Controversal subject- Stolen Mobile Phones Listed on eBayAU (IMEI Blocked and/or Activation Locked)

[mikisftf]

As I am still looking to buy another iPhone, I see numerous listings for stolen iPhones.  Some (not many) even include the IMEI number - or the seller provides one when asked to do so.

eBay will not remove these listings unless asked to do so by 'law enforcement'.  However, it appears that Australian 'law enforcement' are not interested in stolen property.  I tried my local Police Station, the CrimeStopper 1800 number, and the Federal Police.  No one would take a report regarding the sales of stolen property on eBay Australia.  The only assistance offered was to report the listings as Online Fraud via a Queensland based Police Site.  However, this was useless as the site only dealt with fraud AFTER one had paid for an item.  In any case, this is not fraud - it is sale of stolen goods and goods in custody.

The IMEI blocking of mobile phones has not stopped their sale on eBay Australia for use in other countries or for spare parts.

Now the Activation Lock introduced by Apple with their iOS7 has also failed to stop the sales of stolen iPhones on eBay,  In fact it only appears to have encoraged more thefts.  As the criminals need to steal and sell more phones to 'feed' their needs (drug addictions?).

http://harvestcellular.net/icloud-find-iphone-ios-7-activation-lock-failed/

The only thing that might work is for eBay to remove the listings for stolen phones themselves - without waiting for 'law enforcement'.  After all, it is not like other stolen goods where there would be proof needed that the item(s) were stolen property.

What does the eBay community think about this?

[2106greencat]

in reply to: bookinvestaustralia                     

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2106greencat wrote:

Apart from this being an old thread, the buyer has every chance to check on a sellers reputation - and how would eBay know if a phone was stolen.

Buyer beware - if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

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???????

[elmstamps4]

Hi,    Davewil is winding you up.

I agree with you that ebay should delist any phone sold EIMI blocked that is reported to them, just the same as ebay will delist anything MS advises them as being counterfeit.

As it currently stands, it appears that eBay is inciting fraudsters to commit a crime, and that is a crime in itself.

Sure, savvy buyers could buy from the Telstra shop and allow the crooks to continue with their trading.  Doing nothing doesn't fix the problem, it just adds to it.

[davewil1964]

And this adds what to the discussion, 7 weeks after it wound down?