Navigating the Unexpected After Purchasing a Phone: A Cautionary Tale

Today, I want to share a bewildering experience I had following the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra two months ago. What I once thought was a solid buy has turned into a puzzle filled with uncertainty and anxiety, raising pressing questions about trust and safety in the tech resale market.

Upon returning home from work, I was met with an alarming notification on my phone. It read:

Amazon

Passkey: 61783337 (doesn’t work when entered)
IMEI: 354484224894558
“This device has been reported as lost or stolen and must be returned to Amazon.
Please call 08002797234 for details.”

Naturally, I was taken aback. A quick search brought up a slew of comments online, detailing similar experiences, many of which indicated that this might be a scam. Users noted that the number provided led to representatives with poor English skills and international accents, further deepening my concern. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had unknowingly purchased a stolen device.

In my attempt to resolve the situation, I reached out to the seller via email, sharing a photo of the screen message. Initially, I received no response, which heightened my anxiety. However, he eventually replied, expressing confusion about the issue and offering either a replacement phone or a refund. I felt torn, as his sincerity seemed genuine, yet I was wary of his proposal.

After some back and forth, I learned that the pop-up alert prevented me from moving past the device’s initial setup. I attempted a factory reset and cleared the cache through recovery mode, but to no avail—the problem persisted.

Eventually, the seller contacted me and mentioned he would consult a tech-savvy friend to explore possible solutions. Shortly thereafter, he arranged a meeting where he offered me yet another Galaxy S23 Ultra, even in better condition than the first. I made it clear that if any further issues arose, I would prefer a full refund. He agreed.

Yet, just ten minutes into my drive home, he called to say he would offer my money back to avoid any future distress. Skeptical, I met him again, and to my surprise, not only did he return my original payment, but he also included extra money for my troubles. I was utterly amazed.

Through our conversations, he shared insights about how he acquires these phones, though much of