2nd Hand Phones, Music Magpie & EE (anyone experienced!?)

DHR

DHR

Soldato
Joined
30 Apr 2003
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3,414
After some advice from anyone, but especially previous music magpie (MM) customers and anyone that has internal knowledge of EE or similar.

I purchased a Pixel from music magpie (MM) last week, the device was sold as being locked to EE which is fine, my intention was to unlock it and use it with my existing contract.

So, having called EE they informed me the phone belonged to a contract that was under 6 months old and I wouldn't be able to unlock the device until June/July. Annoying but not the longest time to wait given the saving I made. Either way they suggested I contact MM as the original owner shouldn't have sold the phone.

I got in touch with MM with two questions:
  • Question 1 : I'm technically not going to be able to use the device until the last two weeks of July, if I then find fault with it, it will fall outside of the 30 day return policy - given the circumstance here is there anything you can do to help me and perhaps extend this period?
  • Question 2: One thing that hadn't occurred to me until now, in the event the original user blacklists/reports the phone as lost or stolen either within or beyond the 12 month guarantee period what happens then? Would I be left out of pocket, could I provide proof I purchased the device from yourselves?

Their response has shocked me somewhat, particularly given question 2.

With regard to your enquiry, every device is put through a Checkmend check, if it were on a prior contract this flags up here and we are unable to buy/sell these items. I would have believed that taking the device into store with your sim, they would map/route the correct informtation to enable you to use it.

We offer a tweleve month warranty which would enable a return for a replacement if the device is unsuitable due to a manufacture fault. This is inclusive if the device has been blocked by the prior owner. After the 12 month period we would not be able to refud this amount.

I cannot delay eBays policy for general returns nor that entailed by general consumer rights due to the it being out of use.

My initial response was to ask for a copy of the checkmend report that they ran as according to EE this should have flagged the phone was within contract and MM shouldn't have purchased it. I'm yet to hear back but it tends to take them 2 days to respond.

Now after 12 months I'm shocked that they don't take on ownership in the event their previous user blocks the phone as stolen! Surely there would be a record of the ownership of that IMEI number being transferred to from EE -> Original Owner -> MM -> Me ... that would protect against this?

What's got me concerned is that if whoever has sold the handset decides to stop paying their bill, given it'll be a top tier contract to because of the pixel I assume EE have the ability to block the phone during their 18/24 month contract?

So, I've saved £300 on this, it's in decent condition and I really want to use it... BUT these things are niggling away at me.

Am I being over paranoid!?
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Oct 2007
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UK
Checkmend (annoyingly) doesn't always include if the phone is tied into a contract. I got stung before - bought a phone, clear checkmend report, then it got blocked by O2 for having an unpaid contract.
 

DHR

DHR

Soldato
OP
Joined
30 Apr 2003
Posts
3,414
Checkmend (annoyingly) doesn't always include if the phone is tied into a contract. I got stung before - bought a phone, clear checkmend report, then it got blocked by O2 for having an unpaid contract.

Was it a direct sale or through a third party such as MM or CEX?

They've said if it happens in the first 12 months it's technically covered by their 'warrenty' outside of that I'm stuffed?
 
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