I Need Help Switing My Phone Over??help Asap

okay my phone company is verizon an the other day i had found a phone. but i like the phone so much that i dont even wunna turn it in to the owners, i wunna keep it an use it for my self, but when i call verizon an try to switch it over the keep telling me that the phone is under a lost/stolen list, is there any way that i can clear the esn, or swap it with another phone?
many people tell me theres ways i jus need more detail.

i would appreciate it if any one helped me..