade and sell them on for cash, preferring to keep the older phones

Someone near me has made a decent business from buying the phones and Selling them on .

toonarmani · 27 Jan 20, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by daytonababe

Loads of people get the latest phone as a upgrade and sell them on for cash, preferring to keep the older phones

Someone near me has made a decent business from buying the phones and Selling them on .

Yeah, don't know why I'm sceptical. Maybe it's coming with age

(and it being a fair chunk of cash).

macadoo · 27 Jan 20, 08:13 PM

Pay with PayPal and you�ll be covered anyway.

toonarmani · 27 Jan 20, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by macadoo

Pay with PayPal and you�ll be covered anyway.

Not sure that would work for a personal transaction?

macadoo · 27 Jan 20, 11:27 PM

If you�re paying for goods it should. If you send it as a payment to family/friends it won�t.

27 Jan 20, 06:41 PM	#1
	27 Jan 20, 06:41 PM toonarmani Imagineer
toonarmani Imagineer Join Date: Mar 12 theDIBB Guidebook Guidebook Photos: 137	Can an unopened iphone be blocked? Considering buying a brand new/sealed iphone off Facebook Marketplace, however not sure if someone could potentially report it as lost/stolen from O2 and get it blocked and a replacement (to cash in on it?) Is this possible? as the IMEI number would be on the box and they could have noted it down? May be paranoid, but it's an iPhone 11 so a few quid I don't want to potentially risk

27 Jan 20, 06:48 PM	#2
	27 Jan 20, 06:48 PM Leggibone Imagineer
Leggibone Imagineer Join Date: Oct 13	It can be blocked by Apple or the network through the imei - if it was reported as stolen it would have been blocked. So on that tact I wouldn�t risk it - no one in there right mind is going to pay iPhone 11 contract prices and sell the phone unless they are hard up for cash imo. The cheapest way to get an iPhone 11 without paying outright is actually a cheap sim only for the data you want, then Do the 0% finance with Apple themselves. Or mobiles.co.uk have some pretty reasonable deals for refurbished handsets. I actually did once take out a handset tarriff for the sim plan - but it was a htc hero mini or something that was worth c. �300 on eBay, on a cheap contract and I was keeping my phone at the time, so sold a brand new sealed phone. Edited at 06:51 PM.