Things to do when you suspect your phone has been lost or stolen
1) You may want to call your carrier and suspend your service temporarily. Also, ask the carrier for your phone's serial number (IMEI or MEID) so that you can identify your specific phone. This serial number is the best way for ecoATM, your carrier, or law enforcement to track any phone. Below are the numbers for the major carriers. Just call them and tell them you suspect your phone is either lost or stolen and you would like your serial number and let them know if you want to temporarily suspend your service.
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· AT&T Wireless Customer Service 1-800-331-0500
· Verizon Customer Service 1-800-922-0204
· Sprint Customer Service 1-888-211-4727
· T-Mobile Customer Service 1-800-937-8997
· Nextel Customer Service 1-800-639-6111
· Alltel Wireless Customer Service 1-800-255-8351
· U.S. Cellular Customer Service 1-888-944-9400
2) Many phones have features that allow you to track your phone remotely, lock it remotely, or even wipe the personal data remotely. If you have enabled these features on your phone you may want to try to track it that way now. If you are not sure if you have these features please ask your carrier.
Can I get a temporary phone to use while I try to get my phone back?
Yes, ecoATM is happy to provide you with a basic phone upon request via Fedex. Just tell our customer service representative what carrier you use and to send one overnight. Call 1-858-255-4111. Once you receive this phone from ecoATM you will need to work with your carrier to have this phone enabled to your existing account and phone number. You are welcome to keep this phone or return it to an ecoATM for recycling.
If my device is found inside of an ecoATM how can I get it back?
The answer to this question may differ somewhat depending on local laws and depending on whether the device is reported stolen or simply lost. ecoATM is bound by whatever local law enforcement dictates in these situations so we will look to them and local regulations for guidance in how we both follow the law and hopefully get your device returned as soon as possible. In some cases, ecoATM is required by law to hold devices if they are suspected as evidence in a crime. In other cases, ecoATM can return devices right away if possible. ecoATM's service personnel may need to check with local law enforcement for guidance on each specific situation. We will also likely ask for your help and cooperation in this process.
Do I have to pay for my device to get it back?
Again, the answer to this question may depend on local laws and whether your device was lost or stolen. If we can reasonably determine that a specific device is yours, and if the law allows, we will return your device free of charge. However, there are times that it can be challenging for ecoATM to determine that a specific device belongs to a specific owner so it is possible that we will need to involve law-enforcement to help in the process is some cases. We hope you appreciate the reasons for this policy and we are sorry once again that you are in this situation and we will do what is in our power to help you get your device back as quickly as possible.
Features on the ecoATM that may help in this situation
ecoATM's are designed with a number of features that may be useful at this time. For every transaction at an ecoATM kiosk we require the seller to provide an ID and a thumbprint. We also take photos of the seller and of the devices. We also capture a serial number (IMEI, MEID, or other unique identifiers) from the device either at the kiosk or once it is received at ecoATM. Depending on local requirements we either provide this information in reports to law-enforcement on a regular basis or on demand. This information can be used to identify specific device and seller and to prosecute any crimes that may have been committed. Knowing the serial number of your lost or stolen device is very important since it is the primary way that either ecoATM or law-enforcement can track it and possibly find it.
What are Secondhand Dealer Laws and how do they apply here?
In many jurisdictions there are Secondhand Dealer laws or that govern the buy-back of used electronics. ecoATM complies with these regulations where they are present and even where they are not present we still use all of the kiosk features to capture a valid ID, thumbprint, and photos of the device and the seller, and we also get the serial number either at the kiosk or when they are received at ecoATM. We collect all of this information and will make it available to law-enforcement as requested and/or to national databases such as LeadsOnline or BWI. We also keep it encrypted on file at ecoATM. We are not allowed by law to make this information available directly to the public but we do make it available to law enforcement when requested and this information is often useful in pursuing criminal action and perhaps in getting a device returned.