Used phone: check the IMEI, iCloud and battery first
Before paying for a used phone: read the IMEI with *#06#, check the previous owner’s account is removed, then look at the battery and the parts.
1. Read the IMEI and compare it
Dial *#06# on the keypad: the phone shows its IMEI, a 15-digit number. Compare it with the one printed on the box. On an iPhone it also appears under Settings > General > About.
The two numbers differ? Then this is not the phone that came in that box. The GSMA, which allocates these numbers to manufacturers, advises every owner to write their IMEI down: if the phone is stolen, the operator can use it to block the device.
2. Make sure the previous owner’s account is gone
Apple asks that an iPhone bought from anyone other than Apple be erased and no longer linked to the previous owner’s account. An erased iPhone shows “Hello” in several languages when it starts. If the message “iPhone Locked to Owner” appears, Activation Lock is on, and Apple advises against buying it.
On Android, Google’s Factory Reset Protection (FRP) does the same job: after a factory reset, the phone asks again for the Google account that was signed in. Samsung says a device locked this way has to go through an authorised service centre, with proof of purchase. The simple fix is for the seller to remove their accounts in front of you, then reset the phone.
3. Look at the battery and the parts
On an iPhone, Settings > Battery shows the battery health. Settings > General > About lists the parts and service history: a part marked “Unknown” may come from a maker other than Apple or from another device. On the same screen, “No SIM restrictions” next to “Carrier Lock” means the phone takes any SIM card.
Then test the buttons, the camera, the speaker, the microphone and the screen brightness. A short call is enough to check the microphone and earpiece.
4. Pay at the right moment
Trokido’s rules require a phone listed for sale to be reset and its IMEI entered; stolen or locked phones are banned (Prohibited items). Trokido does not check the IMEI for you.
When you meet in person, only hand over your handover code once these checks are done and you have paid: that code is the proof of sale. A very low price for the model is one of the cases where a phone listing is reviewed by a person before it goes live. More safety tips are on the Safety page.