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AT&T Confiscated my Phone

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Xalware

Junior Member
Hello,

I live in Washington State and I have had my phone confiscated today by an AT&T employee. I purchased the phone on e-bay. The IMEI was checked and found not to have been blacklisted, however it was when the AT&T employee tried to activate the i-phone, it was i-cloud locked and said to be in lost mode. The AT&T employee took the phone and told me that he would send it to its rightful owner. I was just wondering if it is legal for AT&T to confiscate phones.

Thankyou
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Hello,

I live in Washington State and I have had my phone confiscated today by an AT&T employee. I purchased the phone on e-bay. The IMEI was checked and found not to have been blacklisted, however it was when the AT&T employee tried to activate the i-phone, it was i-cloud locked and said to be in lost mode. The AT&T employee took the phone and told me that he would send it to its rightful owner. I was just wondering if it is legal for AT&T to confiscate phones.

Thankyou
Maybe the better question is whether or not it's legal for you to possess stolen property.

You can, of course, make a police report if you'd like.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Hello,

I live in Washington State and I have had my phone confiscated today by an AT&T employee. I purchased the phone on e-bay. The IMEI was checked and found not to have been blacklisted, however it was when the AT&T employee tried to activate the i-phone, it was i-cloud locked and said to be in lost mode. The AT&T employee took the phone and told me that he would send it to its rightful owner. I was just wondering if it is legal for AT&T to confiscate phones.

Thankyou
Yes. In fact, AT&T was sued because they used to allow those with lost or stolen phones in their possession to reactivate them, instead of confiscating the lost/stolen phones and returning them to the real owners.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Well as stated above, it was not stolen but in lost mode.
Yes, but if it was in lost mode, then it means that the person selling it either defrauded you, or defrauded its owner. Your recourse would be against the seller.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Whether it was lost or stolen doesn't matter. It was sold to you by someone who did not own the phone.

You might want to report the eBay seller of the stolen phone to the police. That might help you avoid having police attention directed at you.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Whether it was lost or stolen doesn't matter. It was sold to you by someone who did not own the phone.

You might want to report the eBay seller of the stolen phone to the police. That might help you avoid having police attention directed at you.
There is also the slim chance that the owner of the phone had it insured with ATT&T...reported it lost and got a new phone, and then sold it to the OP.
 

quincy

Senior Member
There is also the slim chance that the owner of the phone had it insured with ATT&T...reported it lost and got a new phone, and then sold it to the OP.
Possible, I suppose. Whoever sold it, though, sold a phone that could not be activated. And Xalware is out one phone. :)
 

quincy

Senior Member
Right. If the seller can be found or, if found, is not in jail. :)

I think this is one of those lesson-learned experiences, and probably not worth pursuing legally. Although it would be smart to report the eBay seller to the police.
 

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