Cell phone thefts

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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My third stolen cell phone. As usual, I have a balance remaining, and the company refuses to refund it. The provider is Orange, in this case, but Verizon has the same policy.

It seems to me that it is to the advantage of the cell phone companies that cell phones be stolen. They benefit from it in two ways: first, many people immediately purchase another cell from the same carrier, and second, for those who don't, their balance isn't refunded. The company gets to keep the money without providing any service for it. Oh, and they get to keep and resell the stolen phone as well.

Please don't remind me of all that silliness recently in the newspaper about how the cell companies are making it impossible to activate stolen cell phones. We all know that anyone can easily activate one; there are companies all over with huge signs advising us of the fact.

The cell phone companies could have a staff of people working full time to steal cell phones for all we know! It wouldn't be any stranger than previous events here. (Anyone remember police driving around recovered stolen cars?)

So I figure, I've been robbed twice. The first by the ladron, and the second by the cell phone company who refuses to refund my unused balance, or even put it on my other cell phone account at the same company--unless I buy a new cell phone from them.

When my last cell is stolen, I won't be signing up again. And note to all robbers: I won't be carrying my cell phone on me, unless I'm expecting to need it. So don't waste your time.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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My third stolen cell phone. As usual, I have a balance remaining, and the company refuses to refund it. The provider is Orange, in this case, but Verizon has the same policy.

It seems to me that it is to the advantage of the cell phone companies that cell phones be stolen. They benefit from it in two ways: first, many people immediately purchase another cell from the same carrier, and second, for those who don't, their balance isn't refunded. The company gets to keep the money without providing any service for it. Oh, and they get to keep and resell the stolen phone as well.

Please don't remind me of all that silliness recently in the newspaper about how the cell companies are making it impossible to activate stolen cell phones. We all know that anyone can easily activate one; there are companies all over with huge signs advising us of the fact.

The cell phone companies could have a staff of people working full time to steal cell phones for all we know! It wouldn't be any stranger than previous events here. (Anyone remember police driving around recovered stolen cars?)

So I figure, I've been robbed twice. The first by the ladron, and the second by the cell phone company who refuses to refund my unused balance, or even put it on my other cell phone account at the same company--unless I buy a new cell phone from them.

When my last cell is stolen, I won't be signing up again. And note to all robbers: I won't be carrying my cell phone on me, unless I'm expecting to need it. So don't waste your time.
You've got to be kidding.
You don't really believe that the phone companies have employees stealing phones for them, do you?
With all due respect, it sounds rather schizophrenic.
 

POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
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I don't understand it...........

...........you must not be careful with your phone..... I have my phones (obviously I have had more than one ) with me 24 hours a day since I use it all the time and have never had it stolen from me in 14 years of living here.................and I live in POP...........not exactly the "least crime" area.
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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Actually I am careful to the point of paranoia with my phones, as a rule. Or is it true what they say, that it isn't really paranoia if they actually are out to get you?

The last phone was stolen from my friend, to whom I had loaned it during her visit, with numerous and appropriate warnings. The second one was stolen at knifepoint.

The only one I can say I really wasn't careful enough with was the first one. (Hey, I am a quick learner.) That one was stolen by a pickpocket who took advantage of the fact that my hands were quite full with packages.

For those of you who think it isn't a real problem, most of you have your own cars, and don't ride the public transportation much. Most people who rides public transportation are well aware that they may be robbed, even though they are trying to be very careful. I met one guy who had just had his cell phone ripped out of his hand while he was making a phone call.

Pickpockets are very slick. I once saw a man standing up on the bus, with his wallet bulging out of his back pocket, and his hands in the air, holding the bar overhead, as there were no seats available. I thought to myself, "This guy is going to get his wallet stolen." No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, and I saw it happen! The thief took his wallet, passed it off to another guy, and both got off the bus, in a matter of seconds. It was amazing. The man noticed and reacted right away, but it was too late.
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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well...

You've got to be kidding.
You don't really believe that the phone companies have employees stealing phones for them, do you?
With all due respect, it sounds rather schizophrenic.

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that they originally closed the Dominican Ferry because PR discovered their stolen cars here being driven around by DR police!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that some policemen are actually in on the robberies being committed here!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that the customs dept. itself would be stealing imported goods!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe exchange houses are laundering money!

Um...do I need to go on? Every single day in the DR, we find crooks at every level. No, I'm not saying every Dominican is dishonest. Thank God, there are many, many who are not. But if customs can be dishonest, the police dept. can be dishonest, etc. is it so very hard to believe that a private company can be dishonest?

Do I really believe they are doing it? I'm just saying that it certainly would be to their advantage, and it would not surprise me at all. It certainly is not outside the realm of possibility, considering all the strange things companies, government agencies, and individuals have pulled off here. Many of them are likewise unbelievable.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
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You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that they originally closed the Dominican Ferry because PR discovered their stolen cars here being driven around by DR police!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that some policemen are actually in on the robberies being committed here!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe that the customs dept. itself would be stealing imported goods!

You've got to be kidding. You don't really believe exchange houses are laundering money!

Um...do I need to go on? Every single day in the DR, we find crooks at every level. No, I'm not saying every Dominican is dishonest. Thank God, there are many, many who are not. But if customs can be dishonest, the police dept. can be dishonest, etc. is it so very hard to believe that a private company can be dishonest?

Do I really believe they are doing it? I'm just saying that it certainly would be to their advantage, and it would not surprise me at all. It certainly is not outside the realm of possibility, considering all the strange things companies, government agencies, and individuals have pulled off here. Many of them are likewise unbelievable.
I'm glad I don't have to dispute the relativity of the first 5 paragraphs, as you so kindly do admit that it is not outside the realms of possibility, which is a far cry of being within the realms of probability, which brings us back to the beginning.
If you don't really believe it yourself, why would you set out to accuse them?
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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what did I accuse them of?

I think you misread. "The cell phone companies could have a staff of people working full time to steal cell phones for all we know! " is obviously a speculation rather than an accusation. "Could have" is not the same as "does have."

The only thing I actually accused them of, is stealing my remaining balance, which they did. That policy needs to be changed, which it probably won't be, because it is a legal way of stealing. Something needs to be done about their advantage in thefts. They shouldn't benefit from them.
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
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Hey man, I'm with you...everyone knows cell phones are a prime target for theft in The DR. My sister has had two of them stolen. I've never had one stolen...I did lose one once.

Another time I lost my phone at a bar (A very expensive phone BTW) and I thought for sure I would never see it again. Next day when I realized I did not have the phone I retraced my steps from the night before and went back to the bar to see if anyone had found the phone. To my great surprise an employee who had found it came out and gave it back to me. He told me that he had been offered 7,000 pesos for the phone, but he knew that would be stealing and he was an honest man so he held it in case he saw me again. This is a guy who probably doesn't make more that 4,000 pesos a month. Frankly I was amazed...anyhow I gave the guy a very nice tip.
 

La Mariposa

Bronze
Jun 4, 2004
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.......
The only thing I actually accused them of, is stealing my remaining balance, which they did. That policy needs to be changed, which it probably won't be, because it is a legal way of stealing. Something needs to be done about their advantage in thefts. They shouldn't benefit from them.

Don't you think that the person who robbed your cel used the remaining balance. So that ladron robbed you 2 times not the phone company.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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The only thing I actually accused them of, is stealing my remaining balance, which they did. That policy needs to be changed, which it probably won't be, because it is a legal way of stealing. Something needs to be done about their advantage in thefts. They shouldn't benefit from them.

If you lose a prepaid phone card (calling card) does the company replace the value? No!
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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No

Don't you think that the person who robbed your cel used the remaining balance. So that ladron robbed you 2 times not the phone company.

No, actually, if you report it right away, they shut it down so that it cannot be used, so the company keeps the extra $$. If you don't report it, the robber gets it.
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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Of course not

If you lose a prepaid phone card (calling card) does the company replace the value? No!

Of course not, because in that case someone else might find the card and lose it. It's like losing cash. In this case the company knows that it cannot be used, and they know your exact balance.