Found iPhone 4...Can I use it for myself or sell it?

[ChrisGonzales90]

Well, if I LOSE my phone, then I'd hope someone would return it, but if not, oh, well...it would be my own damn fault for LOSING the phone.

That's why I treat my iPhone like it was a stack of $100 bills. NOBODY else gets to touch it, ever.

Do you really have anything better to do then bash strangers spelling error on the internet?

 

[TampaDude]

Do you really have anything better to do then bash strangers spelling error on the internet?

stranger's

 

[JM19]

Ok, so I took the phone to an ATT store around my way, trying to do the rite thing, and guess what happened? The clerk told me that they couldn't trace the owner phone because it was locked. I told him that I found the phone. I got the feeling that he thought in was lying or something. So I got a little pissed. So I just left and said forget it. I tried, and for what. Anyways, I decided to just keep the phone. Rite now the phone is asking for a "pass code" I don't know what it is, so I gotta figure that out before anything. I think this is what the guy at ATT meant by the phone being locked. Even if I can't activate it, I'll use it as a spare iPod or to get online via wifi.

 

[ChrisGonzales90]

Ok, so I took the phone to an ATT store around my way, trying to do the rite thing, and guess what happened? The clerk told me that they couldn't trace the owner phone because it was locked. I told him that I found the phone. I got the feeling that he thought in was lying or something. So I got a little pissed. So I just left and said forget it. I tried, and for what. Anyways, I decided to just keep the phone. Rite now the phone is asking for a "pass code" I don't know what it is, so I gotta figure that out before anything. I think this is what the guy at ATT meant by the phone being locked. Even if I can't activate it, I'll use it as a spare iPod or to get online via wifi.

Well you getting upset and walking out made matters worse. I would have just asked if there was a way to trace the owner by the seril number

The passcode is the code set on iOS to prevent someone from using your phone.

 

[cardfan]

Ok, so I took the phone to an ATT store around my way, trying to do the rite thing, and guess what happened? The clerk told me that they couldn't trace the owner phone because it was locked. I told him that I found the phone. I got the feeling that he thought in was lying or something. So I got a little pissed. So I just left and said forget it. I tried, and for what. Anyways, I decided to just keep the phone. Rite now the phone is asking for a "pass code" I don't know what it is, so I gotta figure that out before anything. I think this is what the guy at ATT meant by the phone being locked. Even if I can't activate it, I'll use it as a spare iPod or to get online via wifi.

Pop the SIM out. Put it in restore mode, restore as new phone. Hit an AT&T store for a new SIM to activate it, or sell it

 

[tjrtjrtjr]

Yeah, I mean, if one were to set a passcode and, instead of losing the phone, forget (or lose) the passcode for some reason, would it make sense that the phone would be bricked? To me, no. May not be worth much, though--I can't speak from experience on this and have never had to restore (and it isn't really something I feel the need to experiment with). Sounds like cardfan is on to something with popping the SIM card out.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Well you getting upset and walking out made matters worse. I would have just asked if there was a way to trace the owner by the seril number

The passcode is the code set on iOS to prevent someone from using your phone.

I would have been frustrated too...if someone was treating me like i did something wrong because i was trying to hunt down the original owner and figure out the best way of doing so...

To the OP, the only other thing that would prob be a good "peace of mind" kind of thing would be to put up a craigslist ad and state that a phone was found (and include the exact location it was found), ask any people who think it is their phone to respond with the date it was lost and the specifics of the phone...you may come up with nothing but at least at that point you went out of your way to find the owner...

 

[JM19]

I just wanna thank everyone who has taken the time to reply to my thread. I appreciate all your comments. Whether I agree with them or not, LOL.

 

[JM19]

Pop the SIM out. Put it in restore mode, restore as new phone. Hit an AT&T store for a new SIM to activate it, or sell it

Now, if you don't mind me asking, how do I go about this. Well, taking out the SIM card I can do, but the rest I'm not too sure about.

 

[sting7k]

Ok, so I took the phone to an ATT store around my way, trying to do the rite thing, and guess what happened? The clerk told me that they couldn't trace the owner phone because it was locked. I told him that I found the phone. I got the feeling that he thought in was lying or something. So I got a little pissed. So I just left and said forget it. I tried, and for what. Anyways, I decided to just keep the phone. Rite now the phone is asking for a "pass code" I don't know what it is, so I gotta figure that out before anything. I think this is what the guy at ATT meant by the phone being locked. Even if I can't activate it, I'll use it as a spare iPod or to get online via wifi.

Just remove the SIM and connect it to iTunes. Then restore it and it will be good to use. You can take it to an AT&T store and they will hook you up.

 

[JM19]

Just remove the SIM and connect it to iTunes. Then restore it and it will be good to use. You can take it to an AT&T store and they will hook you up.

OK. I will go to a different ATT store because I really don't wanna deal with the same guy at the ATT store I went to previously.

 

[ChrisGonzales90]

I would have been frustrated too...if someone was treating me like i did something wrong because i was trying to hunt down the original owner and figure out the best way of doing so...

Well sometimes you could read in to someone wrong. What he thought was the service rep, not believing him may not be the case at all. He may have had a bad day or dealt with an unhappy customer and that natually carrys over for a while. Happens all the time if you work in Retail/customer service

OK. I will go to a different ATT store because I really don't wanna deal with the same guy at the ATT store I went to previously.

I'd do that and the last resort would be just asking for a supervisor.

 

[impaler]

The right thing to do is to return it.

 

[JM19]

Just remove the SIM and connect it to iTunes. Then restore it and it will be good to use. You can take it to an AT&T store and they will hook you up.

I'm curious, do I have to jailbreak/unlock this iPhone in order to be able to use it? Or just like you said, connect it to iTunes and restore it?

 

[pkang]

i just lost my phone over the weekend...sigh and the guy who found it used it and ignored my phone calls and pleas to get it back cause it has all my info in it...awesome. would it happen to be you

 

[anon(4698833)]

Well sometimes you could read in to someone wrong. What he thought was the service rep, not believing him may not be the case at all. He may have had a bad day or dealt with an unhappy customer and that natually carrys over for a while. Happens all the time if you work in Retail/customer service

As a customer, i shouldn't have to discern between a person having a bad day and a person being an assumptive prick...the OP shouldn't be blamed for a CSR's "bad day" attitude, it's the job of retail clerks and CSR's to get over their previous drama and treat a new situation with the same respect they would expect to be treated with...that's what they are paid for, and if they have trouble rebounding after a tough customer to the point of how the OP was treated, then they need to find a new profession, period.

To the OP...enjoy your new iPhone.

 

[katsicle]

Losing a phone, or any electronic device sucks. I lost my phone and a woman found it walking her dog, charged it and called my mom.

I think you should try to find the owner, I don't know what good getting police involved would do though.

 

[pkang]

hey jm19 where are you from? and whats passcoded? the phone from the lockscreen or contacts like you said?

 

[ChrisGonzales90]

As a customer, i shouldn't have to discern between a person having a bad day and a person being an assumptive prick...the OP shouldn't be blamed for a CSR's "bad day" attitude, it's the job of retail clerks and CSR's to get over their previous drama and treat a new situation with the same respect they would expect to be treated with...that's what they are paid for, and if they have trouble rebounding after a tough customer to the point of how the OP was treated, then they need to find a new profession, period.

To the OP...enjoy your new iPhone.

You are right. You shouldn't have to worry about that, but if you ever worked in Retail and customer service (Like I have) then you should know the crap they go though. Sometimes its the customer who causes the problem since they at times think the Representative is their slave and must please them. That may be true, its not all "slave" like. They can refuse service if the customer is being a threat to the store and other customers

I'm going by personal experience. I, my self don't worry about if the employee is having a bad day, but I do show them with the same respect as I would like to be treated as if I become rude, then that will cause them to have a bad day. they are there providing a service for me and if they were not there, then I wouldn't be getting that service. If you were told to F-off or were being treated really bad, then surely it would stick around for a while. Now whether or not you choose to let it roll off your shoulder or let it stick to you for the next week is up to you, but with rude customer, supervisors breathing down your back and having multiple tasks to do at once, clearly things won't be pleasant. You would need to work in this indrestry to truly know what I mean.

Also we don't know if what the OP said is true. He could have been reading in to him wrong. Retail/customer service is stressful. Trust me and even my self have read in to people wrong.

 

[anon(4698833)]

All we can go on is what the OP tells us, and thus far, he told us that he tried to get assistance and was treated poorly, benefit of the doubt applies here because we arnt here to help the CSR, we are here to help the member of the forum since he submitted a legitimate question and situation to the community.

As far as the retail world...i worked retail, when i was 16 or so, worked at a clothes store, and it was the worst job because you ARE basically a slave to the customer, if you want to be successful at the job and keep money flowing into the store you work at...your situations that you brought up are so off the wall and have nothing to do with what we are talking about in here, none of the things you mentioned happened from what we were told, so they are not applicable in finding or discussing a resolution in this thread...i mean if he went in with a gun and shot every person but the CSR he was talking to, im sure he'd get a negative response as well...but that isnt the case, therefore it is a moot point to bring up.