How to Avoid buying a stolen cell phone

Do you know how to tell if you are buying a stolen cell phone or pda from ebay, craigslist or anyone else?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• phone, yellow pages or computer.

1. 
   Meid number on an LG cell phone

   If you are interested in purchasing a phone from Ebay, Craigslist or anyone else make sure it is not reported lost or stolen first!! before you buy it. You will save alot of time and aggrevation. A cell phone has a number which is just for that phone and no other called a MEID wich is located either on the back of the phone or under the phones battery. All cell phones have them and if they dont you probaly dont want to get involved. Get the Meid number from the seller first, if they dont want to give it to you than the phone is probably stolen.

2. Once you have the Meid number call the service provider of the cell phone, I.E; Verizon, Revol, Sprint, Alltell and tell them you want to see if the phone has been reported lost or stolen. They will ask for the meid number and will be able to verify the status of the phone for you. If the phone has been reported lost or stolen it will have a block on it and no one will be able to avtivate it but the owner. You wont only be out of the money you spent on the phone, if you try and activate it they will confiscate the phone.

3. If the phone comes back stolen stay away from it!!!! if it comes back as clear and available happy buying! its just that simple. Checking the meid number is a sure fire way to identify a stolen, blocked, or lost phone.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to buy from a reputable source.
• If ebay sellers get hostile for the asking of a meid number avoid them, honest sellers will always give you the number because they have nothing to hide.