Blocked IMEI = Lost or Stolen!?

[NVader2000]

I am the sole owner of this device from day one and never had it on another carrier. I have been with Cricket wireless for several years.

Just yesterday my IMEI number got blocked for supposedly being reported as Lost or Stolen. Spent near an hour with Chat and was basically told that the only way for an IMEI number to get blocked is to either call my carrier (Cricket) and request that my IMEI number be blocked or log into my account and report it there.

So I did no such thing and I am somehow blocked. They it can take 3 t o 5 days to get my phone unblocked. Further into the conversation I was told that it most likely a system glitch on their end. They said  that they could submit to have the IMEI unblocked but there was no guarantee that it would stay unblocked until the unblocked request went through which can take 3 to 5 days.

So my IMEI was unblocked for most of the day and then I get a TXT message saying, "Cricket here! We couldn't remove the device with IMEI ending XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX from Block list, since some requirements were not fulfilled." I replied, "What requirement are needed?" No response. So I hope back on with Chat only to be told that same thing over again.

If this was a system glitch then they should be able to un-glitch it. However, I am being told that the IMEI block list is a National List they no one carrier controls. So they can only submit a request to have the IMEI removed then wait 3 to 5 days. Wonderful!

This completely unacceptable!

Has anyone else had this issue with Cricket?

[Cmlucht]

My friend had that issue so he went on a site and had to pay 40 dollars to unblock his through a 3rd party service

[Harris1021]

Yes not only did I pay to remove my phone from a account I no longer wanted to be on with another individual but they let that individual blacklist my phone after I paid to have it removed and activated in my own account. Totally absurd and unacceptable. This should be reported and cricket should be sued for my trouble and inconvenience

[euriphides]

I'm going through the same thing right now, except they didn't tell me it was a system glitch. Supposedly their advanced service department will call me on an alternate line "within 24 hours". 

[LSally13]

Did you ever get this solved? Because im going through the same issue right now. Brought my unlocked phone from sprint originally now cricket is saying its on the blacklist which i verified with sprint and even apple and they both say its not soo im kinda just wondering if its just a glitch or I’ll never be able to use my phone with them?

[Jmorrow57]

I am dealing with the same issue right now and it has been almost a month now. I am hurt and totally frustrated and have been in tears. I talk from Asurion to Kricket everyday with no results and am still paying my bill for a phone that I am not able to use

[jferrier]

Exact problem I'm having. Anyone contacted a class action lawyer?

[Bulldog]

@jferrier Class action? Lol. A few people having an issue with a blacklisted phone is not a case for class action. In my experience phones are put on the blocklist for a few different reasons:

Domestic issue: You're fighting with someone else on the account/former account and they blacklist your phone. Not Cirkcet's fault. Work it out with that person.

The phone was claimed as lost or stolen and now the phone that was claimed is trying to be used after it was already replaced. Again, not Cricket's problem, you can't use the phone that was claimed lost or stolen because it was replaced with a new one.

Wrong IMEI is entered. Some phones have IMEI numbers that are 1 digit off and some carriers manually enter them when blocklisting leading to errors. Not Cricket's fault.

System issue. There is some glitch that leads to the system thinking that the phone is blocklisted. Could be Cricket's fault, but they should be able to fix it. 

There are a few other scenarios but these are the main ones. Contact their customer support and create a case. This should get to the bottom of whatever your issue is. 

[elisa89]

im going through the same issue right now

[bmevers]

We are going thru the same issue right now. No help online, thru customer service in the phone or in store. We are the only owners of these phone purchased online thru cricket. We have 4 phones that have been blocked. We were told to buy new devices. They are 3 months old and purchased brand new thru cricket. Absolutely ridiculous.