Where to buy unlocked cell phones?
- Thread starter juanbrujo
- Start date
I had a very bad experience at Pacific Mall.
I wanted an unlocked phone and at that time 3G was the latest and greatest. I went to a store and asked the guy if he had the phone and if I could see it. He said he couldn't take it out of the box but he assured me "the phone is 3G".
So I purchased it, I gave him my VISA and he said sorry, cash only (this should've been my first warning). I gave him cash ($600) and took my new phone home. When I opened it, it turned out that the phone was 3G but only for the Asian frequency, not for the North American one.
I said, no problem, I'll return it or get the right one.... WRONG!!!
When I went back and I asked the guy why he didn't tell me the phone was not 3G in Canada, the idiot said "yes, I said it was 3G but you never asked me if it would work in Canada". Obviously they don't do returns nor exchanges.
I threaten to go to the police and he pulled a business card from one constable along with a note from the police officer advising potential customers to ensure the merchandise was what they wanted because there was no exchanges or refunds and the police could not do anything about the situation. (I figured they run this scam several times and the police is either in it or just not interested in helping).
When I did ask other people they told me those shops are known for running those kinds of scams and they change names and location often so they are untraceable.
I ended up selling the POS on eBay for a fraction of what I paid.
Beware of Pacific Mall.
I wanted an unlocked phone and at that time 3G was the latest and greatest. I went to a store and asked the guy if he had the phone and if I could see it. He said he couldn't take it out of the box but he assured me "the phone is 3G".
So I purchased it, I gave him my VISA and he said sorry, cash only (this should've been my first warning). I gave him cash ($600) and took my new phone home. When I opened it, it turned out that the phone was 3G but only for the Asian frequency, not for the North American one.
I said, no problem, I'll return it or get the right one.... WRONG!!!
When I went back and I asked the guy why he didn't tell me the phone was not 3G in Canada, the idiot said "yes, I said it was 3G but you never asked me if it would work in Canada". Obviously they don't do returns nor exchanges.
I threaten to go to the police and he pulled a business card from one constable along with a note from the police officer advising potential customers to ensure the merchandise was what they wanted because there was no exchanges or refunds and the police could not do anything about the situation. (I figured they run this scam several times and the police is either in it or just not interested in helping).
When I did ask other people they told me those shops are known for running those kinds of scams and they change names and location often so they are untraceable.
I ended up selling the POS on eBay for a fraction of what I paid.
Beware of Pacific Mall.
Buy a phone from a more reputable vendor (e.g., from a carrier) and then take it to PacMall and get it unlocked. Check in advance (by way of Google) that people are successfully unlocking the phone you want to buy.
If you insist on buying one unlocked there are a variety of vendors online who sell them too, ncix has a variety of good phones on their site. However when you buy this way you get no warranty.
If you insist on buying one unlocked there are a variety of vendors online who sell them too, ncix has a variety of good phones on their site. However when you buy this way you get no warranty.
