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Home > Lifestyle News > Health And Fitness News > Article > Heres how you can avoid buying a stolen iPhone

Here's how you can avoid buying a stolen iPhone

Updated on: 01 February,2017 08:26 PM IST  | 
mid-day online correspondent |

Apple has laid down few important guidelines for users who wish to purchase a second-hand iPhone, iPads or iPods or from anywhere other than an authorised Apple store

Here's how you can avoid buying a stolen iPhone

 Here’s how you can avoid buying a stolen iPhone
Picture courtesy/YouTube

Many of us plan to buy second-hand Apple products like iPhones and iPads, especially because of the skyrocket prices of the first-hand ones. Though the term ‘second-hand’ turns cliché and is generally related to used and old devices, yet this is not the case with iPhones and iPads. This is because, in the recent era of smartphones, people are going online every minute to sell their existing ones for a newer upgraded model. Unfortunately, buying second hand iPhones and iPads from online shopping sites, or from an individual or stores, can be a risky affair.


Apple has therefore disabled a tool that helps buyers of pre-owned iPhones and iPads to discover if their devices have been lost or stolen. Initially, a stolen iPhone could be easily made available for sale on any e-commerce site for a discounted price so that the device is sold off soon. However, if the phone is locked at the owner’s end, the buyer will not be able to use it, and the lock status of the phone could not be determined before buying.

Apple has removed the Activation Lock Checker, a tool that used the device’s IMEI number to determine its Activation Lock status. The Activation Lock Checker also helped buyers to spot stolen devices easily. The reason for this move by Apple is still unknown. However, the story does not end here.
In case of an online purchase, buyers can still request for the specific IMEI number via third-party checkers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Apart from the IMEI check, Apple itself has laid down these guidelines for users who wish to purchase iPhone, iPads or iPods from anywhere other than an authorised Apple store:

Firstly, turn on the device and slide to unlock the same.
Secondly, if on the Home screen it shows, Passcode Lock Screen, then it means that the device has not yet been erased.
Thirdly, ask the seller to ask the device entirely. This can be done accordingly Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
Fourthly, after everything is erased, start the device setup process.
Fifthly, choose a language, country and allow the device to get connected to a network. Once this is done, the device be activated for use.

P.S. Do not take ownership of any Apple product, like iPhones, iPads, iPads or Apple Watch until and unless the previous owner’s account is entirely removed. Also, prefer to buy second-hand Apple devices only from known people or wait till the price to drop and go for a first-hand one.



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