Terrible experience with Verizon customer service

[laclark2002]

The only way around it is to change the ESN which is not legal and I doubt that you will find anyone to help you do that here. While you can try to sell them for parts I wouldn't recommend doing that for the blacklisted one. If anyone checks that ESN and finds it to be blacklisted they can always come after you assuming you stole the phone.

There's listings all over Ebay that say bad ESN. As long as I'm up front about it, I shouldn't have any issues with it, right?

Yeah, I would think that would be alright. I just don't want you to get nailed for something that you really had no control over which is why I brought it up.

 

[Sam]

you could at least get something for the battery

 

[Shadez]

Yea that does suck and 'some' verions reps arent the friendliest... if this is in fact true, they should have a record of your first call and they should be held responsible..

 

[Droids]

Was the water damaged phone properly dried out yet? If so have you tried the battery from the bad esn phone in the water damaged phone?

Did you meet the seller at his house? Still have his phone number? Contact the local police yet? Person sold you stolen goods, why are you not pursuing this?

 

[PetRiLJoe]

My Droid was dunked in a cup of water by my 1 year old, and I don't have insurance. I know I'm a complete idiot and should have gotten insurance and I've learned my lesson.

So I look at Craigslist to buy a used one. I looked up what to check for to make sure I wasn't getting scammed and found out I had to verify that the ESN was clean with Verizon. Before I pay the guy for my phone, I call Verizon to check the ESN. The lady I talk to says "That ESN is clear and we will be able to activate that phone whenever your ready". I was in a hurry to get back to work, so I decided to activate it later and paid the guy.

The phone I'm using now is a piece of crap ENV2 that turns itself off all the time. Apparently it turned it's self off when I put it back into my pocket, because later that day I turned it back on and noticed I had a voice mail. It was the customer service rep from Verizon telling me that the ESN was in fact not clear and that I wouldn't be able to activate it.:angry:

I called Verizon twice and spoke to two separate supervisors, but they both told me that I was basically screwed and that the phone cannot be removed from the negative list unless it's approved from the previous owner, which they wouldn't help me with either. I have never been so pissed off in my life.

Cool guess what!

I bought an env2 off a very trustable source, my own friend that I know in real life! I was able to activate it on my plan no problem. Then one day I ugpraded to the Motorola Droid and when I wanted to switch my current env2 over to another phone line on my Verizon plan, which is currently being unused by any other cell phones at the moment, I found that the phone was reported lost or stolen after some time of being activated on my account. I can only imagine she did this to get a free phone replacement from Verizon so that she can activate it on her account, and now she has fifty bucks in her pocket to go feed her cow with.

Moral of the story...... don't buy used phones. There are scams that you and I cannot predict will happen. Oh and screw that dumbass girl that sold me the phone. I don't talk to her anymore.

IN MY EXPERIENCES: Verizon will not deactivate your phone if it is already activated then reported lost or stolen by someone else.
Verizon will NOT TELL YOU the phone has been reported lost or stolen at ANY TIME DURING YOUR OWNERSHIP!
Verizon will NOT TELL YOU this information before you deactivate it so that you can keep your phone activated. I assume they do this because they are jerks who don't feel bad about screwing people over who were already screwed over by someone else.

 

[FDFTW!!]

I was considering selling one of our Droids, and getting something else for the wife, but coming from the other side, if its going to be this much of a hassle then I say forget it. I have always used CL for my used phones in the past and have never had an issue either as buyer or seller. Sorry to hear that you did, OP.

 

[techguru]

Although I doubt they will agree, you may be able to talk Verizon into comping you a refurb unit since they did provide you with bad information that led you to make a bad purchase. You could try telling your story to executive escalations and see if they are willing to make you whole Message

If that doesn't work, PM me. I have a Moto Devour I could probably be talked out of. It is no "Droid", but at least it is Android, and better than an enV.

Alan

 

[wizardman]

The reason why I like Craigslist is because you can meet the person. You would hope to avoid getting a crappy phone or one that is stolen. I guess that's the reason I don't like Ebay, I can't look the person in the eyes. Then, I read stories like this, it makes me sick. What do people do to avoid scam on Craigslist? Not Ebay and your paying cash.. Sorry op for your luck....