The Rollercoaster of Purchasing a Stolen Phone: My Experience and What I Learned

Today, I want to share a rather unnerving experience that unfolded after purchasing what I thought was a perfectly functional Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Although I secured the device from a seller two months ago, only recently did I receive a distressing notification indicating that the phone had been reported as stolen from Amazon.

The pop-up message appeared shortly after I returned home from work, reading:

Amazon Alert
Passkey: 61783337 (note: this passkey does not 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 filled with anxiety. A quick search led me to numerous online discussions where users claimed interactions with this number were scams, suggesting that calls were often answered by individuals with heavy accents and unclear English. I was left with a sinking feeling and the nagging question: Did I unwittingly purchase a stolen phone?

I immediately reached out to the seller via email, providing a photo of the ominous message, but he was unresponsive until later that evening. When he replied, he offered to either swap my phone for another one or refund my purchase, which raised some red flags for me. I can’t shake the sensation that I’m caught in a precarious situation.

To complicate matters further, the alert on the device was persistent. I could only access the SIM card pin screen, and attempts to reset the phone had no effect; each time I set it up, the same theft warning reappeared. It felt like a technological noose tightening around my neck.

In a turn of events, the seller reached out to me again, mentioning that he would consult with a tech-savvy friend. This seemed hopeful, but still left me feeling uneasy. He offered to meet up for a phone exchange and, tentatively, I agreed. To my surprise, he provided me with another S23 Ultra in even better condition than the last.

During our meeting, I made it clear that if the new device had issues, I would prefer a refund. Surprisingly, he agreed to take the extra measure of offering my money back if the problem arose again.

Just ten minutes into my drive home, he called to reassure me, stating he would refund my money regardless of the situation to alleviate my