Buying an old phone? Here's what you need to know
Getting a premium flagship at a bargain price can be quite the deal but there some things you may want to keep in mind
July 17, 2021 / 17:05 IST
Buying a premium smartphone can be quite an investment. It requires countless hours of wading through reviews, reading customer thoughts and most importantly, planning for the severe dent in your bank statement.A second-hand phone can be an attractive proposition if you find yourself in one of these situations. The used phone market gives you access to year-old premium phones at prices that can be a bargain. In some cases, you may luck out and find a newer phone at an attractive price.There are some things you need to keep in mind before you wade through the waters of mild irrelevance, especially if it turns out to be a steal in more ways than one.Be wary of scamsLet's start with a fairly obvious one. You may have heard horror stories of people getting scammed with the old switcheroo or buying something online and getting a bag of bricks. There is some truth to that, and you would do well to steer clear of the obvious scams.The general rule of the thumb is that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember, this is your hard-earned money we are talking about, and it doesn't grow on trees. It's better to be safe than sorry, and if that means missing out on a few genuine deals, so be it.Physically inspect the phone before buying itNever rely on photographs to judge the quality of a used phone. They are termed 'used' for a reason, and photos can be easily doctored or shot at angles to give you only the best view. Try and meet up with the potential seller and inspect the phone for yourself before you hand over the money. It may sound like work but may save you some money in the long run. You may want to check the screen for any scratch marks, and while you are it, give the chassis a once-over and look for any dents or scuffs. Discolouration on the ports on the phone may be an indicator of water damage. Make sure everything works, check the SIM trays, try putting in memory cards and if possible, check if WiFi works by connecting the phone to a hotspot. Similarly, look for any issues in Bluetooth or NFC.Use the camera and take photos to make sure it is operational and put in your SIM to check if SMS's and calls go through properly.Make sure you get a soft or hard copy of the original bill from the seller with their name on it and the date of purchase.Verify IEMI numbers to check for stolen or fake devicesOnce you are satisfied that the phone is as advertised, you may want to check and verify the IEMI number to make sure.Dial *#06# in the phone's dialer, and it will show you the associated IEMI numbers and give you a serial number of the device. Match these details with the back of the packaging box and the invoice you receive from the seller. Dual-SIM phones will have two IEMI numbers. You can also quickly verify the IEMI number through third-party websites to confirm if a phone is original, fake or a dummy unit. One of the most popular sites that let you do this is IEMI.info. Open the site, enter the phone's IEMI number and finish the CAPTCHA puzzle.The site will then show you all of the phone's details, including the model number along with the release date and specifications. It will also tell you if the phone is on a known list of stolen devices, in which case, you want to stay away.Keeping these simple steps in mind will help you ward off potential frauds. It will also give you the upper hand if the phone turns out to be more 'used' than you anticipated and will help you re-negotiate the price. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day
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