Can I sell my phone if I owe money?

Yes, you can, here's why…

When you sign up for a service term or monthly installment plan, your carrier extends you a line of unsecured credit. As a result, the carrier cannot repossess your phone, and you can sell your phone, even if you still owe money on it.

What happens if I sell a phone I owe money on?

You can sell your phone even if you still owe money on it. That's because your carrier has extended you a line of unsecured credit, which means they can't repossess your phone. If you're considering this route, the best practice is to sell your phone then immediately pay it off.

Can I sell my phone while under contract?

It is not legal to sell a phone that's still under contract

No, you can't sell your iPhone if you haven't paid it off, because if a phone is not paid off, you might stop paying your monthly rates and then the carrier will then report your phone and the IMEI number will be blacklisted.

Can you pawn a phone that isn't paid off?

A phone under contract must be paid off before pawning or selling, as listed in the terms and conditions of your contract.

What happens if I dont pay phone contract?

If you don't pay your mobile phone contract, your account will go into arrears. Your mobile provider could cut your phone off so you're unable to make or receive calls. If you don't take steps to deal with the debt, your account will default and the contract will be cancelled.

How to sell your old phone

How do you tell if a phone is blacklisted?

Find the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) or ESN (Electronic Serial number). You can find these numbers in your phone's settings in the About section, on your battery, the phone box, or on the back of the phone. Once you find the number, call your carrier to verify if it's blacklisted.

What is a blacklisted phone?

What is blacklisting? Blacklisting works by blocking your phone's unique identifier (IMEI number). When a phone is blacklisted because it has been lost or stolen, it cannot make or receive calls or use data.

How can you get out of a phone contract?

Contact your provider to tell them you want to cancel your contract. You can either call or send a free text, or email them. If you're still within contract, you'll need to pay any exit fees or buy-out the remainder of your contract, before you can leave.

Can I cancel my phone contract if I can't afford it?

If you have a contract

If you don't want the service anymore you might be able to cancel the contract early without having to pay anything other than what you owe. However, your provider might not let you break the contract.

How can I cancel my phone contract without paying?

To cancel, contact your provider and tell them you want to end the contract while you're still in the cooling-off period. If you used the phone at all during this period, you can, of course, still cancel, but it won't be completely free. You'll need to pay for any services you've already used.

Will a phone company pay off a contract?

Current carrier deals

The company will pay off a certain amount of your outstanding phone payment plan balances with your current carrier (or fully, if you're with Verizon), as well as early termination fees based on your final bill before you switch.

Can I Unblacklist my phone?

Once your device is off the blacklist, you can either use it or sell it. Unfortunately, if the previous owner blacklisted the device by reporting it as lost or stolen, then the carrier will be unable to remove or unlock the blacklisted phone.

What happens if I put my SIM card in a blacklisted phone?

If a phone is listed on the blacklist, wireless carriers will not allow the phone to connect to the cellular network even if using a valid SIM card. Devices are listed by their unique IMEI Number. Many countries have a similar Blacklist, and these are shared on an international database administered by the GSMA.

Can I sell a blacklisted iPhone?

Once your phone is no longer on the blacklist, you can either continue to use it or sell it. If you bought a phone from someone who stopped paying their installments, you might have to consider other options to unblock the phone.

How long does it take to get a phone off the blacklist?

Can You Clean a Blacklisted Phone? You have to call your carrier and ask them to remove your phone from the blacklist. They'll do so after you prove ownership. The process should take 3 days, but may vary depending on the carrier.

Can a blacklisted phone be tracked?

Once it's reported stolen by you, the IMEI number is blacklisted across the country. If an IMEI device on the black list is used to make a call, the police will get to know about it immediately. There is a chance that they will track the phone if it comes up for resale or reset.

How do I check if my IMEI is blocked?

Can police track a phone without SIM card?

Once they have a warrant, the police can access a phone's GPS data through a cell provider and view its current or last known location. Police and cell providers can track any phone that is connected to a cellular network in real time unless the phone is dead or turned off.

Can a blocked phone be unlocked?

When a handset is locked it means it will only work with the provider from whom you bought it. If your phone is locked it won't automatically become unlocked when your contract expires with your provider. You'll have to specifically ask your carrier to unlock it.

Does changing the IMEI number make a phone untraceable?

From here, the app allows a user change or randomize the IMEI of the device after each reboot (effectively changing the IMEI of the device each time it restarts). Thus, the device is now untraceable, with changing IMEI numbers!

Can you sell a locked phone?

Good luck getting assistance from Apple or your Android manufacturer, in most cases those phones are now permanently locked even though you are the rightful owner. Even though we cannot get you back into your phone, you can sell your locked phone to us.

How much does it cost to Unblacklist a phone?

Many services promise to unblock your ESN/IMEI for a fee, which can range anywhere from around $25 for older models like the Galaxy S4 to $80 for an iPhone X, and up to $190 for a Galaxy Note 9.

What do thieves do with stolen phones?

Some thieves will use the information they find on phones (such as photos, texts or emails), then use it to hold the original owner to ransom. The best thing to do is to remotely wipe your phone as soon as you find out it's stolen – this can be achieved with apps such as Find My Device (free – Android and iOS).

What company buys you out of your phone contract?

T-Mobile Will Buy You Out of Your Wireless Contract: Here's How the Math Adds Up. T-Mobile today announced that it would pay up to $650 per line to get customers to switch away from competitors such as Verizon, Sprint and AT&T.

Can I return my phone to Verizon if it's not paid off?

You may return or exchange wireless devices and accessories purchased from Verizon within 30 days of purchase. Returning merchandise does not terminate your service, so you'll need to contact us if you want to cancel your line. A $50 restocking fee applies to any return or exchange of a wireless device*.