Buying a used phone: the 7-point check

Most bad used-phone deals are caught by the same handful of checks, done in order, before any money moves. Here they are, from the ones that end a deal instantly to the ones that just set the price.

The seven checks, in order

1. IMEI matches. Dial *#06# and confirm the number matches the box and the printed label. A mismatch ends the deal.

2. PTA status. SMS the IMEI to 8484. "Valid" or "Invalid" is a price issue at best, a walk-away at worst.

3. Stolen and history. Run the IMEI through Mobilo’s free check. A reviewed stolen report means do not buy, full stop.

4. Accounts signed out. The phone must be logged out of the previous owner’s iCloud or Google account in front of you — factory reset and set it up fresh. A locked account makes the phone a paperweight.

5. Screen and body. Look for dead pixels, touch dead-zones, and a green or pink tint — a sign of a swapped or failing OLED. Open a white image full-screen.

6. Battery health. On iPhone, Settings then Battery then Battery Health. On Android, watch charging behaviour and look for swelling around the frame.

7. The seller. Meet in a public place, in daylight, and keep the receipt or the chat. On Mobilo, a shop’s record is shown plainly — verified, unverified or private.

What a clear check does and does not mean

A clear result on each of these means no problem has surfaced — not a guarantee. Most phone thefts are never reported anywhere, so a clean stolen check is one signal among several, not an all-clear.

Nothing here replaces seeing the phone and the person in front of you.

The two-minute version

Short on time? Do three: the IMEI matches the box, the PTA status by SMS to 8484, and the accounts are signed out in front of you. Those three catch the deals you most regret.

Common questions

Is checking the IMEI really necessary for a cheap phone?: Yes — a blocked or stolen cheap phone is still a loss, and the check is free and takes a minute.
The seller won’t let me reset it. Should I worry?: Yes. A genuine seller has no reason to refuse a sign-out and a factory reset.
Can Mobilo tell me the condition of this exact unit?: Only if that unit has been inspected; otherwise Mobilo says so rather than guessing.

The seven checks, in order

1. IMEI matches. Dial *#06# and confirm the number matches the box and the printed label. A mismatch ends the deal.

2. PTA status. SMS the IMEI to 8484. "Valid" or "Invalid" is a price issue at best, a walk-away at worst.

3. Stolen and history. Run the IMEI through Mobilo’s free check. A reviewed stolen report means do not buy, full stop.

5. Screen and body. Look for dead pixels, touch dead-zones, and a green or pink tint — a sign of a swapped or failing OLED. Open a white image full-screen.

6. Battery health. On iPhone, Settings then Battery then Battery Health. On Android, watch charging behaviour and look for swelling around the frame.

7. The seller. Meet in a public place, in daylight, and keep the receipt or the chat. On Mobilo, a shop’s record is shown plainly — verified, unverified or private.

Common questions

Is checking the IMEI really necessary for a cheap phone?

Yes — a blocked or stolen cheap phone is still a loss, and the check is free and takes a minute.

The seller won’t let me reset it. Should I worry?

Yes. A genuine seller has no reason to refuse a sign-out and a factory reset.

Can Mobilo tell me the condition of this exact unit?

Only if that unit has been inspected; otherwise Mobilo says so rather than guessing.