6 tips for buying your smartphone second-hand and avoiding scams

Smartphones are expensive. It's increasingly tempting to buy your own second-hand to save money. But it's important to be aware of a few tricks of the trade if you want to make a risk-free purchase.

1 - The inspection

Ask the seller for as many photos as possible from several angles and, when you hand over the device, inspect it meticulously (edges, corners, screen, back, various ports) to get a clear idea of its condition. Don't hesitate to ask to see the device opened, and make sure it's an original battery.

2 - Documents

Ask to be given the telephone bill, even if the guarantee is no longer valid.

3 - How it works

Ask to see the phone switched on. This is one way of checking that it's not a counterfeit (many counterfeit iPhones run Android), or that it's not a dummy phone.

4 - Coupling

Make sure that the phone is no longer linked to the previous owner's Google (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) account, and that you can use it without any problems. If this is not the case, ask the seller to carry out these operations.

5 - Origin

To check that the phone has not been stolen, ask the seller, if he agrees, for the device's IMEI number, so that you can check that everything is in order on the https://www.veritas-certification.com website (there is a charge for this service, but it provides you with a certificate in due form) or http://www.imei.info (there are others). At the time of delivery, remember also to check that the IMEI (by typing *#06# on the keypad) corresponds to the one on the box and on the invoice sent.

6 - Payment

Use a dematerialised payment method like Obvy so that you don't have to carry the amount of the purchase in cash and avoid any risk of theft or stalking. For a transaction by delivery, this will allow you to secure the operation. In all cases, using Obvy will enable you to avoid all possible scams and secure your transactions between private individuals.