[Valmanway]

Hypothetical question. Say I lose my Storm somewhere and claim insurance and get a brand new one. Then a month or so down the line, I find the lost phone hidden in a crevice of a friend's car. At this point, am I able to keep the old phone (for the extra battery and whatnot), or am I obligated to send it to the insurance company?

[whyme4000]

If you file a claim for a lost phone, then they will label the ESN as lost, and then send you a new one minus your deductible.

If you happen to find it, then you can do whatever you want with it (other then try and activate it, as its labeled as a lost or stolen phone).

So yes, you can keep the battery and other accessories, and you can even use the old storm as a wonderful paperweight

[bigslam123]

If it is like any other insurance claim, then it is usually only blacklisted for 3-6 months.

[chulito205]

cowboys suc Giants r the 1s u should b3 rootin 4

[gqathu]

If you file a claim for a lost phone, then they will label the ESN as lost, and then send you a new one minus your deductible.

If you happen to find it, then you can do whatever you want with it (other then try and activate it, as its labeled as a lost or stolen phone).

So yes, you can keep the battery and other accessories, and you can even use the old storm as a wonderful paperweight

That's is correct, but I just want to add to it. Your ESN# on the lost phone would not be able to used for at least 6 months, if I am correct. This is to prevent you from selling it right away or being used by a thief or whatever. These are the phones you will see on Ebay listed as 'Bad ESN'.

So you would basically have a camera, mp3 player, calculator, just no phone/email/texts...Not really a bad deal tho...

[whyme4000]

cowboys suc Giants r the 1s u should b3 rootin 4

Not only does this not make sense, has nothing to do with the thread...

LOL

[Devlyn16]

Ethically I would say you are obliged to turn it in. Of course you ethics may differ from mine.

If verizon and asurion did their job correctly the Phone reported lost would be rendered the blackberry equivilent of an Ipod Touch.

[gettat2d]

if you "know" somebody you can get it activated the next day! like ummm... idk...someone that works for the carrier?

[blackwidowinsc]

Legally, once you file the insuance claim and receive another device, if you "find" your original device you are supposed to return it to the insurance company as it is now their property.

For example: Your car is stolen. Your insurance company pays you a sum of money for the car. Your car is found. The insurance company is not going to allow you to keep the money that they gave you and keep the car. You can't have both.

Also, the device will be on a lost/stolen list until it is removed by Asurion, and they won't do it unless they have received the phone back and have issued it is a replacement phone to someone else.

With a lot of the posts on here it seems that people don't take insurance fraud seriously. Schemes like this hurt everyone, even with something as simple as a cell phone. If you can afford to pay $249 (slightly more or less) for a cell phone then you should be able to buy some extra accessories.

[blackwidowinsc]

if you "know" somebody you can get it activated the next day! like ummm... idk...someone that works for the carrier?

Yes, that's the ticket. Get someone else involved in your scheme so that they can lose their job and go to jail. Awesome friend you are.

[bigslam123]

[QUOTE=blackwidowinsc;1347904]Legally, once you file the insuance claim and receive another device, if you "find" your original device you are supposed to return it to the insurance company as it is now their property.

For example: Your car is stolen. Your insurance company pays you a sum of money for the car. Your car is found. The insurance company is not going to allow you to keep the money that they gave you and keep the car. You can't have both.

Also, the device will be on a lost/stolen list until it is removed by Asurion, and they won't do it unless they have received the phone back and have issued it is a replacement phone to someone else.

With a lot of the posts on here it seems that people don't take insurance fraud seriously. Schemes like this hurt everyone, even with something as simple as a cell phone. If you can afford to pay $249 (slightly more or less) for a cell phone then you should be able to buy some extra accessories.[/QUOTE]

While I agree that insurance fraud is unethical, I disagree with the above statement. That's like saying just because you can afford $2K for a 60" Plasma TV, then you can afford the $500 for the credenza to put it on. WRONG! Some people scraped the money together to buy thier device and can't afford the extras, at least not right away.

[tech21]

If it is like any other insurance claim, then it is usually only blacklisted for 3-6 months.

The phone ESN will stay on LOST/STOLEN list indefinately until device is returned to Asurion. Also by the agreement and if you listened to the disclaimer you must turn the phone in if ever found.

[Hawse771]

Return the damn phone. People are shady on here. Nothing is free...insurance scams just cost other people money.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[gettat2d]

Yes, that's the ticket. Get someone else involved in your scheme so that they can lose their job and go to jail. Awesome friend you are.

Yep im an awesome friend anything to save another friend some money....bet you have never downloaded and MP3 or bluetoothed someone a ringtone they couldnt or even watched a movie someone else rented....blah blah blah cry me a river... i do illegal stuff every now and then call the law on me. i wasnt telling anyone to do anything i was just saying it is possible!

[bigslam123]

The phone ESN will stay on LOST/STOLEN list indefinately until device is returned to Asurion. Also by the agreement and if you listened to the disclaimer you must turn the phone in if ever found.

I READ the discalimer, kind of hard ot hear a pamphlet That being said I am going by experience. I had an XM reciever stolen and was told the ESN would be blacklisted permanently. After doing some research it was found that XM lied and they only blacklist for 3 months. I have learned that other electronic devices seem to share this practice. They tell the customer what the Rules are , but ultimately they can not adhere to it. It would just cost to much money to maintain a database and track all of those ESN's indefinitely.

[tech21]

Yep im an awesome friend anything to save another friend some money....bet you have never downloaded and MP3 or bluetoothed someone a ringtone they couldnt or even watched a movie someone else rented....blah blah blah cry me a river... i do illegal stuff every now and then call the law on me. i wasnt telling anyone to do anything i was just saying it is possible!

!!LOL LOL LOL!!

[blackwidowinsc]

[/QUOTE]While I agree that insurance fraud is unethical, I disagree with the above statement. That's like saying just because you can afford $2K for a 60" Plasma TV, then you can afford the $500 for the credenza to put it on. WRONG! Some people scraped the money together to buy thier device and can't afford the extras, at least not right away.[/QUOTE]

O.K. So if you don't have the money now does that mean you should go into a store and steal the accessories? Filing a false insurance claim is the same as stealing. Instead of breaking the law you wait until you have the money to BUY what you want.

[tech21]

I READ the discalimer, kind of hard ot hear a pamphlet That being said I am going by experience. I had an XM reciever stolen and was told the ESN would be blacklisted permanently. After doing some research it was found that XM lied and they only blacklist for 3 months. I have learned that other electronic devices seem to share this practice. They tell the customer what the Rules are , but ultimately they can not adhere to it. It would just cost to much money to maintain a database and track all of those ESN's indefinitely.

When you make a claim, after you are done they tell you please stay on the line to listen to important information.

[rockstar323]

its locked by assurion, they are the only ones who can authorize it to be unlocked.

[bigslam123]

While I agree that insurance fraud is unethical, I disagree with the above statement. That's like saying just because you can afford $2K for a 60" Plasma TV, then you can afford the $500 for the credenza to put it on. WRONG! Some people scraped the money together to buy thier device and can't afford the extras, at least not right away.[/QUOTE]

O.K. So if you don't have the money now does that mean you should go into a store and steal the accessories? Filing a false insurance claim is the same as stealing. Instead of breaking the law you wait until you have the money to BUY what you want.[/QUOTE]

if you read my whole statement you would see that I agreed with you about the insurance fraud part. I only disagreed with your assumption about having enough for accessories since you had enough for the phone.

[blackwidowinsc]

I READ the discalimer, kind of hard ot hear a pamphlet That being said I am going by experience. I had an XM reciever stolen and was told the ESN would be blacklisted permanently. After doing some research it was found that XM lied and they only blacklist for 3 months. I have learned that other electronic devices seem to share this practice. They tell the customer what the Rules are , but ultimately they can not adhere to it. It would just cost to much money to maintain a database and track all of those ESN's indefinitely.

When you file a claim over the phone you receive a verbal disclaimer. As far as keeping a database for cell phone ESN's you will find that major cell phone carriers can keep information for several years.

[tech21]

I think this topic got way off hand He just wanted to know what he needed to do, and we all started implementing on fraud and what not! I hope your question is answered!!

[blackwidowinsc]

if you read my whole statement you would see that I agreed with you about the insurance fraud part. I only disagreed with your assumption about having enough for accessories since you had enough for the phone.

No I read the entire statement. The phone came with everything that a person would need (battery, memory card, SIM, charger, battery door, and sync cable). Things like an extra battery, memory card, etc. are just that, extras. If they are willing to make the initial investment in the phone then instead of stealing, they should wait until they can afford the extras and then buy them.

[BBSchase373]

2 words, insurance fraud

[blackwidowinsc]

I think this topic got way off hand He just wanted to know what he needed to do, and we all started implementing on fraud and what not! I hope your question is answered!!

I have to disagree with you on this one. His post was very specific, "find the phone hidden in the crevice of a friends car". Doesn't sound very hypothetical to me.