If you have invested in a preowned iPhone, then there is always the chance that you could make a mistake during your purchase. If you have never heard of the term, then you might be upset to find out you have bought a blacklisted iPhone. This means that the phone has some kind of issue with it that will ensure it does not work. Typically, this involves things like the phone being lost, stolen, or has some form of unsettled debt attached to the phone.
A blacklisted iPhone is one that has been essentially written off. Without using specific tools, it is almost impossible to use the phone again. And while you can fix a blacklisted iPhone, just as you can fix a locked iPhone, you need to be ready to look around for solutions.
These devices have a blacklist setting to try and stop thieves from stealing the model. It is much harder, and far less profitable, to sell a stolen iPhone which is blacklisted. An iPhone is blacklisted because every model comes with an IMEI number. When the phone is blacklisted, the previous owner will report the phone as stolen, or the carrier reports it as unpaid for, and the IMEI number is then blacklisted on the database.
This means that it is shut out of being used properly. However, you can still sell a blacklisted iPhone – though you will get a fraction of the money that you would get for a fully working Apple device.
How can I unlock a blacklisted iPhone?
If you have been duped into buying a blacklisted iPhone and want to get it working again, then you might need to try out a few solutions to unlock the phone. So, the best thing that you can do is find out who the old carrier was for the blacklisted iPhone and then contact them. Tell them that you have purchased this handset and it appears to be blacklisted; they can then tell you the reason, and work with you to find a solution.
Sometimes, a blacklisted iPhone has been put there by a clerical error during a routine blacklisting of other IMEI numbers. In that case, you will get your phone back in working order in no time at all. However, if there are outstanding debts on the phone, you might need to settle the bill before they will open the phone back up for usage.
If it has been stolen, though, you are more or less out of luck. You could use a third-party tool to help unlock your blacklisted iPhone, just as you could with a carrier locked iPhone. However, you will need to both prove that you legally and legitimately own this phone (to stop thieves from unlocking stolen iPhones), and you will also need to pay a fee to the service provider for unlocking your handset.So, buying a blacklisted iPhone can be a headache but it can be solved. Your first port of call is to contact the carrier and find out what the problem is. If you can, resolve the issue. If not, turn to a third party and, if you own the blacklisted iPhone legitimately, you can have the problem solved