Garmin InReach Activation Issue

[MontanaMountainMan616]

I recently purchased a Garmin InReach Messenger off of Ebay (might have been my first mistake). The inreach was never deactivated from the previous owner meaning that I cannot associate it with my account. I have called Garmin and they are not able to deactivate it and I have reached out via the inreach email on the device with no answer. Does anyone know any work arounds that I could deactivate this device? I have also factory reset it, but that does not disassociate the device with a garmin account. Thanks for any ideas, if there is none I think I will return it too ebay.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Only the account holder can deactivate the account. Contact the seller and ask him to deactivate the account associated with the device. If he can't/won't, return it.

 

[MontanaMountainMan616]

Only the account holder can deactivate the account. Contact the seller and ask him to deactivate the account associated with the device. If he can't/won't, return it.

Yeah, I have, It came from a large ebay seller it looks like. I doubt they are the account holder.

 

[N8H]

I bought a SpotX device about a year ago off ebay. I had heard of the anti-consumer tactics of both of these companies (Spot and Garmin), but chanced it. The device was already registered to another persons account. The first mistake I made was the factory reset. Had I have not reset the device, I could have contacted one of the saved numbers in the phone to possibly get in contact with the previous owner and make sure the device was removed from his account (or determine whether the device was stolen). Instead, I reset the device and ended up calling Spot repeatedly over the course of 8 months only to be told that they can email the owner and hope that they contact Spot about it.
Fast forward and few months; I moved, I'm unpacking and I find my SpotX, turn it on, try to activate it once again and it finally works.

Lesson learned: either buy new, or buy from the previous owner and stand there while he deactivates the device.

 

[MontanaMountainMan616]

I am hoping that eventually the previous owner will notice that he is paying for an extra device and cancel it and then I can use it.

 

[Grassymike]

Return it. It will save time.

 

[mtnbound]

I think it will be easier to return it and find another one. There have been several in the classifieds here on RS and at least you are in communication with the current owner.

 

[Jethro]

I am hoping that eventually the previous owner will notice that he is paying for an extra device and cancel it and then I can use it.

Could happen, but that’s a big gamble. With the changes coming to Garmins plans, after Dec 1st that device won’t cost him anything if he never activates it.