Does Apple continue to price you out of the purchase of one of its brand new iPhone 7 Plus devices? Or for a matter of fact, all of its currently available handsets? If that’s so, you may have considered entering into the murky world of 2nd user smartphones. A place for which many sad stories could be told, as such a way to check the validity of a phone is needed before buying. As luck would have it, there is a new service, that does just that, here’s what you need to know.
Buying A Second Hand iPhone Before Checking It, Don’t!
Unfortunately, due to the status that comes with owning an iPhone, they are pretty much desired all over the word. And as such, are a target for those who would rather steal someone else’s than earn money to pay for one.
However, thanks to Apple and its compulsion to make its handsets as protected as possible, there’s a decent amount of encryption. Along with activation locks, Find My iPhone, and more. Meaning that should you have yours stolen it’s pretty much useless to anyone but a hardened hacker. Even so, they are stolen and can fetch a reasonable price on the likes of Ebay, Facebook, and Craigs List.
Now, if you’re turning to places like these to buy an iPhone, our advice is to ask the seller for the handset’s IMEI Number. If he/she refuses to pass over that all important piece of information, you should steer clear. However, it may not mean the handset is stolen; it could mean they don’t know how to find it.
How To Find An iPhone’s IMEI Number
To help the seller find the IMEI Number pass on the following, anyone should be able to follow it.
1. On the iPhone’s Home Screen Tap Settings
2. Go to General and Tap It.
3. Next find and Tap About
4. Scroll down the page until you see the IMEI Number displayed
And that is it, however, if after sharing this information, the seller still can not provide the details. You are probably better off not buying that particular iPhone. Instead, look for a seller who is prepared to give you the number.
If you are fortunate enough to be given the details, you’re going to have to check them, here’s how.
How To Check If An iPhone Is Stolen Before Buying
In the not too distant past, Apple itself provided a tool called the Activation Lock Status Tool. A potential iPhone owner could simply enter the device’s information and get almost instant details about whether the handset was dodgy or not.
Any negative information returned, would be because the iPhone owner used the Apple’s security to render it useless after the theft. However, without warning Apple stopped providing the tool earlier this year, possibly due to hackers, that is the rumor.
Unfortunately, for those looking to buy a 2nd user iPhone, it meant there was for a while no way to check. Meaning, that if purchasing, they either took a chance or just didn’t buy. Fortunately a representative of the United States Wireless Communications industry, the CITA has stepped in for fill the void.
It has created an online tool called the Stolen Phone Checker, which has access to all the required databases. Much like with the now defunct Apple tool, you enter details about the iPhone, or other handsets your may buy. And it will return details about its legality if you’re going to use it make sure you have the IMEI Number and then use the tool here.
