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Buying Used iPhones – Test If It’s Locked!

By Ryszard Gold | Published February 4, 2016

Craigslist and Kijiji is filled with people selling their used iPhones… but it’s buyer beware. I wish I had a dime for each and every time I get a customer that said they bought a second-hand iPhone and it seems to be linked to the previous users account.

Used iPhones sales suck

“And I can’t get ahold of the person who sold it to me! Ay, ay, ay! No es bueno!”

Making Sure Used iPhones Are Legit

Apple security is so tight it would make diamonds.. in fact the CIA, FBI, NSA, CBC, NRABO, CZIPEQ are all quite cross with Apple; they have approached the US Congress with requests to force them to make back doors. This activation lock can be triggered via Find My iPhone or simply if the iPhone is erased. This means that if you buy a phone second hand iPhone or iPad and that sucker is still tied to the previous users account you are up a stinky brown creek. But there is a solution.

Used iPhones

Activation Lock Status.. keep this bookmarked.

You can now check the status of the activation lock on the used hardware you are buying. Check it out here.

You will need the serial or IMEI number, if you need help, they’ve made a useful guide. Put that in and it will let you know if the phone is still locked.

Now, if it is locked, you can ask them to login into their iCloud account and remove it from their Trusted Devices.. hey look! Another guide!

If you forget to do this, you really, truly are S.O.L.

Ryszard Gold
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Ryszard Gold
Owner at The Stem Group
Ryszard (Rick) Gold, From Calgary, Alberta, Canada has over 20 years of experience working with Apple products in a technical capacity. Passionate about technology in general, his natural troubleshooting abilities, curiosity and appreciation of good design lead him into working exclusively with Apple Computer products.
Ryszard Gold
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