Buying or Selling a Used Phone? The 7-Point Checklist Before Money Changes Hands

Why a checklist?

The used market moves fast, and mistakes there are expensive. These are 7 points in order — from the digital checks that need no tools, to the final hands-on inspection. If even one point fails, renegotiate or walk away.

The 7 points

• 1. Match the IMEI: dial *#06# and compare the number with the box and invoice — a single mismatch hides a story.
• 2. Check the digital status: an IMEI check tells you the true model and blacklist status — never buy a device reported stolen, at any price.
• 3. iCloud / Google account: the owner must sign out of their account in front of you and erase the device from its settings. "We'll do it later" is the first red flag.
• 4. Network lock: test your own SIM, or ask for a written check result — a phone locked to a foreign network is worth less.
• 5. Battery: on iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health — below 80% means a replacement is coming, at your cost.
• 6. Screen and parts: test touch on all edges, cameras, fingerprint/Face ID and speakers. A poor replacement screen shows in colors and touch response.
• 7. Water damage: look at the water indicator in the SIM tray (red = submerged), and test charging and the microphone — water faults appear late.

For sellers too

Selling? Erase your accounts and data after a backup, and sign out of iCloud/Google in front of the buyer — transparency raises your price and speeds the deal.

The bottom line

Ten minutes of checking saves you the loss of an entire phone. And our free tools (the tools page) do half the work for you.