8 Things To Know About Buying A BlackBerry Off Craigslist

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:26:12 +0000

Are you looking to purchase a BlackBerry and are using Craigslist?
Craigslist has become the newest way for scammers and thieves to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers on the internet, so here are 8 things you need to know in order to make purchasing a BlackBerry off of Craigslist a safe transaction.

1. Know your carriers.
Phones from AT&T and TMobile can be “SIM Unlocked” and used on a different GSM network.
For example, if you purchase an AT&T BlackBerry 8300, you can SIM Unlock it and use it on the TMobile network and vice-versa.
One major thing to keep in mind is the new devices with 3G capability. Devices which work on the AT&T 3G network will NOT work on the TMobile 3G network. And TMobile 3G devices will not work on the AT&T 3G network, as the carriers use 2 different mhz frequencies. This is not to say that your data service will not work…it will. But you will only be able to utilize the EDGE network and not 3G.
When it comes to CDMA devices (Sprint and Verizon), they cannot be used cross-network (TECHNICALLY they could, but the carriers won’t allow you to activate a piece of equipment on their network that isn’t theirs). However, CDMA devices can be “flashed” to be used on Cricket, Virgin and other pre-paid CDMA carrier services. Keep in mind though…once a CDMA phone has been flashed, it cannot be flashed “back” to the original carrier.

2. Is it stolen? Locked to an account with a past-due balance?
If you are purchasing a GSM device, this really won’t be much of an issue. Simply putting a SIM Card into the device and turning it on will allow the device to work. Even if the device has been reported as lost or stolen, the device will still be able to be used without any issues (although obviously we don’t recommend purchasing “hot” devices if you are aware one is stolen).
However, this will always be a factor with CDMA carriers that you will need to address before purchasing the device. Since CDMA services and networks do not use SIM Cards, the devices are “hard-programmed” with the information. When attempting to activate a device that has either been flagged as “Lost / Stolen” OR is still attached to an account which has a past-due balance, the carrier will not be able to activate the device. The only option that you will have at that time is to flash the device to a pre-paid carrier or re-sell it (and inform the buyer of the situation). To ensure that the device is not lost or stolen, ask the seller to provide (or get it off the phone yourself) the MEID DEC or ESN number off of the phone. (Go to Options>Status and the information is there). Call the carrier with whom the phone is with and inform them that you are purchasing this device, and wanted to make sure that it has a clear ESN. If the seller refuses to provide it or let you call the carrier, then walk away from the deal.

3. Phones without a battery/battery cover.
You see these pop up every once and a while on Craigslist. These devices are refurbished “warranty” devices. This means that the owner called their carrier for a device which was under warranty and is now selling the device that they received in return. These are typically “safe buys”, however, refer back to #2 for any CDMA devices for re-assurance.

4. Check the USB Charging Port
ALWAYS check the USB Charging port to ensure that it is not broken. Just because a device turns on and has a battery charge, does NOT mean that the USB port is working correctly. Just power the device on and plug it into any computer, wall charger or car charger. If you see a “lightning bolt” through the battery icon at the top of the device, the USB port is working correctly. Other signs that it is working correctly on newer devices, is that the clock screen may show up. Also, if you are using a computer and the computer at least recognizes that the device was plugged in, the USB port is in working order (it may not charge due to the BlackBerry drivers not being installed on the computer).

5. Ensure ALL of the buttons work
Just because a device powers up and the trackball works, don’t immediately assume that it’s a perfect device. Go into messages and compose a message and verify that every key on the keypad works. If a key or group of keys do not work when pressed, or if they are bringing up a different letter than what was pressed, the device has moisture/water damage and should not be purchased.

6. Ensure BOTH speakers and the microphone work
Make a test call. Make sure that the other person can hear you. Make sure that you can hear the other person. While on the call, press the speakerphone button (same button that has the $ sign on it) and ensure the speakerphone works (audio notifications are sent through the speaker which the speakerphone uses, so if it’s not working, you will never receive audio alerts).

7. “Limited Edition Devices”
This isn’t something that comes up regularly, however, we have started seeing more of it. Devices which people claim are “rare” or “in small production”. They usually have to do with a device which isn’t the standard color which that model of BlackBerry should be. The easiest way to spot this is the lack of a carrier logo. No carrier sells any of their BlackBerry devices without the carrier logo somewhere on the device. If the carrier logo is not present, then the device “housing” has been swapped. Not that this is a bad thing (a white 9000 Bold is a nice looking phone), however, it is NOT a “limited edition” phone nor is it worth an astronomical amount more than what a standard model is worth. I use the white 9000 Bold as an example as I saw a posting the other day where the seller claimed it was a “Limited Edition” device and was asking $700.00 for it.

8. Always deal in person and with cash
Pretty obvious, but don’t send money to someone for them to ship it to you. This is Craigslist, not eBay. Craigslist has become the #1 location for scammers on the internet now. ALWAYS meet the person in a public place.

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