So my friend is trying to sell me a blackberry bold 9930 for Verizon, but when I checked the ESN number online, it said it was Not Clean. However, he told me that since the phone was unlocked, I could use it with any GSM carrier like AT&T and T-Mobile. Is this true? I believe the phone he is trying to sell me is stolen, so if I activate it with a GSM carrier, will I get in trouble? Just wanting to double check so I don't do anything dumb. Thanks!
If it is not a clean ESN, you cannot activate it on any carrier... it's red flagged along with the PIN I believe. The device is only good for a media player now or a paperweight.
Call Verizon & ask if the phone was reported stolen. If they say yes then ask them for the number for which the ESN belongs to, call it & ask if it's the original owner of the phone then return it to them.
But just because it has a bad ESN doesn't mean it's stolen. Could be a unpaid bill. In that case, whoever the original owner is...call them & ask them to let Verizon release the ESN so you can use the phone.
Idk of Verizon will do it. I have sprint & I know they release the ESN if the original owner calls & says its okay.
