JUMP TO SOLUTION Solved

Original topic:

Is my phone new, or not?

(Topic created: 12-14-2023 06:14 AM)
1329 Views
Members_WubwFWu
Constellation
Options
Galaxy S21

I recently purchased a new Samsung S21 from eBay. I used a seller with a lot of and good feedback. The phone was listed as new and factory unlocked. When I input the IEMI into several of those sites, they all  came back as "T-Mobile". One site also showed it as 128GB even though I was told it was 256GB. Can memory be gleaned from the IMEI?

The box was not sealed. It had no plastic wrapper on it. Should it have? It does have the screen sticker so I cannot turn it on until I remove that. And I do not want to remove that because I may return it. If the phone is indeed Factory unlocked and has 256GB of memory, I will keep it. 

Anyone know based on the above if the phone could be new and factory unlocked? Is there a way to be 100% sure based on the IEMI and/or serial number? 

0 Likes

1 Solution


Accepted Solutions
Solution
LongHiker
Galactic Samsung Care Ambassador
Options
Galaxy S21

@Members_WubwFWu The IMEI is the essentially the serial number of the phone. Yes you can get details of the phone such as the amount of storage using the IMEI. It sounds like you did not get the phone that they described. 

View solution in context

0 Likes
3 Replies
Solution
LongHiker
Galactic Samsung Care Ambassador
Options
Galaxy S21

@Members_WubwFWu The IMEI is the essentially the serial number of the phone. Yes you can get details of the phone such as the amount of storage using the IMEI. It sounds like you did not get the phone that they described. 

0 Likes
O-dog66
Cosmic Ray
Options
Galaxy S21
These internationally unlocked phones are all GSM only. In the states, that's TM, metro. I recently returned one of those types to Amazon. My carrier Tracfone ran the imei and it came back TM towers.
0 Likes
Members_WubwFWu
Constellation
Options
Galaxy S21

This isn't internationally unlocked. It is from a seller that specializes in leftover new phones. They are US phones but many of them it turns out are opened and unlocked and wiped and not actually Samsung factory unlocked phones. I have had good luck in the past getting 1 to 2 generation phones new in a sealed box and are US model genuine factory unlocked. This one came in an opened box, however. I am returning it this afternoon. 

0 Likes