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Smartphone prices are higher than ever, so it’s no surprise that more and more people are looking to save money by getting their next handset second-hand. Buying a second-hand phone can be a great experience if the handset is in great condition and has been looked after, meaning that you can get a serious bargain by trawling selling sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace to find somebody who is selling the handset you want at a steal in your area.

On the other hand, it could also turn out to be a nightmare if you spend your hard-earned cash on a phone that isn’t working property or has damage and blemishes that you were not aware of. If you are determined to save money by getting your next smartphone second-hand instead, here are some of the main things to look out for before you buy.

Consider Getting a Refurbished Phone

Instead of looking for a private online seller, you might want to consider getting a refurbished phone to enjoy more peace of mind. While you might pay a little more compared to buying a phone off Facebook Marketplace, you can usually justify this as refurbished handsets are guaranteed to be working and covered by a warranty if they are not, as long as you get one from the manufacturer or a reputable seller.

In addition, refurbished handsets are more likely to be unlocked to any network, meaning that you can easily get started using it with a Lebara SIM only plan to save even more money. Lebara SIM only plans start at just £5 per month and offer complete flexibility with no requirement to ever be tied in for any amount of time. You can get started immediately with no credit check needed. Learn more here.

Check the Photos

If you’re buying a phone online from a selling site, the first impression that you will get of the phone is the uploaded photos. Unless it’s clear that the seller is an actual business, it’s best to avoid any sellers who have uploaded stock photos rather than actual photographs of the handset since this could indicate that they are trying to hide something. Carefully look through the photographs to find any signs of damage or blemishes and ask the seller about anything you notice that you are concerned about. If you need to, you can ask the seller to provide more images such as close-ups of anything unusual you have noticed.

Checking the Handset

Once you have found a phone handset that you like for sale online, it’s recommended that you go and see it in-person before you buy. For this reason, it’s worth searching selling sites that show local listings such as Facebook Marketplace, or adjusting your search settings in eBay to make sure that the listings are not too far away. Going to check the handset in-person gives you the chance to try it out, check that everything is working and make an informed decision regarding your purchase before you part with your cash.

Start by visually checking the handset for any signs of damage and look at the camera lens to check for any scratches. Check the sockets for any signs of corrosion and check the battery where possible. Take your SIM card with you to ensure that the phone connects to the network. Ask the seller to plug the phone into the charger to make sure that it charges as expected. If the phone has a memory card slot and headphone jack, make sure that these are also working.

Check Calls

While most people today will text and instant message to communicate with others, smartphones are also becoming the main way that we call people and receive calls, and house phones are almost obsolete. This is another reason why it’s a good idea to take your SIM card to check in the phone since this will allow you to make a call from it and check how it performs. When calling from the phone, make sure that all the microphones and speakers are working correctly. You should be able to hear the person you are calling clearly, and they should be able to clearly hear you. It’s also a good idea to put the call on loudspeaker to check how this works.

Connecting to Wi-Fi

Most people today use their phones at home while connected to the Wi-Fi network. Not only is this often faster in some areas compared to smartphone 3G or 4G data, but it also prevents you from using the data from your allowance so you can save this for when you are out and about. While it might not be so important to you to use Wi-Fi if you have unlimited data, you should still take the time to check that the phone connects as it should.

When checking the handset, it’s a good idea to ask the seller if you would be able to connect the phone to their home Wi-Fi to check that it easily picks up networks that are available nearby and connects correctly. While connected to Wi-Fi, put the phone in Aeroplane Mode so that you can check that it’s connected. Bear in mind that a slow connection might not always be because of the phone as the network it’s connected to will have an impact.

Security

Finally, make sure that the handset has been fully factory reset and that you’re not going to need a password or security code to access it. You can do this easily by simply locking the home screen and then unlocking it again to make sure that there are no security prompts. If the seller has not reset the phone yet, you should get them to do this before you pay them for the handset.

Watch out for red flags such as a seller that does not know the password or has their touch or face ID consistently rejected as this could be a sign that the handset is actually stolen. You can use the CheckMEND national database for a small fee to check if a phone is listed as stolen by entering the IMEI number.

While buying a smartphone second-hand might be an ideal way to save money, there are several things to consider to ensure that you’re actually getting a good deal.