Checking the Serial Number of a Used Macintosh?

[Daryl Spitzer]

Is it possible to check out the serial number of a used Macintosh (before
buying)? (Just to make sure it hasn't been stolen.) How would I do this?

--
Daryl Spitzer da...@hasbrotech.com
Technical Director daryl_...@mindlink.net
Hasbro Software Group

[dshirsh]

Sure, just call every police department in the US ? You're also assuming
the serial number hasn't been altered to match a 'good' one, right ?

Seriously, there's no way to check the serial number against some
'stolen list'. Apple may be able to tell you if it's at least a 'valid'
serial number, in case you want to get AppleCare for it.
--
David Hirsh
Pittsburgh,PA
dsh...@telerama.lm.com

[Joel Herda]

In article <4088d6$s...@epicycle.lm.com>, dsh...@telerama.lm.com (dshirsh)
wrote:

> Sure, just call every police department in the US ? You're also assuming
> the serial number hasn't been altered to match a 'good' one, right ?
>
> Seriously, there's no way to check the serial number against some
> 'stolen list'. Apple may be able to tell you if it's at least a 'valid'
> serial number, in case you want to get AppleCare for it.

Hrm.

If you're buying a used mac, you may want to at least ask your state
police who you might call to check the computer against reports of
stolen property.

If they can refer you to someone in your state, then call and have
the serial number (it's on the back of the case, or on the bottom of
some powerbooks) checked out. Get the name of the person you talked
to to get this information.

I would call this "due diligence", because I wouldn't want to be
stuck with stolen goods. I would think of it as a nice way to show
that I've made the effort to avoid receiving stolen property.

joel

--
--
Joelll Herda joe...@tiac.net my opinions are my own,
Consultant, Shiman Associates but they tend to wander a
President, Arisia Incorporated bit, and sometimes get lost