[DingleBerryKTM]

I lost my Blackberry 9700 a couple months ago in front of my house [townhouse community]. I think it fell on the ground and someone picked it up. I didn't have insurance, so I reactivated my Blackberry curve 8320 and have been using that in the meantime hoping that I would find it or someone would return it to me. After sometime I realized it was a lost cause and to just say good bye.

Then today, my brother noticed that in his BBM 5 there was a Status Update and Display picture change and it looked as if it came from me. This was because he had my old pin in his contact list. This proved to me that someone is now using the phone that I had lost. I called tmobile customer care to see if there was anything that they can do, but they said that the PIN data is protected by RIM and they can't link a PIN back to the person that is using it.

Before I send a PIN message to this person asking them to do the right thing and return the phone to me, I wanted to see if anyone on here had any ideas that might help me recover my lost/stolen 9700. Please help, because using this 8320 after using the 9700 for 6 months is absolutely killing me.

Thanks in advance.

[dreamthemez]

Make sure you have the PIN as well and get them to call RIM to block it. Once that is done it will never have data connectivity again.

[RegE]

I would have your brother send a PIN and a BBM to that phone with your contact information encouraging them to return it - just in case they're honest. If you don't get a response within a brief period, I'd have RIM shut it down.

For future reference, you should also check out an app called Buddy Guard.

[cherryjuice]

Also offer a reward.. $ talks~

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[Shannon08]

I would try just asking nicely, the person using the phone may have no idea it is lost/stolen. They could have purchased it on Craigslist or something similar. Good luck!

[J.Bell]

Send a message pretending to be the police, and leave a message saying that the phone is being tracked and unless it's returned to (wherever you wanna meet them) no questions asked, criminal charges will be pursued.

That actually worked for a friend of mine, she got her phone back within an hour of sending the message, no questions asked. Her phone was jacked off the counter of the coffee bar where she works.

Good luck and hope you get your phone back, always sucks losing a phone.

[dictoresno]

I would try just asking nicely, the person using the phone may have no idea it is lost/stolen. They could have purchased it on Craigslist or something similar. Good luck!

this is a likely scenario. i would send them a message saying the device is lost/stolen and you would like for them to return it. if they respond, and their local, chances are they found it. if they dont live by you, chances are it was resold. give them the option to return it for a possible reward, no charges filed. if not, file a police report stating it was stolen. then contact RIM and have the PIN barred.

[Jude526]

Strange your carrier wouldn't block it. I have a friend who lost her phone Verizon blocked it.

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[dictoresno]

Strange your carrier wouldn't block it. I have a friend who lost her phone Verizon blocked it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

verizon can block ESN's from being reapplied to another verizon account, basically making the phone a paperweight if its lost or stolen. however, the 9700 is a GSM phone which uses an IMEI. in the US, carriers do not blacklist IMEI's like they do in europe. so if someones GSM phone is stolen/lost, someone can just pop in their SIM and carry on with it. its up to the carrier to then see the IMEI registering on the persons account and take action. RIM, however, can and does block/blacklist the devices PIN on their end. this will allow the phone to still be used to non BB data, phone calls and SMS but cannot be activated on RIM's servers with an active BIS account. its only a half way immobilized device but better than nothing.

[curveoncracke]

Send a message pretending to be the police, and leave a message saying that the phone is being tracked and unless it's returned to (wherever you wanna meet them) no questions asked, criminal charges will be pursued.

That actually worked for a friend of mine, she got her phone back within an hour of sending the message, no questions asked. Her phone was jacked off the counter of the coffee bar where she works.

Good luck and hope you get your phone back, always sucks losing a phone.

Isn't that illegal? Impersonation of a law enforcement officer?

[dictoresno]

Isn't that illegal? Impersonation of a law enforcement officer?

depends on the scenario. performing a traffic stop and claiming to be a cop or attempting to detain someome doing the same, yea thats likely to be approved by a prosecutor as impersonating. texting someone to your old phone that supposedly stole it and saying "hey im a cop, give it back or else" most likely wont get in trouble. dont forget, criminal charges need to get approved by an on call prosecutor once the police arrest you. whats the guy who stole it gonna do? rat you out? i doubt it.

[RegE]

Generally, you're charged with impersonation if you purport yourself to be a police officer for the purposes of committing an illicit act or for personal gain. Also, every crime has to have a victim. Who'd be the victim here?

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[Moon_Juice]

This case is another argument in favor of password protecting your Berry and entering "if found please contact" data under User Info.

[dictoresno]

Generally, you're charged with impersonation if you purport yourself to be a police officer for the purposes of committing an illicit act or for personal gain.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

this is true. as in most crimes, its the intent that kills ya.

[mobile_einstein]

as for .... the PIN data is protected by RIM and they can't link a PIN back to the person that is using it.

However, the imei is protected by the carrier and you should be able to report the bb stolen with them and they can flag the device as stolen so the imei assoc with the device will come up as stolen in their system. it would stop the person from using the phone. if you had email setup on the bb change your email passwords to stop YOUR emails from arriving on the device. so person who walked off with your phone won't be reading your email!!!

[mobile_einstein]

p.s. it's been months since you lost it. if someone was going to return it THEY WOULD OF BY NOW. Prob sold it to someone else. Meeting some who stole your phone sounds like a good way to end up on the back of a milk carton!! It's a $50 phone!! Consider it a lose and just be glad that they picked it up from you dropping it rather than the phyco taking it from you at gun point!!!

[TheScionicMan]

It's a $50 phone!!

Only when you're eligible for an upgrade. Now that he's locked in, it's a $200-500 phone.

[aimeeattitude]

I would call your carrier and report it stolen, and in use. I'm sure they could shut it down if you provide the ESN to the device. It sucks that people are shady and dishonest anymore

[croft]

Just have a faith in humanity and message this phone was lost and reported stolen. Please call me to return it. $50 reward. If not, move on.

[albee 1]

I remember calling 411 once for directions to a store I could not find and they asked my permission to access the phones gps to help me find the location of the store. I am wondering if you could do that to locate it. Legally it's still your phone and can give them permission even though it's in someone elses hands. Good luck.

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[ohgeez]

Good luck in getting your phone back.

I thought I lost my 9700 a couple of months ago and I freaked out. Turns out my phone fell underneath the sofa at my friends house. That "scare" was enough for me to enable my password and get the BuddyGuard app. This app helped me find my phone one time. texted BG-ALERT (password) and a few seconds later, all the lights lit up and made this alarm sound...and thats with the phone on silent as well. One of my fav apps.

[DingleBerryKTM]

Only when you're eligible for an upgrade. Now that he's locked in, it's a $200-500 phone.

I am not eligible for an upgrade because I upgraded in november to get the 9700, so the phone will cost me $350 to get it through tmobile. I noticed that there are many people selling their 9700s for around $200 on craigslist [many are because they switched to android]. Not sure I want to approach the person if they are the one that stole it, but if they bought it from craigslist maybe they will "do the right thing" and return it.

I love my blackberry but I have been considering the android switch as well. I played with a friends EVO and its pretty awesome. RIM is really starting to lose a lot of ground to some of these android phones that are coming out. Life without BBM might be tough.