How To Avoid Being Scammed When Buying A Used iPhone
Have you ever tried to buy a used iPhone and after searching the market and online stores you have come away frustrated and empty handed? You are not alone! If you search a term ‘used iPhone scam’ on the Google, you will find a lot of “horror” stories of the people who bought a used iPhone from eBay, Craigslist or any other place and got scammed. The used iPhone device market is huge. Of course this is because of the iPhone’s excellent build, great mobile operating system (iOS), high resale value, and the fact that people love Apple products. And because of all of that, people in search of used Apple products make for easy target for scams and frauds.
Among the many factors, one of the big concerns is to verify, if you are buying a genuine device or a fake one. You can easily buy a fake iPhone, running Android OS, considering it a genuine iPhone, if you are not experienced enough to find the difference between two devices. Similarly there is a good chance that the phone you are eyeing is internally damaged. Like it is water damaged or due to any other reason, it was disbanded and then put back together with fake or damaged parts.
That is why, it is always good to have a checklist of small tests, which will help you a buy a used iPhone which is worthy of the money you are spending. One of the very first tests, after you are satisfied with the body and display of that iPhone, is to check the IMEI number and make sure it is a clean phone. Another step in this regards is to check for the Lock status by going to Apple website and entering the device serial number in Activation Lock tool.
Once you are satisfied with the above tests, now is the time to check all features from different aspects and verify each of the iPhone features is working properly. Make sure, that set is not water damaged by checking the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) in the SIM tray. You must check the battery life of the set as well. Battery is one of the main concerns for most of the iPhone users and if the battery was damaged in any way, it will start getting discharged very quickly with minimal use.
Among the other tests is to check the camera quality by taking pictures in different light conditions, making videos and recording your voice. You should also check the call quality of that used iPhone to make sure the internal antenna is not damaged. Similarly, check the WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and other features like Touch ID and 3D Touch, if you are buying a used iPhone 6s.
This infographic by MobileSiri will help you a lot and you can find all the required checks and tips to buy a used iPhone in one place.
