Buying an iPhone as a gift - cheapest method?

[Orlics]

I'm interested in buying a couple of iPhones sometime this fall to rip my friends off when I go back home outside the US. There's an official premium for each model to get them as gifts (with no plan), but I've heard that it's actually cheaper to buy one with a plan then cancel the plan. Does anyone know if this is actually possible, and feasible for someone who already has an iPhone with an AT&T plan? I.e. do they only allow one customer to sign up for one plan at a time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[thelatinist]

Just pay the no contract price for the phones. Honestly, I can't understand this obsession with committing fraud to cheat AT&T out of the iPhone subsidy. Where did you people learn your morals?

 

[Orlics]

Just pay the no contract price for the phones. Honestly, I can't understand this obsession with committing fraud to cheat AT&T out of the iPhone subsidy. Where did you people learn your morals?

Well I honestly had no idea it was fraud. I thought they'd be getting their money anyway through my "cancellation fee."

 

[christyn]

you'd need to add a line to your account, buy the iPhone, pay for the first months service and then cancel the line.

 

[STEVESKI07]

AT&T isn't stupid, you aren't going to outsmart them by coming up with this genius plan that they have never thought of themselves. There are many threads on here describing how much it costs to start a new plan, cancel it and keep the phone. In the end, you end up saving very little money going that route and it's a royal pain to go through the whole process. I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[aristobrat]

I.e. do they only allow one customer to sign up for one plan at a time?

AFAIK, the number of lines you can have at one time is based upon your credit score.

 

[iPhone 62S]

Ship one from Hong Kong if you have a way to do so (do you know anyone there?), a 3GS costs about £430 and it comes factory unlocked.

 

[HazwayA]

ebay or craigs list

deff is the best way to buy an iphone with no contract you can even buy new ones in the box