Purchased a 'stolen' iPhone. eBay no help. What do I do now?

[mikisftf]

I was bidding on an iPhone.  The listing did NOT include the IMEI number.  So, I messaged the seller asking for this number.  The seller said they would find it and reply later.  As it was getting closser to the end time, I again messaged the seller.  However, they did not reply before the listing ended and I had won the item.

I then received a message asking when I would pay for the item.. I replied asking when the seller would be supplying the IMEI number.

The seller sent the IMEI number, which I checked straight away.  I discovered that 1) the iphone had been reported as "Lost or Stolen" on the AMTA database 2) it was carrier locked to Vodafone, who (of course) identified it as 'stolen' and will not 'unlock' stolen phones.

I then contacted the seller and informed them of the above.  I also requested the member's contact details via eBay.

The 'seller' started giving excuses, pleaded innocence, and asked that I not report the matter to Police or eBay.  I saw that this "seller" was ending their messages with a male name - while I saw from eBay's reply that the account owner was a female.  i asked the 'seller' about this, and he replied that the account owner was his girl friend - who had given her permission for him to use her account.  He also made admissions about the "Lost" iPhone (as he called it - even though it was obviously now "found" and therefore was now stolen property.

I immediately ceased communication because I had no way of knowing if the account had been hacked and even if it had not, I know that one is not permitted to let someone else use your account.

I reported the sale, the member, and the use of the account, to eBay.  I included the IMEI number and links to Vodafone and the AMTA.  I also said that they should read my message history with the seller's account for proof.  After two days I received a strange reply saying that they can't/won't do anything about the listing unless the Poice contact them.  They also ignored/did not reply about the misuse of the seller's account.

I don't really want to have to print everything out (listing/sale/message history/AMTA report/Vodafone unlocking report) and go to my local Police Station.  I mean, what would they even do - if anything?

I tried calling eBay (after obtaining a refference number), but the call terminated after 1hour 3minutes of waiting on 'hold'.

Just wondering if anyone in the eBay community have any good ideas of what to do next.  Cancel transaction? Leave neg feedback.  Try eBay again? Go to the Police?

[tstore]

Just ask for cancel request and move on. You are exerting too much energy into this thing. You came out clearly ahead without exchanging money or having to send an item back be grateful 🙂

[mikisftf]

"Just ask for cancel request and move on."

I agree this would be the easiest and simplest thing to do.

What about feedback?  Seller (or boyfriend of seller) may attempt to sell the stolen property again?

What about the risk of it coming back on me, as I failed to report a crime?  The sale of stolen goods.

[amber-eyed-girl]

If you are concerned about that, call your local police station and ask their advice.

That would be the best thing to do. Keep all your emails in case the seller opens an unpaid item dispute.

[mikisftf]

>"If you are concerned about that, call your local police station and ask their advice.
That would be the best thing to do. Keep all your emails in case the seller opens an unpaid item dispute."

Yes, thank you.  I guess that would be best/safest thing to do.

I kept all communication within eBay's Message system.  I stopped communicating when I discovered that the person messaging me was not the Account holder.

I have received a Cancel Transaction request from the seller's account - with no reason given for the request.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Accept the cancellation to finish it with them. You do not need to give a reason either if you are not comfortable saying what happened.

Just hang onto all your emails for a while 🙂

[phorum_junkie*]

I would not agree to a mutual cancellation, at the very least the bloke, or his girlfriend, deserve to have to pay the final value fee, there is no way they are going to open an unpaid item dispute and even though ebay won't get involved in the ins and outs of the transaction they would remove an unpaid item strike on appeal under these circumstances.

You can call the police and ask their advice but as you haven't actually paid for or received the phone they probably won't be interested, you could contact Vodaphone, they may be able to do something.

Hopefully you have scared the pants off this numpty and they won't try to sell it again.

[amber-eyed-girl]

If there isn't a cancellation, can't the seller open up an unpaid item dispute?

That's what worries me about this.

[i-once-was-bump]

the seller would have to be afool to open an  unpaid item case because the buyer has all documented the reason they would not pay for the item.

But then, the seller was stupid enough to list the phone the first place so maybe they will open an unpaid item dispute but that really doesn't matter because the buyer only has to explain why they didn't pay.

I think the buyer should report the matter to the police on line fraud squad.

[amber-eyed-girl]

That's what I think bump, they might dispute as they will want to relist quite probably.