Found a cellphone, now what?

mws_1984

Elite Member
Joined
May 2, 2011
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1,104
Location
Massachusetts
So my dad found a cellphone and told me to do something with it. I was gonna just try to sell it, then found it works. It is a BoostMobile Motorola i290. Has a sim card and contacts and texts haven't been used since September last year I'm assuming. I tried to text a couple of the #'s in there and no reply. Even to one labeled "DAD" I searched a home # to a local address. So not really sure what to do with it now. Since it is one of those pay as you go. I'm starting to lose ability to do anything since I think I used up whatever access I could.
I'm really not one to call random people. I did text the DAD person from my own phone. I'm almost somewhat hoping there is a reward for it. But maybe they just lost it and forgot about it.

What can I really do now with it?
 
is there an ICE?

that is In Case Of Emergency. = ICE

all people should put that in their phone..

It's not a complicated phone, but I can't figure it out too much. Will have to go thru it more. I know this one is old enough to not have that option. It is only a pay as you go type phone. Just don't want to run out the battery and then have no way to do anything.
 
Well this one didn't. Hard to even figure out how to delete contacts if I don't hear from someone and want to clear it out and just sell it.

From reading thru the texts, they were up to something.
Texts such as can you make a delivery to the restaurant, I'll give you 55, 5 for gas.
And other such stuff which would imply that they were doing something in drugs maybe?
 
Any interesting pictures on the card?

Nah it's only a motorola i290. Pay as you go type phone I think. So it's somewhat outdated I think? No camera anyhow.

I did put it on craigslist and had a guy offer me $25 for it, but it was weird he said to go to his house and that happened to be right close by me. I was all set with that. I don't go to peoples houses.
 
From reading thru the texts, they were up to something.
Texts such as can you make a delivery to the restaurant, I'll give you 55, 5 for gas.
And other such stuff which would imply that they were doing something in drugs maybe?


You're dead on. It's a "disposable" pay as you go type phone used by dealers. IMO, you're better off either dropping it off in a cell phone recycling dropbox, or just trashing it entirely. Better not to get caught having something like that in your possession, no matter how noble your intentions are.
 
Take it apart and salvage the gold parts in it. Not going to get rich but some value. Then trash it. It was used for selling drugs no doubt.
 
Gold parts in a cell phone? Do tell. Can't be more than a few pennies.

Any prepaid cell phone find isn't worth returning unless it's freshly dropped. Many people go to the dollar store and buy another one.
 
I had asked the guy who offered me $25 on it if his place was a business. He tells me leave a # for him and he'll call me. I think I'm all set. Just gonna toss it out. I cleared it out as much as I could figure. Still has voice mails but no clue how to clear that out with no password. Plus it has no access on it because it hasn't been paid. So much for making some extra $ lol.

Looked on one of those sell your cellphone sites. They would offer $1. So not worth my time.
 
I have found 2 phones, one of them an iphone and was able to return them both. Neither one gave a reward and it was sort of a hassle tracking the people down to return them.
 
Anyone who actually cares about their phone (assuming it is a smartphone) can track their phone down if it gets lost quite easily. I use SeekDroid and can locate, lock or wipe the phone either through a website or sending a text message. A former co-worker's sister had her iPhone stolen and they were able to track it down and arrest the perp who stole it.

Unless I find an expensive phone or, if it's cheap, has what I think are important messages or photos on it, it's going in the sell or recycle pile. If the battery has been exposed to moisture, even the recyclers are going to throw it away.
 
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