Free blocks smartphones for rental but not returned

Since November 1, Free has launched an anti-removal of phones.The operator blocked all the smartphones he was renting and which were not returned without paying.But, since then, the devices have been sold, and some find themselves blocked.

Free has decided to rage: the operator launched the blocking of rental devices but not returned.Since November 1, the devices concerned have been blocked at the level of mobile networks.

In 2013, Free launched mobile rental offers, to compete with the subsidized offers of competitors.At the end of their rental commitment, the tenant can take a new smartphone for rental or pay the option to buy the device to become the owner.But, in the event of non-return, Free reserves the right to block the smartphone, even if we pay the costs of non-return.To combat the concealment of unrescotiated and/or non-payed devices, the operator has activated the blocking.Only tenants who pay the purchase option avoid blocking.

However, concealment devices were sold to other people by the tenant.Some have been sold live by the latter, but others have passed through used resumption and sales sites.Suddenly, people end up with phones blocked on mobile networks.In theory, they must turn to the seller to request a cancellation of the sale.In practice ... (has someone found the product's purchase email?).The buyers of the rented devices can be considered to be receipt (sentence of 5 years in prison and € 375,000 in fines), if they knew that the tenant had not returned it to Free.

What to do a case of holding an object in concealment?If he has sold less than 3 years between the flight and the discovery of the stolen object, Free can claim his property from the buyer in good faith.In this case, if the purchase has been made in a flea market or from anyone selling other similar objects, the operator will have to reimburse the buyer.The procedures in this type of business fall under civil courts.Free will also be able to request damages from the reseller of his property, if he proves that he was aware of his fraudulent origin.

If in doubt about an access blockage to networks, you must check with the base of the IMEI numbers stolen devices.But, the latter is not easily accessible to individuals.For iOS devices, Apple has its own base of stolen devices.One way to check is to simulate a mobile recovery on the dedicated Apple site.For all devices, it is possible to check with a verification service, such as Veritas.