Kaspersky Security Update

Things to know when buying second-hand iPhones

There are many ways to fool a victim who is going to buy/sell an iPhone from/to a third-party seller/buyer. In this post, we speak about the most popular ones.

1. Too low a price and advanced payment

Be careful when people offer you goods at a very low price and with an obligatory advanced payment. Sellers will have many convincing arguments (need of money ASAP, two similar devices were given as gifts, etc) – you can come away with a used device instead of brand new one, a broken device, or nothing at all.

2. Broken devices and phones made of wax and paper

Many fraudsters sell broken devices to stores with an excuse as to why it can't be checked immediately: They may say that the battery is low and you need to charge it before turning on your device. When victims get home, they open the box and face an unpleasant surprise.

3. iPhone with Chinese roots… and Android OS

As fake iPhones run under the control of Android OS all you need to do is to turn it on and see which store it supports: Google Play (a forgery) or App Store (a real iPhone).

4. Stolen devices

If you are going to buy a second-hand iPhone there is a good chance you're being offered a stolen device. When you check the device itself, compare the code, serial number and IMEI from the box with the information given in the device settings.

5. Refurbished devices

Buying a factory refurbished iPhone can save you some extra money as the original manufacturer inspects the inside and outside of the device and cautiously corrects any problems.

6. Remote lock and blackmail

Beware of miscreants! There were cases when people bought a second-hand device and then found it locked with the Find iPhone options (only for iOS 6 and later). And if you sell your used iPhone, make sure you've wiped it.

Of course all of this advice works well for any buying or selling of gadgets. Apple devices are a little bit more attractive to fraudsters; that's the reason we used them as an example.