Samsung S3 won't unlock - help needed

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

I have the following problem:

I got a new phone over christmas and wanted to get rid of my old Samsung S3 so I sold it on ebay. My friends said unlocking is easy-peasy and I should leave it to whoever buys it. So I did, selling it (clearly labeled and in mint condition) as not unlocked.

Now the person who bought it says they went and have someone unlock it, but they said "it could not be unlocked".

I talked with o2 support and they asked for the imei. She provided two, one from the display (which was wrong) and one from the actual device. The second one produced a viable code, but now the buyer says the code prompt does not even come up, despite putting in both an o2 and a different network sim as advised.

Could any of you more tech-savvy people here tell me

a) why the display IMEI and physical IMEI would be different

b) why the code prompt does not come up and how to make it come up?

c) whether any of these problems exist because of the unlocking person that the buyer might have used?

Thanks a lot in advance,

-F

[Anonymous]

Does any prompt come up at all on the insertion of an o2 sim or non o2 sim card ?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

If no prompt comes up it means it's not locked or not recognising the sim cards - ie bricked or broken.

[Anonymous]

Sounds dodgy to me to be honest.

I think other members are being right and you might be getting scammed.

Since you sold is as unlocked, I wouldn't worry too much.

Not your responsibility anymore.

[Anonymous]

I am just wondering, on a different tack (& I may be talking crap here) but is it the phone that is locked or just the screen?

Did you send it to them needing to put a screen lock code in? If so is it that which needs entering first?

Just a thought

[MI5]

Said phone was reset so no screen lock would be present.

[Anonymous]

Just wondered. ......