Bro! Let's endanger an employee, yo!

[Luna Baby]

3. Pretty much all the major carriers will let you buy a non activated phone either in store or online so long as you've got the money.

I wish that were true. Son wanted to upgrade to a Samsung S5 (had the S2). Our carrier did not have that particular model available, but since our carrier (mart of walls) used "X" Mobile towers and phones, we tried the local X Mobile store. They would not, in any way sell me an S5 without activation and service. I called their corporate office and while they should have sold us one according to corporate, they still refused. I gave up. Wasn't worth the fight over a phone.

[Kagato]

Firstly, a rep should NEVER tell a customer they've been flagged for fraud in an instance like this. I usually just say that we are "having some systems issues" at the moment and they'll have to wait until later. Some come back, some don't. I've worked for several wireless carriers including Big Red and they've all had a dedicated Fraud department for just these kinds of issues.

2. I don't see someone wanting to buy iphone 6s at full price with cash as a problem. If they want to pay with plastic, that would send up alarm bells with me, at least with individuals like the OP described.

3. Pretty much all the major carriers will let you buy a non activated phone either in store or online so long as you've got the money.

Here in NZ a number of shops offer the ability to buy a phone at the full unsubsidised rate since someone may already be on a plan and not want to be forced to swap to another plan, expecting someone to pay cash for a $1400 phone is a teensy bit ridiculous, someone carrying around that much cash is a prime target for robbery and if they tried to sue the company, they would be able to fire back the excuse "You shouldn't have been carrying that much cash around in the first place", making it a lose/lose situation for the customer.

[fireheart]

I am curious, if someone is willing to pay for a phone, why does it have to be activated? I may be a bit naive.

I'm guessing to make it harder for it to be hocked elsewhere. Phone is under your name, done.

Here in NZ a number of shops offer the ability to buy a phone at the full unsubsidised rate since someone may already be on a plan and not want to be forced to swap to another plan, expecting someone to pay cash for a $1400 phone is a teensy bit ridiculous, someone carrying around that much cash is a prime target for robbery and if they tried to sue the company, they would be able to fire back the excuse "You shouldn't have been carrying that much cash around in the first place", making it a lose/lose situation for the customer.

$1400 on a bankcard?

Land Downunder uses a similar system-you can either buy the phone on a plan, or you can buy the phone outright. Some places will insist on the outright-bought phone being "locked" to a particular network, other places will have it unlocked.
I remember once getting a fairly sweet deal (and this was actually a good one) in that I got a basic phone and a prepaid card for $100. The card itself? $100. The phone? Free. The thing was bundled together as a "deal." It took me 2.5 months to use up the $100 credit.

[Kagato]

I'm guessing to make it harder for it to be hocked elsewhere. Phone is under your name, done.



$1400 on a bankcard?

Land Downunder uses a similar system-you can either buy the phone on a plan, or you can buy the phone outright. Some places will insist on the outright-bought phone being "locked" to a particular network, other places will have it unlocked.
I remember once getting a fairly sweet deal (and this was actually a good one) in that I got a basic phone and a prepaid card for $100. The card itself? $100. The phone? Free. The thing was bundled together as a "deal." It took me 2.5 months to use up the $100 credit.

If they accepted EFTPOS that would be fine, but the way a couple of posts were talking, they made it sound like ANY card-related transactions should be connected to potential fraud and that it should be cash-payable.

2. I don't see someone wanting to buy iphone 6s at full price with cash as a problem. If they want to pay with plastic, that would send up alarm bells with me, at least with individuals like the OP described.

To me and some people I know, "plastic" refers to all cards, be they credit, debit or eftpos.

[Silent-Hunter]

But isn't resale of something you've purchased a legal right? I wouldn't think preventing people from reselling it would be the reason.

[Raveni]

It's an organized crime thing. You're buying mass quantities of phones to either use as burners or street-currency. Or you're planning on exporting them to countries where you can't even send a Playstation 1 to without it being taxed heavily by both countries.

[Mytical]

It's an organized crime thing. You're buying mass quantities of phones to either use as burners or street-currency. Or you're planning on exporting them to countries where you can't even send a Playstation 1 to without it being taxed heavily by both countries.

As well as cleaning money. Gangs/mob/etc buy things like the high ticket items from ill gotten gains (drug sells, etc). Then they sell it and the money is now not attached to any illicit transactions. Even at a loss, since the funds were gotten illegally, they come out ahead. If they can do a 'clean' sell AND profit from it.. well they just hit the jackpot.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

But isn't resale of something you've purchased a legal right?

In the United States, yes, it's known as First Sale Doctrine.

[ralerin]

The khaleesi thing: it's a running joke. New manager and the sales rep are both blonde women who look similar to the Khaleesi from Game of Thrones. I call manager the Khaleesi because she's the manager. Not Khaleesi is not the manager. Make sense?

Mythical and someone else has it right. Phones can be used for money laundering purposes: buying a "clean" product to make money gotten from illegal activities look like it's legal. if you activate the phone under your name it tends to be illegally sold less.

Since I am a greeter I have ZERO knowledge of the laws regarding cellphones and such but my personal conspiracy theorist says this: reps at BRUWC work on comission, and each month, if a phone they sold is marked as lost/stolen or the person who has the phone defaulted on a bill, the rep is charged for that phone. So people try to avoid being charged the price of the phone. Again, I am not a sales rep, not a lawyer. Take what I just said with a huge grain of salt.