Fix Research-based · not tested

Second-Hand Phone Checklist for India: Verify IMEI, iCloud/FRP Lock and Battery Before You Pay

Thinking of buying a second-hand phone? Verify the IMEI through KYM, confirm the old owner's iCloud or Google lock is gone, look at battery health and collect a signed receipt before paying.

By Lokesh Rathore 13 min read

Phone with a checklist, magnifying glass, lock and battery icons for inspecting a second-hand phone

The short answer

Don’t hand over any money yet. First dial *#06# and confirm that the IMEI on screen is the same one shown in Settings, printed on the box and written on the bill, then verify it through the government’s KYM service by texting KYM <15-digit IMEI> to 14422. Next, the seller logs out of their Apple Account, or deletes their Google (and Samsung) account, and resets the handset while you watch. You then begin the setup yourself, and no screen should ask for the seller’s account. Finally, look at battery health, try out every part, and collect a signed receipt together with the seller’s ID.

It makes no difference whether the phone comes from an individual, an online ad or a dealer. Go through every check below, and release the payment only once all of them are cleared.

In this article10 sections
  1. Prep work before the meeting
  2. Verifying the IMEI
  3. Make sure Activation Lock and FRP are off
  4. How healthy is the battery?
  5. Has the iPhone been repaired?
  6. Test everything in person
  7. Documents to collect
  8. Problems after the purchase
  9. Common questions
  10. Sources

Prep work before the meeting

  • Collect the IMEI numbers in advance (a picture of the box or of the *#06# screen is fine) and do the KYM check explained further down before you set out.
  • Request the original purchase bill and the box.
  • Find out whether it was bought on EMI and, if so, whether that loan has been closed. A lender can use tools like Samsung’s Knox Guard to lock a financed handset remotely when payments are overdue.
  • Tell the seller to come with their passwords, because they will need to take their Apple, Google or Samsung account off the phone while you watch.
  • An iPhone seller should switch off Stolen Device Protection before leaving home. When the phone is away from familiar locations, this feature forces a one-hour delay before the Apple Account can be signed out.
  • Carry a SIM of your own, plus a charger and cable. If the seller says the phone supports 5G, bring a SIM that gets 5G on your own handset. Choose a public spot with strong network signal and Wi-Fi.

Verifying the IMEI

Think of the IMEI as the 15-digit ID a phone uses on mobile networks. A dual-SIM handset carries two of them, and both have to be identical in every place they appear.

Dial *#06#The IMEI pops up on the screen; a dual-SIM handset displays two.
iPhoneOpen Settings → General → About and scroll down. From iPhone 6s through the iPhone 13 series, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) included, the SIM tray carries it as well. If the iPhone has been erased, tap the Info button in the bottom-right corner of the Hello screen.
AndroidOn a Pixel, look in Settings → About phone; other brands name their menus differently. According to Pixel Help, the SIM tray is another place to find it.
Box and invoiceIt is printed on the box, and the bill or invoice may show it too.
Sources (checked 10 October 2026): CEIR, Apple Support, Pixel Help.
  1. Put the IMEI that *#06# shows side by side with the one in Settings, on the box and on the bill (where the bill has one). Every single digit has to be the same.
  2. Text KYM <15-digit IMEI> to 14422. Other routes are the KYM page on the CEIR website, which sends an OTP to your number, and the Know genuineness of Your Mobile Handset option inside the Sanchar Saathi app. Repeat this for each IMEI.
  3. Go through the reply carefully. As per CEIR, it lists the brand, model, manufacturer and device type, and all of these should match the handset you are holding. Keep your money if anything differs or a warning status comes up.

Warning: When the status reads Black-listed, duplicate or already in use, CEIR’s advice is to avoid the purchase. Walk away as well when any IMEI fails to match, when *#06# returns all zeros or an invalid number (CEIR states that such handsets are not allowed to function on networks in India), or when the seller refuses to let you run the check.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) noted in December 2025 that stolen or blacklisted handsets had been found being resold in India’s large second-hand market, warning that such a sale “makes the purchaser abettor in crime and causes financial loss to them”.

Make sure Activation Lock and FRP are off

On an iPhone it is called Activation Lock; on Android it is Factory Reset Protection (FRP). Both bind the handset to the former owner’s account, and both can survive a remote erase or a recovery-mode reset. After that, they let you through only with the earlier owner’s account password, or with the passcode or screen lock the phone previously had. So confirm this before any money changes hands.

On an iPhone: Activation Lock

Apple’s advice is clear: don’t take ownership of a used iPhone that Activation Lock protects. You can’t look this up online through Apple either. In January 2017 it took down the iCloud.com checker that accepted an IMEI or serial number, and these days it asks buyers to check on the device itself.

  1. Finish the IMEI, battery and repair-history checks first, while the seller’s account is still logged in.
  2. With iOS 26 or later, the seller taps Settings → [their name] → Sign Out and selects Erase this iPhone. On earlier versions, they sign out first and after that go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings. Their Apple Account password might be required.
  3. Switch the phone on. Seeing an iPhone Locked to Owner screen (iOS 15 or later) tells you the lock is still active.
  4. Begin the setup. Should it request the earlier owner’s Apple Account, pass the phone back so the seller can type in their password.
  5. Once you land on the Hello screen, the phone is ready to become yours.

Owner not there in person? They will have to take the device off their account from a web browser: icloud.com/find → select the device → Remove This Device.

On Android: Factory Reset Protection

FRP depends on the Google account that is signed in on the phone. Google’s guidance to owners is that adding a Google account and setting a screen lock switches it on, while removing the Google account switches it off. When a phone has been reset remotely or from recovery mode, setup demands the old screen lock or a Google account that had been synced with it, and if you can’t supply either, Google warns “you won’t be able to use the device at all”.

  1. The seller deletes each Google account on the handset. The path is Settings → Passwords & accounts, though it may appear as Manage accounts, Users & accounts or Passwords, passkeys & accounts instead (Samsung uses Accounts and backup → Manage accounts). They pick the account and choose Remove account.
  2. A Galaxy owner must additionally log out of the Samsung account via Settings → Samsung account → Sign out, which, according to Samsung, switches off Find My Mobile. Samsung also points out that menu names differ between models and software versions.
  3. Next comes a factory reset through Settings (the Samsung path is Settings → General management → Reset → Factory data reset).
  4. Now you begin the setup over Wi-Fi. If it wants any account or screen lock belonging to the earlier owner (Google, or Samsung on a Galaxy), a lock is still active. Keep your money in your pocket.

Warning: Steer clear of any phone advertised as “iCloud locked”, “FRP bypassed” or “works on Wi-Fi only”. The lock is tied to the old owner’s account, and nothing except that account can lift it the proper way.

How healthy is the battery?

Battery health tells you how much charge the battery can store today compared with when it was brand new. Look at it before the phone gets reset.

ModelMenu pathWhat you’ll see
iPhone 15 or newerSettings → Battery → Battery HealthCycle count and maximum capacity, plus the dates of manufacture and first use
iPhone 14 or olderSettings → Battery → Battery Health & ChargingPeak performance capability and maximum capacity
Pixel 8a or newerSettings → Battery → Battery health, then tap Battery capacity; for the cycle count, Settings → About phone → Battery informationA status of “Normal” or “Reduced” (under 80%), along with estimated capacity and cycle count
Samsung GalaxySamsung Members → Support → Phone diagnostics → Battery statusOne of three ratings: Normal, Weak or Bad
Sources (checked 10 October 2026): Samsung India support, Pixel Help, Apple Support and the Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 27).
  • iPhone: Under ideal conditions, Apple designs the batteries in iPhone 14 and earlier to retain 80% of their original capacity at 500 full charge cycles, and those in iPhone 15 models at 1,000. If you see “Your battery’s health is significantly degraded”, Apple is suggesting a battery replacement. If the screen says “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery”, treat the health readings as possibly inaccurate.
  • Pixel: Google advises swapping the battery once capacity drops under 80%, or once it reaches 800 cycles on Pixel 3 through Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Fold, or 1,000 cycles on Pixel 8a and later. No health status is shown on Pixel 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, 8 and 8 Pro.
  • Every other brand: check Settings → Battery for a battery health option. Where none exists, assess the battery while you do the hands-on tests and keep a possible replacement in mind when you make your offer.

Has the iPhone been repaired?

With iOS 15.2 or later, go to Settings → General → About. An iPhone that has had a repair displays a Parts and Service History section there. What it reports depends on the model: on iPhone 12 and later it includes the battery, display, logic board and the front and rear cameras; on iPhone 11 models, the battery and display; and just the battery for iPhone XR, XS, XS Max and SE (2nd and 3rd generation). Older models and other parts are not included, so if the section is absent, that is no proof the phone was never repaired.

  • Genuine: the repair used genuine Apple parts and processes.
  • Used: the part had earlier been used or installed in a different iPhone.
  • Unknown: the part might not be genuine or might not work as expected, or it could not be verified.
  • Unverified: the logic board had been used before in another iPhone, which may have an effect on features like Apple Pay.
  • Finish Repair: the repair is incomplete. Apple warns that the part might not perform as well, and that Face ID or Touch ID won’t unlock the phone until those parts have been calibrated.

Test everything in person

  • Display: open plain white and plain black images to catch lines or dead pixels, and drag an app icon over the entire screen to check the touch response. Google notes that a swollen battery can cause the screen to lift.
  • Frame and buttons: look for cracks, bends and gaps around the display, and try every button plus the fingerprint sensor or Face ID.
  • Charging port: charge it with your own cable; the plug should fit snugly.
  • Calling: move your SIM through every physical SIM slot one at a time, place a call through the earpiece and then on speaker, and switch on mobile data.
  • 5G: if the ad promises 5G, stand somewhere your own phone gets 5G and, with your SIM inside, see whether the 5G icon appears. No icon? Our guide on why 5G isn’t showing on your phone walks through the settings and bands.
  • Cameras: try each rear lens and the front camera for both photos and video, and check focus and the flash.
  • Everything else: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, location, vibration, the loudspeaker and the microphone.
  • Samsung phones: open Phone diagnostics and tap Test all. It covers the buttons, camera, mic, speaker, touch screen, SIM card and official software, though the exact tests depend on the model.

At Mobivault, when customers show us second-hand phones, two hidden problems turn up more than any others: a screen that has been swapped for a non-original one, and a battery that is weak or swollen. Watch for strange colours, touch that works only in patches or brightness that isn’t even; look at battery health; and see whether the display or the back panel is beginning to lift.

Documents to collect

  • Original purchase bill: where it shows the IMEI, that number has to match the phone. If someone other than the seller is named on it, ask how the phone came to them.
  • Seller’s ID proof: inspect the seller’s original government ID and retain a copy.
  • Signed sale receipt: it should record the date, price, how you paid, the model, both IMEIs, and the seller’s name, address, mobile number and ID number, along with a statement that the phone belongs to the seller and carries no account lock or unpaid loan. Both of you sign it.
  • Hold on to the box, bill and receipt. Should the phone ever go missing, the invoice is accepted on CEIR’s blocking form.

Tip: Make payment the very last step. After you have paid, getting any lock removed depends on the seller: Apple’s Activation Lock support request is meant for people who hold proof of purchase, and Apple does not say whether a private seller’s receipt qualifies. Use UPI or a bank transfer so the payment leaves a record.

Problems after the purchase

  • Activation Lock shows up: get the seller to take the iPhone off their account through icloud.com/find (select the device, and then Remove This Device).
  • Setup wants the old Google account: the only ways past this screen are a Google account previously synced with the phone or the phone’s earlier screen lock, so the seller needs to sign in, or type that old screen lock, on the device.
  • CEIR shows it as blocked: according to CEIR, a blocked handset won’t work on any network in India, and it is the owner who gets it unblocked after informing the police that the phone has been found. Take your receipt and go back to the seller first. If that gets nowhere, visit your local police station and bring the phone, your receipt and the seller’s details along. Our guide covers how CEIR blocking works.
  • Don’t allow anyone to alter the IMEI as a “fix”. CEIR states that changing an IMEI is unlawful for anyone other than the manufacturer.

If a second-hand phone that someone brings into Mobivault proves to be locked or blocked, we guide that customer in going to the brand’s authorised service centre, bill in hand.

Mobivault shop note: Step one, always: compare the IMEI from *#06# against the box and the bill, then run it through KYM (14422). It’s the opening check we give every Mobivault customer.

Common questions

Is there an online IMEI check for an iPhone’s iCloud lock?

Not from Apple, which took down its online Activation Lock checker in early 2017. Check on the handset instead: watch for the “iPhone Locked to Owner” screen, and run through setup to confirm it never requests the earlier owner’s Apple Account.

Will a factory reset get rid of the iCloud lock or FRP?

Not by itself. If an iPhone was wiped remotely, Activation Lock can remain, whereas erasing it via Settings on the phone itself switches the lock off (the owner’s Apple Account password is needed when Find My is on). An Android phone that is reset remotely or from recovery mode will ask for the old screen lock or a Google account synced with it earlier. That’s why the seller should log out of, or delete, their account and wipe the phone while you watch, after which you begin the setup yourself.

If KYM shows no problem, can I stop checking?

No. KYM only compares the IMEI with CEIR’s records. Activation Lock, FRP, the battery and repair history all fall outside what it checks.

How much battery health is acceptable?

No single threshold exists. Google advises replacing a Pixel battery when capacity is under 80%. In ideal conditions, Apple designs batteries to hold 80% at 500 cycles on iPhone 14 and earlier, and at 1,000 cycles on iPhone 15 models. If the figure is below 80%, budget for a new battery while you bargain.

Is it okay to buy a used phone that has no bill?

It carries more risk. Without the bill you have no original purchase record to match the IMEI against, and Apple asks for proof of purchase in its Activation Lock support request. If you go ahead anyway, don’t compromise on three things: a clean result on KYM, a reset done in your presence, and a signed receipt backed by the seller’s ID.

Sources

Lokesh Rathore

Founder of TechMitra · owner of Mobivault, MP Nagar, Bhopal

Lokesh Rathore owns Mobivault, a mobile phone shop in Zone 2, MP Nagar, Bhopal. He started TechMitra to turn the everyday questions his customers ask into clear, checked guides.

How we made this: Based on official sources rather than a device test. The draft used AI assistance and was verified against those sources and approved by Lokesh Rathore before going live.

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