HT201351: What to do before selling or giving away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Learn about What to do before selling or giving away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
Momb8686

Q: how to check IMEI

I wanting to buy a phone from someone but how do I go about checking the IMEI number and everything else to make sure its fine? also, when I buy it how do I go about putting it in my name so they don't turn around and claim it lost?

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.2.1

Posted on Jul 8, 2016 9:21 AM

Close

Q: how to check IMEI

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Michael Black,Apple recommended

    Michael Black Michael Black Jul 8, 2016 9:43 AM in response to Momb8686
    Level 7 (23,942 points)
    Jul 8, 2016 9:43 AM in response to Momb8686

    You can check the activation lock status here - https://www.icloud.com/activationlock/

     

    Other than that, there really is no way to check if a phone is clean and useable in a private party deal with an unknown party.  You're ability to be sure of an honest deal in such a situation is inherently very restricted since you don't know if the person was the original retail purchaser of the phone, which country the phone was originally purchased at retail, which carrier it is linked to and may be locked to, or anything else.

     

    This is why it is always best to buy from somewhere you have recourse if there are issues - buy from a store or a site that at least offers refunds for bad sellers or deals.  Or better yet, but from Apple or an Authorized Apple reseller.

     

    Buying any used item in a purely private party transaction places 100% of the consequences of that sale (good or bad) on you and the seller.  Since used smart phones show up all over the world, coming from all over the world, you really have no way of knowing exactly what you are getting in such a deal.  You pay your money and you take your chances.