I need help. I was going to buy an iphone, but didn't and now my phone number locked that phone..

[karenspire]

I was going to buy an iphone and added my SIM card to test it. I didn't buy the phone, and now the seller needs me to unlock this number from the phone. Can you please help me do that?

[LurganIeUk]

You can de register iMessage. https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/

Try to fully reset the phone with the issue to out of box condition. 

[HALIMACS]

Wise of you to seek diverse input on this forum, @karenspire 

Come back anytime.

[karenspire]

Thank you to all for your replies! Very helpful.

[HALIMACS]

@karenspire 

Placing your SIM card in a phone would not "lock" the number which was associated with the SIM card to the phone you're trying out.

Sounds to me this person is trying to pull a fast on on you, @karenspire 

Probably good of you not to make the purchase - as who knows what other surprises may have awaited you after passing over the cash.

The seller may have to perform a factory reset to clear any error they're experiencing - which they'll want to do anyway before it's sold - that would likely clear any errors that may be occurring.   Either way, not your problem.

[AE_Collector]

I am thinking this sounds as though it was a used phone. A new phone at a dealer would certainly know how to deal with this. But if used, this certainly wasn’t the first ever SIM card installed. Might it have had a factory reset done prior to listing it for sale now? If so, can the seller do another reset? It all sounds very strange.

AE_Collector

[computergeek541]

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@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

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Samsung must also conform to Canadian law, and may not lock the phone anymore. This has been known to happen, but Samsung MUST provide you with an unlock code free of charge. Samsung has been fined for this in Canada in the past.

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From what I've seen, Samsung Canada doean't carrier lock the newer models any longer to the first SIM.  I'm thinking that this stopped some time around 2017 or 2018 (likely around the same time as the December 2017 rule changes). However, especially if it's an older model, some devices still do lock because of the way the software is programmed.

[WoozyPolarBear]

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@computergeek541 wrote:

@karenspire 

If the device was brand new, specifically if it's made bt Samsung, the phone may have lockeed to the first carrier (Telus/Public).  Public Mobile or the manufacturer could get a carrier unlock code, but I would not worry about this as it's not your responsibility.

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Samsung must also conform to Canadian law, and may not lock the phone anymore. This has been known to happen, but Samsung MUST provide you with an unlock code free of charge. Samsung has been fined for this in Canada in the past.

[darlicious]

@computergeek541 

Thanks for your reply.....I was thinking is this some weird iPhone idiosyncracy that I have never heard of before? 

@karenspire 

I do know I helped out a friend and tested their chatr sim card in my phone for them. Ever since then whenever my phone is powered off/on it asks me the sim card unlock code which is very annoying.

[computergeek541 · Accepted solution]

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@karenspire wrote:

I was going to buy an iphone and added my SIM card to test it. I didn't buy the phone, and now the seller needs me to unlock this number from the phone. Can you please help me do that?

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There's no such thing as locking a phone to a phone number (but maybe to a carrier).  You aren't obligated to do anything. 

If the device was brand new, specifically if it's made bt Samsung, the phone may have lockeed to the first carrier (Telus/Public).  Public Mobile or the manufacturer could get a carrier unlock code, but I would not worry about this as it's not your responsibility.

[darlicious]

@Luddite @LurganIeUk @AE_Collector 

You guys have any imput for the OP on this one?