It’s getting pretty common for users— I’d say especially from developing countries—to buy iPhones from third-party sellers, rather than directly from Apple. Granted, this might be a cheaper option that is not illegal, but at the same time, it’s not safe or advisable. And while I can’t entirely stop you from buying iPhones from a source other than Apple, I can help you avoid getting scammed.
So, in this guide, I’ve provided tips to check iPhone authenticity during purchase. With these useful tips, you can tell if the iPhone you’re buying is actually genuine and unused as the seller may claim. So, here goes…
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How Can You Check iPhone Authenticity During Purchase?
There’s an increased demand for Apple products that has caused more fake iPhones to circulate in the smartphone market. However, you don’t have to fall victim to such scams, there are ways to determine if your iPhone is indeed genuine and brand-new. Here’s how to check iPhone authenticity during purchase.
Check the Serial Number
An original iPhone has a special serial number that serves as a code for storing details such as the date and location of the device’s manufacture. In essence, this serial number can help you check iPhone authenticity during purchase, so you’ll be able to tell if the iPhone is brand-new or refurbished. Apple consumers can also use this serial number to verify the status of their phone’s warranty and see if they qualify for additional AppleCare coverage.
If there isn’t a serial number, the iPhone model in question is probably a fake. Go to Settings on your smartphone, select General, and then click on the About section to view the serial number of your device. Scroll down afterward to locate the serial number, then long-press on the serial number when you see it, and finally, select Copy. You’ll need this serial number in the next tip in this guide.
Check Apple Support Website
Remember the serial number you copied in the previous section? Here’s where it comes in handy. You can check to see if Apple’s database contains any information on the iPhone you’re purchasing with this serial number. This can in turn help determine the device’s validity. Using this method to check iPhone authenticity during purchase is more trustworthy because the output comes directly from Apple.
Follow these steps:
- Visit Apple’s device coverage website and paste the serial number into the serial number search box after copying it as instructed in the previous section.
- Enter the verification code after that, then press the Submit button.
- Apple will retrieve the record for the iPhone you’re purchasing from its database after a while. Afterward, check the model and purchase date that will display on the screen against your own.
Your device is authentic if both of your credentials are true. But if Apple claims to be unaware of a device with the serial number you’ve inputted, it’s probably a fake. This is a good way to check iPhone authenticity during purchase, so you can safely avoid paying for a counterfeit product.
Compare Coverage Check Data With Purchase Date
Even after confirming that your purchased device is not fake, there’s still the matter of confirming if it’s new and unused like the seller may have claimed. You can find out if the iPhone device you’ve purchased is pre-owned or brand-new using the coverage check data collected in the previous section.
To check iPhone authenticity during purchase in this regard, pay particular attention to the phone’s purchase date from the coverage check data. Your device is brand new if the date of purchase there coincides with the day you actually purchased and activated it.
Check the expiration date of your device’s limited warranty if the dates differ or if you can’t recall when you activated your phone. You’ll also be able to tell how old your phone is by looking at the Apple warranty, which is typically valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Even though you should be able to check the warranty details from the same coverage report, if it doesn’t show any information about the warranty, you can check directly through the iPhone. Follow these steps:
- Navigate to the General section in Settings.
- Next, select About.
- You’ll see either of these options here: Limited Warranty or Coverage Expired.
Your iPhone is still covered by warranty if you see the Limited Warranty option. To find out when the warranty expires, click the option. The warranty should not be close to expiry if the iPhone is indeed brand new. Instead, this shows that the iPhone has been activated long before you even bought it.
On the other hand, if the option you see says Coverage Expired, the iPhone in question is probably more than a year old and definitely not brand-new. This is a neat way to check iPhone authenticity during purchase, so you don’t pay more than the phone is worth.
Ultimately, you can save yourself from getting scammed by taking note of the tips I’ve provided in this guide to check iPhone authenticity during purchase. If the device turns out to be fake or older than you were made to believe, request a refund or a newer, more original device. If these seem impossible, you can help others to prevent similar scams by reporting the seller’s listing to Apple or marketplace support.