need help deactivating a phone I purchased

[zurreLLa]

My motorola droid broke. I purchased the same model off ebay. I just received it, turned it on, and it's still activated and fully functional under this other persons phone number. Is there an easy way I can deactivate it myself so I may activate it with my number? Or do I have to contact them and have them do something?

 

[dezymond]

i believe you would have to contact them and have them call Verizon to cancel the account.

I like how they sell a phone that still has the account active on it...you sure it's not stolen?

 

[Dustin.]

He's got a point. You should have had an ESN check done before you purchased the phone. (If you didn't then that would pertain to the subject.)

I would call Big Red or take it into a Corp store and have them check the ESN and take in your receipt showing who you bought it from and shipping details so they can help you further.

Sent from my DROID X.

 

[zurreLLa]

i believe you would have to contact them and have them call Verizon to cancel the account.

I like how they sell a phone that still has the account active on it...you sure it's not stolen?

LOL I know it's strange. The description said it's her husbands and he is away on deployment and is changing carriers when he comes back home. I guess I'll have to email her, thanks.

 

[zurreLLa]

He's got a point. You should have had an ESN check done before you purchased the phone. (If you didn't then that would pertain to the subject.)

I would call Big Red or take it into a Corp store and have them check the ESN and take in your receipt showing who you bought it from and shipping details so they can help you further.

Sent from my DROID X.

Ok, I'll pop into verizon tomorrow. Thank you

 

[MegaSlammo]

i believe you would have to contact them and have them call Verizon to cancel the account.

I like how they sell a phone that still has the account active on it...you sure it's not stolen?

LOL I know it's strange. The description said it's her husbands and he is away on deployment and is changing carriers when he comes back home. I guess I'll have to email her, thanks.

Ooo...either she has no idea what she's doing, or its part of a Dear John...or both 0_o

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[Bigbootyman]

Maybe I'm wrong, but.....

I think all you should have to do is go to SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS, FACTORY DATA RESET. Once you boot up, all info should be cleared. You should be able to log on to your Verizon account and set it up. If that doesn't work, it didn't for me, then call Verizon and have them activate it for you. Each phone comes equipped with it's own ESN, so that won't change and you shouldn't need to show proof of purchase. I've never heard of that before. ??????

 

[dezymond]

i believe you would have to contact them and have them call Verizon to cancel the account.

I like how they sell a phone that still has the account active on it...you sure it's not stolen?

LOL I know it's strange. The description said it's her husbands and he is away on deployment and is changing carriers when he comes back home. I guess I'll have to email her, thanks.

This should have been the first warning to stay away from the phone. She obviously hasn't deactivated it yet and probably has no idea that she could deactivate it before switching to a different carrier.

I think all you should have to do is go to SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS, FACTORY DATA RESET. Once you boot up, all info should be cleared. You should be able to log on to your Verizon account and set it up. If that doesn't work, it didn't for me, then call Verizon and have them activate it for you. Each phone comes equipped with it's own ESN, so that won't change and you shouldn't need to show proof of purchase. I've never heard of that before. ??????

I don't believe this changes the registered owner/number to the phone itself. It just merely puts the phone back to factory settings and does not change the number or registered owner.

at least i think that's how it works....

 

[zurreLLa]

I think all you should have to do is go to SETTINGS, PRIVACY SETTINGS, FACTORY DATA RESET. Once you boot up, all info should be cleared. You should be able to log on to your Verizon account and set it up. If that doesn't work, it didn't for me, then call Verizon and have them activate it for you. Each phone comes equipped with it's own ESN, so that won't change and you shouldn't need to show proof of purchase. I've never heard of that before. ??????

Sweet!!! It reset everything and now it's prompting me to activate. I'm going to follow the steps and see if it works. ::crosses fingers:: Thank you!!!!

 

[Bigbootyman]

Nah. They won't activate another phone number on your account. That's stealing ;-)

 

[Dustin.]

Even with a factory reset you still won't be able to activate it on your account.

The ESN is already tied to another phone number on another account, so you, yourself will NOT be able to activate this phone until the line its activated on has another phone as its replacement.

EDIT - And you wouldn't have to show proof of purchase?

Lol, I'm sorry, but you obviously don't know what your talking about (No offense..) If they didn't need proof of purchase or anything like that, people could just walk in with stolen equipment, (Say it HASN'T been reported stolen yet) and just get it activated on their account. That would not look too good on Verizon's part.. He will not be able to use that phone until there is another phone to take that Droids place on her account. Plain and simple.

 

[Droid DOES!!]

even with a factory reset you still won't be able to activate it on your account.

The esn is already tied to another phone number on another account, so you, yourself will not be able to activate this phone until the line its activated on has another phone as its replacement.

Edit - and you wouldn't have to show proof of purchase?

Lol, i'm sorry, but you obviously don't know what your talking about (no offense..) if they didn't need proof of purchase or anything like that, people could just walk in with stolen equipment, (say it hasn't been reported stolen yet) and just get it activated on their account. That would not look too good on verizon's part.. He will not be able to use that phone until there is another phone to take that droids place on her account. Plain and simple.

+1,000


+1000!

 

[Bigbootyman]

Uhhh, yeah. Good point. I stand corrected.