Navigating the Unexpected: My Experience with a Stolen Phone Scare

Today, I found myself in a shocking and unsettling situation. After purchasing a seemingly flawless Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra two months ago, I was confronted with a distressing message indicating that the device had been reported stolen through Amazon.

The notification popped up just an hour after I returned home from work, displaying this alarming message:

Amazon Notification:

Passkey: 61783337 (which, unfortunately, didn’t work when I tried to enter it)

IMEI: 354484224894558

“This device has been reported as lost or stolen and must be returned to Amazon.

Please call 08002797234 for details.”

My immediate reaction was a mix of disbelief and anxiety. A quick search online led me to numerous comments from others who claimed this was a common scam, specifically pointing out that the call center likely operated out of the UK, despite being answered by individuals with thick accents and poor English skills.

Unsure of what steps to take next, I hesitated to call the number provided. I had invested $800 in this phone just a month ago, and the anxiety of possibly having purchased a stolen device loomed large over me.

I decided to reach out to the seller via email, attaching a photo of the screen message for reference. While I was initially met with silence, he eventually responded, suggesting he was just as perplexed by the situation. He offered to either replace the phone or refund my money. This offer left me feeling skeptical but also relieved at the prospect of resolution.

To add to the confusion, I was unable to bypass the pop-up alert on the phone. I tried a factory reset and wiped the cache in recovery mode. However, once out of recovery, the dreaded message returned during the initial setup, indicating I was no closer to a solution.

A short while later, the seller called me to discuss the matter further. He explained that he would reach out to a tech-savvy friend for advice. Shortly after, he offered to swap my device for another S23 Ultra, assuring me that it would be in better condition. With a sense of cautious optimism, we arranged to meet.

In a surprising turn of events, the replacement phone truly was in better shape. However, I made it clear that if this situation were to occur again, I would expect a full refund. To my astonishment, he agreed.

But the twists didn