How to prove a phone isn't stolen before you buy (or sell)

Buying a secondhand phone in the UK involves a quick five-minute verification process that protects you from ending up with a stolen device, a finance-locked handset, or a phone you can't actually use. Here's what to check and how.

Step 1: Get the IMEI number

Every phone has a unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. Dial *#06# and the IMEI displays on screen. You can also find it in:

• iPhone: Settings → General → About
• Android: Settings → About Phone (location varies by manufacturer)
• Original box: printed on the label
• SIM tray: on some models

For a legitimate secondhand sale, ask the seller to show you the IMEI on the phone itself before you agree to anything. If they're reluctant, that's a red flag.

Step 2: Check the IMEI against stolen databases

The UK has a national database of stolen mobile devices. The most practical way to check it:

Service	What it checks	Cost
Checkmend	UK police stolen database, insurance claims, lost reports	£1.99–£4.99 per check
IMEIcheck.co.uk	Blacklist status, network lock	Free basic / paid full
Your network	Can confirm if a device is blacklisted on their network	Usually free, call customer services

Checkmend is the most thorough paid check and is commonly expected in private sales. For any phone above £100, the fee is trivial against the risk.

What a clean IMEI check tells you:

• The device hasn't been reported stolen to UK police.
• It hasn't been reported as lost to insurers.
• It isn't flagged as a fraud device.

What it doesn't confirm: whether the phone is under finance (that's a separate check).

Step 3: Check for outstanding finance

A phone sold on a finance agreement (Pay Monthly contract, a Buy Now Pay Later plan, or a handset financing deal) technically belongs to the lender until the balance is paid. If the seller defaults after selling it to you, the lender can pursue recovery of the device.

Checkmend's full report includes a finance check. Alternatively, some IMEI check services offer this separately.

Step 4: Check for Activation Lock (iPhones)

Apple's Activation Lock ties an iPhone to the seller's Apple ID. If it isn't removed before the sale:

• After you reset the phone, it will ask for the previous owner's Apple ID and password.
• Without those credentials, the phone is a paperweight.
• Apple will not unlock a device without proof that you're the legitimate owner — and "I bought it secondhand" isn't sufficient.

Before you buy: ask the seller to go to Settings → [their name] and confirm their Apple ID is logged in, then ask them to sign out (Settings → [name] → Sign Out) in front of you. Or check appleid.apple.com — if the device shows there, the seller still has an active account on it.

For Android, the equivalent is Google's Find My Device lock. Ask the seller to go to Settings → Google → Remove account before completing the sale.

Step 5: Factory reset and account removal

Once accounts are removed and checks are complete, ask the seller to perform a factory reset in front of you before you hand over payment. This confirms:

• Their accounts are fully removed.
• The phone boots cleanly to the setup screen.
• There's no Activation Lock waiting to bite you.

For sellers: do these checks yourself first

Running these checks on your own phone before listing accomplishes two things. First, it confirms your device is clean (worth knowing). Second, you can share the Checkmend certificate with potential buyers, which removes hesitation and often results in a faster, full-price sale.

Showing a buyer "here's a clean IMEI check, here's the phone with iCloud removed, here's the original receipt from [retailer]" is a different proposition from hoping they'll take your word for it.

For a broader view of how documentation affects resale value, see how to get more money when you sell your gadgets and appliances.

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