Buying Used Cell Phones - How to Protect Yourself?

[Fingolfin269]

I'm sure a number of you buy nothing but used phones. What strategies do you employ to help protect yourself from bad esn, water damage, etc.? If doing a deal locally is meeting up at the Verizon store a good way to avoid esn issues down the road? Is it true you can check under the battery to see if a certain sticker is discolored to check for water damage?

I assume the way to protect yourself online is to try to limit your exposure to people you can somewhat trust (heat ware for example).

What else? I'm looking at picking up a used GS3 locally, potentially today, and just want to be sure it goes smoothly. Hopefully others can benefit from this as well.

 

[Red Storm]

I sell more than I buy when it comes to used, and I always offer to do it right in a Verizon store, so the buyer can assuage any concerns and have them check it out and verify all is well.

 

[dagamer34]

Because there is no guarantee in terms of condition when you buy a phone, you can haggle the price downwards when you see the item with your own eyes. Look for scratches, scuffs, and other unseen damage. Also, if a seller wasn't honest with you in their description, don't buy.

 

[Eug]

When I bought them, I would stick in my SIM to see if it worked. Of course, this meant I only bought used when I could see the seller and the phone in person.

 

[Red Storm]

Because there is no guarantee in terms of condition when you buy a phone, you can haggle the price downwards when you see the item with your own eyes. Look for scratches, scuffs, and other unseen damage. Also, if a seller wasn't honest with you in their description, don't buy.

Yeah, and also if they don't want to meet at a Verizon (or other carrier) store, then it's possible something is up.

 

[aylafan]

GS3 just recently came out, so I'll be surprised that someone would want to sell it right now.

I would tell the seller that you need to activate the phone before buying it from him. This is to protect yourself from buying a stolen or blacklisted phone. Show him some money to ensure him that you are serious on the purchase. Do the meeting at a public place near your carrier for the activation.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

can you do an ESN check if they give that to you?

 

[Phokus]

Worst case scenario: You can check the ESN all you want, but a couple weeks later, the person can report the phone stolen and get insurance money off your phone, thus blacklisting your ESN. Rare, but it's possible.

Swappa.com is probably the safest way to buy/sell phones.

 

[shortylickens]

Buy from Amazon. If the seller fucks you they repair your butthole. Then they harass the seller. Either way, you're covered.

 

[podspi]

Are ESNs even relevant nowadays with Verizon using SIMs?

I've heard conflicting things about this. Not advocating any dishonesty, but it could at least relieve some stress about sellers reporting the phone stolen after the fact...

 

[SunnyD]

Are ESNs even relevant nowadays with Verizon using SIMs?

I've heard conflicting things about this. Not advocating any dishonesty, but it could at least relieve some stress about sellers reporting the phone stolen after the fact...

The phone still has an IMEI, so yes. A bad IMEI means a blacklisted phone.

Same thing with GSM phones now - GSM carriers are required by law now to track stolen phones and blacklist them. Database sharing will be implemented in the coming years as well between carriers. By law.

 

[aylafan]

I agree with everything Phokus said. You can be scammed exactly how he described it.

I don't think it's worth the risk to buy a mobile phone from a stranger to save a hundred or so. Buy from a reputable seller.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Worst case scenario: You can check the ESN all you want, but a couple weeks later, the person can report the phone stolen and get insurance money off your phone, thus blacklisting your ESN. Rare, but it's possible.

Swappa.com is probably the safest way to buy/sell phones.

Is that possible even if you handle everything at the Verizon store? Activation on my line and deactivate on his?

 

[God Mode]

I cant find legit B&M stores that sell used phones around me. The only thing you can find are international unlocked versions that aren't carrier specific.

 

[aylafan]

Is that possible even if you handle everything at the Verizon store? Activation on my line and deactivate on his?

FYI. If the seller has insurance (always third-party insurance; not through Verizon) for his mobile phone and claims that his mobile phone is stolen a few weeks later after you brought it then your mobile phone could be blacklisted. The third-party insurance would not know that you swapped ownership of the mobile phone with the seller in the store. You'll have to go through a lot of trouble just to fix this. Verizon doesn't keep track of everything; so make sure you have proof. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Phokus]

Now that i think of it, i think Ebay is a pretty safe bet, if you buy from a reputable buyer with a LOT of transactions (buy from companies, not individuals). You just have to read the fine print and make sure nothing is wrong with the phone.

 

[nitrous9200]

I've bought a few phones from Gazelle on eBay. They describe the condition pretty accurately and they have free return shipping (bought a Droid for my brother and two keys on the keyboard didn't work). Any other large eBay seller will likely take care of you if something goes wrong so that's what I'd recommend.

 

[Fingolfin269]

You guys have given me a lot of reasons to avoid dealing locally. I've been in contact with this guy to buy his GS3 but I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward. It's probably smarter to just buy from ebay or somewhere similar so that you're at least dealing with a supposedly reputable vendor. I've heard there is also a store in town that deals in used phones so I may stop by there and give them a shot as well.

It does suck that there isn't a good way to deal locally without risk. There really should be a much easier way to do that and protect yourself.

 

[God Mode]

Ebay isn't guarenteed either. Months can go by beyond the feedback or chargeback statute and if the phone is insured or still attached to an account and reported lost, stolen or unpaid bills you know what can happen. Safest IMO is to buy it brand new from a reputable seller or unlocked non-carrier specific phones.

 

[jimhsu]

If anything, ebay is buyer friendly and pretty hostile to sellers. For one - sellers can only leave neutral or positive feedback for buyers. And don't get me started on buyers that receive the item, and then chargeback stating that they never got the item even if UPS confirms the delivery (fortunately hasn't happened to me, but happens quite often esp. when selling tech stuff). As a result, I've also become quite wary of buyers, esp. those with new accounts, and check prev. feedback pretty rigorously.

I also buy on ebay, so I understand the precautions, but there are problems with the system on both sides.

 

[God Mode]

This is a problem regarding the possibility of the esn/imei being blocked from the network due to dishonest sellers.

Even a honest seller with good intentions can't truly know the entire history of used phones. Not even my friends working in corporate owned phone stores can check due to privacy issues. It really wasn't a problem before but a lot of expensive phones are being stolen or people are pulling contract scams so that all the mobile carriers are going to collaborate on a blacklist.

 

[notposting]

I have bought used phones left and right...let's see, most on eBay (generally through sellers with good feedback track record) and one through Gottadeal forums.

I just sold my iPhone 4S this summer through the AT FS/T forum here, buyer had good Heat (I have good Heat, just not a lot), we set the deal up quickly to suit both of us (pre-pay half or so, I had it boxed and shipped out quickly, he paid the remainder on activation, when Apple got the AC+ papers to me I got the insurance transferred and then shipped that paperwork to him within a couple of weeks) and overall was a nice transaction.

Certainly some of the worries are valid though...a good feedback record (ie on eBay, or Heat) is more than you will be able to get locally though.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Trust me, I'd much rather deal with people here who have good heat but the pool is obviously very limited.

 

[Ksyder]

These are all part of why I'm glad Google is now selling devices... granted the Nexus isn't the best out now, but it does the job nicely and is reasonably affordable brand new and sealed. I've bought tons of used phones and have had good luck with both ebay and craigslist.

The one time I bought off amazon I got screwed (Advertised a galaxy nexus unlocked and sent me a verizon variant, this was slightly before Google started selling them) and had to chargeback on my credit card since the guy gave me the runaround, refused to refund the money and then tried to say the phone was broken in the mail when I sent it back.

 

[dlock13]

I have good heat.