Cell Phones

Buying a phone from kijiji

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Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2004
7631 posts
2175 upvotes

Buying a phone from kijiji

Just wondering if I buy a brand new phone on kijiji (bought from Rogers / other dealers such as Bestbuy with receipt). Would it be safe in general if I check the IMEI for blocking on the spot? I think the receipt is a good indication that the phone wasn't stolen, am I correct to assume this?
49 replies
Deal Expert
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Jan 27, 2006
19792 posts
3421 upvotes
Woodbridge
Seller to Carrier: I bought a new phone, left the receipt in the bag and it was stolen.


Until this Blacklist System changes, I'm done with kijiji. It's been brought up many time CHECKING THE IMEI MEANS NOTHING.

It's not guaranteed and shocking that I haven't gotten a SELLER RESPOND when I ask if they can remove the IMEI from their carrier. So I wouldn't risk it.
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Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2008
1387 posts
58 upvotes
What is best way to do this? My gf is looking on Kijiji as well (s3 or s4). She doesn't care if its used, most people she emailed have said they upgraded and selling there old phone.
I heard IMEI can be changed - any way to verify this when meeting?

What should people be doing to minimize the chances of being scammed??
Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2004
7631 posts
2175 upvotes
Seller declares to carrier that their phone is stolen to claim insurance? Or you meant they're actually stolen? I would imagine that there are not many stolen brand new phones with receipt that match the serial number...
Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2004
7631 posts
2175 upvotes
Jimboski wrote: Avoid third party sellers at all costs until the blacklist system gets reworked. Only buy from reputable sellers with very high feedback on RFD.
Problem is not many new phones being sold in RFD.
Deal Expert
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May 8, 2009
50593 posts
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Toronto
golden wrote: Problem is not many new phones being sold in RFD.
Yeah it sucks because RFD users are mostly informed of what the market price of used phones are and they usual lowball very hard.. So it's hard for them to make a sale on RFD. If there's no phones being sold on RFD then i'd just wait it out honestly, not even worth risking buying on Kijiji/CL at all.

There's really no safe method in buying from Kijiji/CL.
Sr. Member
Jan 28, 2007
876 posts
68 upvotes
Yes but gambling your chances isn't going to help either. Anyone can sell a perfectly fine phone, then call their carrier a month down the road to report it stolen and there you have a paper weight now.

Kijiji is too risky for this.
Deal Expert
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May 8, 2009
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Toronto
golden wrote: Seller declares to carrier that their phone is stolen to claim insurance? Or you meant they're actually stolen? I would imagine that there are not many stolen brand new phones with receipt that match the serial number...
They claim the phone was literally stolen but really it was sold to someone else.. Then the carrier will give them a new phone because of the insurance the customer purchased and then blacklist the stolen device, that's pretty much it.

It could be a few weeks that it takes to happen or a few months down the road, depending. There is no real way of getting your phone un-blacklisted, even with receipt and everything.
Deal Addict
Mar 10, 2006
3873 posts
1142 upvotes
GTA
There is absolutely NO WAY to reduce/minimize risks.
Even if it is BNIB and IMEI is clear at the moment, once the seller calls the carrier and says the phone is stolen 6 months later, the phone becomes a brick.
Proof of purchase, receipt, photocopy of ID, signed document, whatever, doesn't matter to scammers. Whatever you have will not be accepted (both by carriers and by police) as a formal proof of your ownership of the phone.
Deal Expert
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Mar 25, 2003
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Markham
golden wrote: Seller declares to carrier that their phone is stolen to claim insurance? Or you meant they're actually stolen? I would imagine that there are not many stolen brand new phones with receipt that match the serial number...
With receipt is a little bid better.
But it doesn't stop the seller from blacklisting the phone in the future. If he/she wants to be a jerk
he/she can just say I went to sell the phone and got robbed
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Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2004
7631 posts
2175 upvotes
That sucks. So even meeting at a store to remove the IMEI from their account may not work? To be honest, I'm not sure if the Rogers staff at the store would actually do it as they have zero incentive to do it. Anyone tried doing that?
Member
Mar 31, 2013
223 posts
67 upvotes
What about buying from someone and meeting inside a carrier store to verify info. on the device? Have the seller confirm everything beforehand and have store employee verify everything before any cash changes hands. Just a thought.
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May 8, 2009
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wolfpacal wrote: What about buying from someone and meeting inside a carrier store to verify info. on the device? Have the seller confirm everything beforehand and have store employee verify everything before any cash changes hands. Just a thought.
What is it that you want to verify? The seller that's going to scam you is buying the phone legitimately and will have proper receipts and everything. It's just when they report it stolen is where it will be blacklisted regardless, a carrier will not review their surveillance cameras to see if the scammer made a legit deal with someone else instead of lying that it was stolen.

If you can get the seller to transfer the phone's IMEI into your account then i'd say it's a good chance you won't be screwed but nothing is ever safe as the scammer can just say that someone else pretended to be him with the stolen phone + receipt, considering all the sellers information should be listed on the receipt.

Plus getting a store rep to do all this when they get nothing but actually waste their time helping you is the more harder part i'd imagine..
Member
Mar 31, 2013
223 posts
67 upvotes
Jimboski wrote: What is it that you want to verify? The seller that's going to scam you is buying the phone legitimately and will have proper receipts and everything. It's just when they report it stolen is where it will be blacklisted regardless, a carrier will not review their surveillance cameras to see if the scammer made a legit deal with someone else instead of lying that it was stolen.

If you can get the seller to transfer the phone's IMEI into your account then i'd say it's a good chance you won't be screwed but nothing is ever safe as the scammer can just say that someone else pretended to be him with the stolen phone + receipt, considering all the sellers information should be listed on the receipt.

Plus getting a store rep to do all this when they get nothing but actually waste their time helping you is the more harder part i'd imagine..
I was just thinking that if you and the potential seller met at a Bell store for example, the seller can provide the receipt, the Bell store employee can verify the IMEI in the system right away. You would also have a witness (employee) that the seller made no mention of the device being stolen at the time of sale. I've met with buyers in carrier specific stores when they've bought an old phone of mine. I had nothing to hide and was glad to do it. Makes for an easy transaction for both parties. The employees I find don't begrudge someone for doing this. If they're super busy or just plain a dick, you may run in to an issue, but I haven't so far.
Deal Expert
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May 8, 2009
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Toronto
wolfpacal wrote: I was just thinking that if you and the potential seller met at a Bell store for example, the seller can provide the receipt, the Bell store employee can verify the IMEI in the system right away. You would also have a witness (employee) that the seller made no mention of the device being stolen at the time of sale. I've met with buyers in carrier specific stores when they've bought an old phone of mine. I had nothing to hide and was glad to do it. Makes for an easy transaction for both parties.
I sure as heck wouldn't want to be affiliated with a possible scammer in a small claims court or police report over nothing, because i wouldn't be benefiting from anything at all but would instead be wasting my time as a witness and what not.

It's too much of a hassle, try that method and let us know. I'm sure even legitimate sellers won't do that, i sure wouldn't.. But this is RFD and there is feedback here for me to not have to go through that as other users should already trust me.
Newbie
Feb 7, 2015
18 posts
3 upvotes
North York
golden wrote: Just wondering if I buy a brand new phone on kijiji (bought from Rogers / other dealers such as Bestbuy with receipt). Would it be safe in general if I check the IMEI for blocking on the spot? I think the receipt is a good indication that the phone wasn't stolen, am I correct to assume this?
What if this device was bought with a solen credit card. it will make no difference,you will have some explaining to do. Tell the person to see his I.D. and get a written statement from him,and have a witness. The last thing you need is to be spending $$$Thousanda of $$$$$ on a Criminal Lawyer. NOT WORTH IT! Pay extra ,piece of mind. ...Your call!

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