Buying a used phone? How you can avoid taking a stolen or lost gadget

Some of these used phones may have been involved in frauds or linked to a crime committed before it was resold.  

Recently, a Nairobi resident, Musembi found himself in trouble for being in possession of a mobile phone that belongs to a woman murdered in Umoja.

Similarly, Easter Nekesa had to convince the police she was not involved in the murder of a woman. She allegedly purchased the phone from Ms Elizabeth Muthoki aged 19 who sells used phones.

Checking this out before buying a used phone is important for a handful of reasons.

Below are tips to help ensure you do not get into trouble for buying a second-hand phone.

To minimise your risk of buying a stolen phone, always ask the seller for the IMEI and Manufacturer’s unique serial number of the phone. First, you’ll need to get the device’s serial number, IMEI, MEID or ESN. If the seller can’t provide it, you might consider this a red flag. Ask them to dial *#06# if they claim they are unsure how to find the phone’s identifying code.

Equipped with the IMEI number, you can then head over to the website Stolen Phone Check (stolenphonecheck.org). Enter the IMEI number into the tool, and it will promptly inform you whether the phone is registered as stolen or not.

A passcode might not be enough to keep a thief from getting information from your stolen phone. Use reputable retailers, marketplaces, and apps to buy phones. Ensure you have checked out the sellers’ ratings before making a purchase.