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I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my phone
and asked us what the ESN number is. I am assuming these are like a MAC
address to computer hardware such as ethernet cards and wireless rouers and
if someone has your mac address they can spoof it. I am assuming the same
can be done with ESN#. Can anyone tell me a legitimate reason for a buyer
wanting to know the ESN?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff L.

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"Jeff L" <jeff@nospam,philaphans.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:iMNZd.5512$b_6.810@trnddc01...
| I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my phone
| and asked us what the ESN number is. I am assuming these are like a MAC
| address to computer hardware such as ethernet cards and wireless rouers
and
| if someone has your mac address they can spoof it. I am assuming the same
| can be done with ESN#. Can anyone tell me a legitimate reason for a buyer
| wanting to know the ESN?
|
| Thanks in advance.

Likely want to verify that the phone is not on a block list which could
result from a bill not being paid or the phone hot.

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Not Me wrote:
> "Jeff L" <jeff@nospam,philaphans.nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:iMNZd.5512$b_6.810@trnddc01...
> | I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my phone
> | and asked us what the ESN number is. I am assuming these are like a MAC
> | address to computer hardware such as ethernet cards and wireless rouers
> and
> | if someone has your mac address they can spoof it. I am assuming the same
> | can be done with ESN#. Can anyone tell me a legitimate reason for a buyer
> | wanting to know the ESN?
> |
> | Thanks in advance.
>
> Likely want to verify that the phone is not on a block list which could
> result from a bill not being paid or the phone hot.

In fact, it is highly recommended that the buyer asks for the ESN before
sending money. If a phone has been reported stolen, one will not be able
to activate it. There is nothing really that can be done with just the
ESN. The ESN is not like the MAC in a network card; it is written in
physically read-only memory in a tamper-resistant chip in the phone to
resist forging. I'm not saying that it cannot be faked, but it is
non-trivial.

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"Jeff L" <jeff@nospam,philaphans.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:iMNZd.5512$b_6.810@trnddc01...
> I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my phone
> and asked us what the ESN number is.

People sometimes try to sell stolen or lost phones on eBay, and the buyer
learns after paying for it that the carrier will not activate the phone.
The bidder is asking for the ESN so he can check with the carrier that the
phone is clear and can be activated.

Perfectly normal. Indicates a responsible bidder.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

>>I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my phone
>>and asked us what the ESN number is.
>
>
> People sometimes try to sell stolen or lost phones on eBay, and the buyer
> learns after paying for it that the carrier will not activate the phone.
> The bidder is asking for the ESN so he can check with the carrier that the
> phone is clear and can be activated.
>
> Perfectly normal. Indicates a responsible bidder.

Actually, a repsonsible bidder would inquire about the ESN *before*
placing the bid.

TH

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"Tropical Haven" <user@example.net> wrote in message
news:4238CFB6.2010204@example.net...
> >>I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone just bid on my
phone
> >>and asked us what the ESN number is.
> >
> >
> > People sometimes try to sell stolen or lost phones on eBay, and the
buyer
> > learns after paying for it that the carrier will not activate the phone.
> > The bidder is asking for the ESN so he can check with the carrier that
the
> > phone is clear and can be activated.
> >
> > Perfectly normal. Indicates a responsible bidder.
>
> Actually, a repsonsible bidder would inquire about the ESN *before*
> placing the bid.
>
> TH
>

that depends. If you are the first bidder and there is a reserve price you
may bid and then do it because you know your first bid will not win the
phone

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Tropical Haven wrote:
>>> I am selling my fiancee's VX6000 on ebay and someone
>>> just bid on my phone and asked us what the ESN number
>>> is.
>>
>>
>> People sometimes try to sell stolen or lost phones on
>> eBay, and the buyer learns after paying for it that the
>> carrier will not activate the phone. The bidder is
>> asking for the ESN so he can check with the carrier that
>> the phone is clear and can be activated.
>>
>> Perfectly normal. Indicates a responsible bidder.
>
> Actually, a repsonsible bidder would inquire about the
> ESN *before* placing the bid.

Why? You can always retract your bid if the phone is
stolen or effectively non functional.

-Quick

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

>>Actually, a repsonsible bidder would inquire about the
>>ESN *before* placing the bid.
>
> Why? You can always retract your bid if the phone is
> stolen or effectively non functional.

I'm not an avid ebayer, but wouldn't that show up as a negative on your
record that you retracted a bid? The system doesn't care *why* you did it.

TH

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On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:25:42 +0000, Tropical Haven wrote:

> I'm not an avid ebayer, but wouldn't that show up as a negative on your
> record that you retracted a bid? The system doesn't care *why* you did
> it.

Not per se, but the seller will likely leave negative feedback (and
there's not much you can do about that).

I think it's prudent to ask for the ESN before bidding. Spoofing the
phone would only require analog service, an old bag phone, and the phone
number mated to the ESN.

--
alex

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Alex Zepeda wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:25:42 +0000, Tropical Haven wrote:
>
>
>>I'm not an avid ebayer, but wouldn't that show up as a negative on your
>>record that you retracted a bid? The system doesn't care *why* you did
>>it.
>
>
> Not per se, but the seller will likely leave negative feedback (and
> there's not much you can do about that).

THough of course, you could also report the auction to eBay as
potentially fraudulent. If the equipment is known to be non-working and
that fact isn't divulged, that does violate eBay policy. Same goes for
selling stolen goods.

Once an auction with such goods is reported, eBay shuts them down rather
quickly, and all bids get nullified.


--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.

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On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:47:39 -0500, Isaiah Beard wrote:

> Once an auction with such goods is reported, eBay shuts them down rather
> quickly, and all bids get nullified.

And what happens if you've already won said item and paid for it? You've
got far more faith in eBay than I do.

--
alex

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Alex Zepeda wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:47:39 -0500, Isaiah Beard wrote:
>
>> Once an auction with such goods is reported, eBay shuts
>> them down rather quickly, and all bids get nullified.
>
> And what happens if you've already won said item and paid
> for it? You've got far more faith in eBay than I do.

That was the whole point...
Bid.
Ask for ESN.
If ESN is bad don't pay and report to eBay.

-Quick

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Alex Zepeda wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:47:39 -0500, Isaiah Beard wrote:
>
>
>>Once an auction with such goods is reported, eBay shuts them down rather
>>quickly, and all bids get nullified.

> And what happens if you've already won said item and paid for it?

That's why you don't pay until you get verification from Verizon.

> You've
> got far more faith in eBay than I do.

It's not about faith. If you do your due diligence and determine the
acution is fraudulent, you report it as such. You can't be held liable
for refusing to take part in a fraudulent transaction. End of story.

--
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Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.

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Quick wrote:

> That was the whole point...
> Bid.
> Ask for ESN.
> If ESN is bad don't pay and report to eBay.

No.

Then *you* get reported and potentially terminated by eBay, and yes, they do
terminate for stuff like that.

Don't bid; ask for ESN and if the seller refuses to give it, and that bothers
you, go find another auction.

--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

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Steve Sobol wrote:
> Quick wrote:
>
>> That was the whole point...
>> Bid.
>> Ask for ESN.
>> If ESN is bad don't pay and report to eBay.
>
> No.
>
> Then *you* get reported and potentially terminated by
> eBay, and yes, they do terminate for stuff like that.
>
> Don't bid; ask for ESN and if the seller refuses to give
> it, and that bothers you, go find another auction.

Really? If you don't pay on a bid in an auction found to
be fraudulent or illegal they will terminate you?

Sure, one should ask first. I was thinking of the case
where there might be a time constraint. Like you *have*
to have that *one* rare phone that everyone else is
looking for and instantly put down the buy-it-now
price. You're committed to buying it as long as the
ESN is good. If the ESN is bad then it's a fraudulent
or illegal auction (whether the seller knows that the
ESN is bad or not). Rather contrived but valid I think.

-Quick

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Steve Sobol wrote:
> Don't bid; ask for ESN and if the seller refuses to give it, and that bothers
> you, go find another auction.

While we're on the subject; given an ESN, how would I find out whether
it's that of a stolen phone?

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clifto wrote:
> Steve Sobol wrote:
>
>>Don't bid; ask for ESN and if the seller refuses to give it, and that bothers
>>you, go find another auction.
>

> While we're on the subject; given an ESN, how would I find out whether
> it's that of a stolen phone?

You would call customer service, or visit a store and give them the ESN.
They can look the ESN info up and see if the phone has been
blacklisted or if it is "clean."


--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.

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"Alex Zepeda" <usenet@blarf.homeip.net> wrote in message
newsan.2005.03.17.02.59.28.51983@blarf.homeip.net...
> On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:25:42 +0000, Tropical Haven wrote:
>
>> I'm not an avid ebayer, but wouldn't that show up as a negative on your
>> record that you retracted a bid? The system doesn't care *why* you did
>> it.
>
> Not per se, but the seller will likely leave negative feedback (and
> there's not much you can do about that).


You can reply to negative feedback. If he leaves say; "Lousy
bidder....retracted bid" & you attach "phone was determined to be non usable
because carrier blocked use due to theft or non payment", I believe you have
done a lot more damage to his record than yours





>
> I think it's prudent to ask for the ESN before bidding. Spoofing the
> phone would only require analog service, an old bag phone, and the phone
> number mated to the ESN.
>
> --
> alex

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I would guess they want to verify the ESN can be activated with their
provider and it isn't blacklisted due to theft or non-payment

Can anyone tell me
JL> a legitimate reason for a buyer wanting to know the ESN?

JL> Thanks in advance.

JL> Jeff L.





- robert -

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