# Buying TiVo Off Craigslist



## exegesis48 (Jan 14, 2007)

When buying a TiVo off Craigslist, how do you check that you’re getting what you pay for? For example, how can you check the TiVo works and that the lifetime subscription is active in a short span of time?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

A reason I would feel more comfortable going through eBay over Craigslist for a TiVo box, with the eBay 30-day guarantee (and even there, there have been problems with a box being purchased from TiVo fraudulently, being re-sold on eBay, and then TiVo turning Lifetime service on the box off 1-2 months later, when it discovers the fraud). 

The Craigslist alternative I see: buying the TiVo box at the seller's home (are you comfortable with that?), so that you can see it actually working. And then you also can go online to the seller's TiVo account, to make sure that a Lifetimed box wasn't put into service only recently.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

exegesis48 said:


> When buying a TiVo off Craigslist, how do you check that you're getting what you pay for? For example, how can you check the TiVo works and that the lifetime subscription is active in a short span of time?


Option 1
Ask them to provide the TSN for the TiVo, and call TiVo to verify the service status.

Option 2
Ask for a screenshot of the service level on the TiVo and make sure the TSN on that same screen matches the one you're buying.

Option 3
Arrange for the transaction during TiVo customer service hours, and make a joint/three-way call to verify it has lifetime and transfer it's service to your account.


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