Transfer ownership of o2 PAYG phone ?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am using an iphone 5, I bought it from a friend of a friend of a friend... it was on o2 PAYG (and only a few months old), and I cannot contact the original owner.

I asked to have o2 to help me (mediate), get the phone ownership transferred into my name, but they said they cannot !

Surely they must be able to help, as it apparently was an o2 phone and I do need to have ownership in my name, otherwise insurance will say the phone is not in my name and the registered owner could bar the phone anytime !

Has anyone been (or is in, but hadn't thought about this !), in the same situation and sorted ownership out ?

[perksie]

Have you tried to set up a new Apple ID in iTunes?

If you can't it may still be registered to a previous owner and there won't be much you can do.

O2 can't help with tracing a previous owner.

[Anonymous]

The original owner has to contact 02 to do this.

Apple wouldn't entertain even looking at this.

Did you get the receipt for the iPhone 5 from the original owner.

[perksie]

Due to the sale trail this could even be a stolen phone.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have set up an Apple ID.

Scribbled receipt, but not original owner.

Used phone for +2months so don't expect it to be stolen…

It is apparently an O2 PAYG phone, and O2 chat said if I phone then they will sort it out…

It may be all fine… I just wanted to "transfer ownership to me".

Thanks for everyone's responses
I was hoping O2 would help though…

[perksie]

If you have been using it you shouldn't have a problem.

The only issue is whether an insurance company would pay out without the original receipt.