Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat:
“The question is "should I buy a phone on eBay from a private seller abroad". My answer would be no, or at least be very very wary.
There are a bunch of people on eBay who sell what they claim are unwanted upgrades and then claim them as stolen later. They take the cash and you end up with an IMEI blocked phone. It's near impossible getting that sorted here in the UK, so will be ten times worse when dealing with someone abroad.”
Well no one in their right mind would not want a new phone of a better spec that had been supplied as an upgrade. Why mobile companies cannot be honest in their contract selling escapes me. They don't dish out free phones for fun. It is no more than a glorified HP arrangement and they should sell it as such. When the term is at an end the phone it should be yours to keep or sell on if you want to take out a new contract. This would resolve the unwanted upgrade issue.
I decided in the end not to buy the phone locked to Orange Espania even though seller was UK based. Also ruled out what seem to be Grey Market imports. Despite LG showing Littlewoods as being a retailer of brand new Optimus 2X P990 phones on their website as Littlewoods do not have any in stock. The only "new" ones I could find anywhere on the web appeared to be Grey Market imports - one company even says as much on their website! I have concluded that the Optimus 2X has probably ended its production run now that the 4X is out and that the only ones left are those in distribution warehouses out in the far east.
I have gone for a used one after checking that the seller had not got a history of selling mobiles as I felt that rules out the dodgy sellers expecially as none of them were willing to confirm the IMEI numbers on the box and phone were the same. For me, the fact that they were not prepared to put it in writing spoke volumes.
The seller of the one I have gone for specifically stated that the IMEI numbers on box and phone were the same in his reponse which does offer some reassurance. I also asked if he had a Checkmend report which he had never heard off, so I advised him what it covers so he ought to know I am going to get one as soon as the phone is received. I am therefore hopeful that I have found a genuine seller like the one who sold me my K750i.
Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat:
“Do yourself a favour and buy a SIM free phone from a reputable seller in the UK.”
That is harder said that done unless you are prepared to shell out hundreds for the latest model. There seems to be no national outlets of slightly older sim free models or indeed of ex contract phones that could be sold as unlocked with the firm guarantee that the contract has expired.
I think certain auction site could do a lot to taking the crooks out of the market by insisting that a Checkmend report is undertaken as part of the listing which then would then be used to take action against them by bringing in the police if the status of a phone were to change at any time after purchase.