I would like some information on how to safely purchase a used T-Mobile phone and transfer the phone into my name? With other carriers like Verizon all you have to do is check the IMEI and you are good to go but with T-Mobile that is not the case.
I have pinpointed two super fails in the T-Mobile system that makes it difficult to purchase a used phone:
1. Users that still have payments left on their device. A deadbeat can purchase multiple brand new phones, sell them to you with a clean IMEI and then never make another payment. T-Mobile will punish the owner by blocking the IMEI until the payments resume. There is nothing the buyer can do about this!
2. Users that take out an insurance claim on the device. A deadbeat can sell you their phone with a clean IMEI and then file an insurance claim. They get paid by you and by the insurance and the buyer loses with an unusable device.
How can me the buyer safely protect myself from these huge gaps in T-Mobile's policy?
1. Check for a clean IMEI
2. If the seller calls in to T-Mobile can they verify for the buyer that there are no payments on the phone?
3. Can the seller transfer the phone into the buyers name so that no insurance scam can happen?
Thanks!