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How to test iphone 7 before buying. How to check the iPhone for authenticity and protect yourself from fake. How to check if iPhone has been repaired

You were sold an iPhone in a sealed box and the seller claims that it is new. Before you start working with a new Apple smartphone, you need it. The activation procedure involves connecting a smartphone with an inserted SIM card to Apple's activation servers. To do this, you just need to connect to Wi-Fi or use cellular data.

In contact with

And only after the owner of the iPhone receives confirmation of activation, he will be able to use his device.

Thus, if the first time the smartphone is turned on, the user immediately gets to the home screen, bypassing the welcome, activation and settings screens, then he was already in use. At the same time, if after the first turn on iPhone a welcome screen appeared - this will not yet mean that the gadget has not been used. The fact is that a screen with the word "Hello" in different languages ​​​​of the world appears with each reset. iPhone settings before factory or after. In other words, even unpacking a sealed box and the welcome screen appears when you turn on the purchased iPhone does not guarantee that the smartphone is new.

Detailed video instruction

The Apple website has a section " , in which you can quickly and effortlessly check whether the iPhone purchased by the buyer has really not been used before. All the user needs to know to work with the service is the serial number of the device. For activated gadgets, this number can be found in " Settings", In chapter " Main”, menu item “ About this device". In the event that the smartphone meets the user with a welcome screen, its serial code can be found by pressing the "i" button in the lower right corner.

In addition, serial iPhone number indicated on the label located on the back of the original box.

So, to check iPhone follow these steps:

1 . Go to the section " Service and support eligibility check on the Apple website.

2 . Enter the serial number of the iPhone () in the appropriate field, enter the code shown in the picture and click Proceed.

ATTENTION:

An iPhone serial number NEVER contains the letter "O" (the number "0" (zero) is used).

3 . If the message “ Activate your device", then this really confirms that the smartphone had no history and he really is new.

After activation, in the service " Right to service and support" there will be (maybe not immediately, but within 24 hours) the estimated end date of the Right to Service and Repair, which is determined by adding 365 days to the day of activation. In other words, to find out the date first activation, subtract exactly 1 year from the calculated date.

NOTE: The data on the Apple server may not change immediately, it usually happens in the interval from 1 minute to 12 hours.

If the activation date that you performed will differ from that specified in the service " Service and support eligibility check, then you can safely make claims to the seller - the smartphone was activated earlier, i.e. unfortunately, you are not the first owner of this iPhone.

Video review:

Let's take an example from life. In the post-Soviet space, the sale of gray (illegally imported) activated iPhones under the guise of new ones is often used. How does this happen? New locked (tied to a mobile operator) iPhones are sold, for example, in the USA at a fairly low price. They are bought by "businessmen" for the purpose of subsequent unlocking (decoupling from the operator) for a fee.

However, often in order to unlock such an iPhone, in most cases its box must be unpacked and repackaged. By and large, this is a new phone (in fact, it was not used), identical to the one bought from an official reseller, however, the date of its first activation will not correspond to the date of activation by the buyer, since it has already been made earlier. Naturally, the service and support period for such a phone will be less than a year.

The “fashion” of scammers to sell some incomprehensible fakes on Android under the guise of real iPhone 7 has almost passed. In 2017, people will recognize such a deception once or twice. But while such devices still exist, it is still worth warning about them.

What is a non-original iPhone 7? This is a copied design, disgusting hardware and Android instead of iOS. In a good way, such a phone costs 1-1.5 thousand rubles. However, it is very easy to distinguish an iPhone 7 from a fake. Once enabled, go to the app store. Even if it has the Apple App Store icon, Google Play will open on the fake.

This is what the Apple App Store looks like

In general, before buying it is better to use an iPhone a little. If you previously had an Apple smartphone, then you will distinguish a fake at a glance. If not, then ask your friends to “play around” or go to some store where iPhones are on display for demonstration. "Poke" the seven for 10-15 minutes, and you can go to a meeting with the seller - you can easily distinguish the original from the fake.

Design - one to one, but the "insides" differ dramatically

The device is original. What to check next?

Having a check. If there is no complete set, then it's okay - anything can happen. But a check is a must. So you will know for sure that a person once went and bought a new smartphone, and did not steal it or get it in some other way.

Enter the serial number on the Apple website

Go to "Settings" - "General" - "About device" and find the serial number. We rewrite it and go to the Apple website.

There you need to enter the serial number. You will receive information about how many months of warranty are left and when the device was activated. If the data does not match what the seller told you, leave immediately. If the serial number is not recognized at all, then this is clearly a fake.

Should be something like this

IMEI

Another way to distinguish an iPhone 7 from a fake is to check if the IMEI matches in the settings (it is also listed in the About device section) and on the SIM card tray. If not, then in front of you is a restored smartphone, which was collected from several donor devices.

What's wrong with refurbished smartphones?

If the phone was restored by Apple or a store with a lot of experience and a lot of positive reviews - nothing. Even if something goes wrong with it, it will be repaired under warranty. But if they try to sell you a refurbished iPhone 7 under the guise of a new one, it doesn’t climb into any gates, you don’t need to buy such a device.

Well, it looks like the iPhone 7 is genuine. What's next?

Distinguishing an original iPhone 7 from a fake is only half the battle. Not every original is worth buying. Be patient and be prepared to test everything.

• First of all, take a look at the outside. If there are scuffs and scratches on the case, then this is normal - the former owner used the smartphone, and did not blow off dust particles from it. But if the smartphone is bent, then this is a reason to think and not make a deal.
• Check all buttons and connectors.
• Connect your smartphone to charging - it should not be interrupted, and the phone should not overheat.
• Insert your SIM card and check how calls and internet work.
• Record a video with sound and talk to Siri to test the microphones.
• Press lightly on the screen. If it is pressed through and multi-colored marks appear on it, it means that the display was once changed.
• Enter your fingerprint and check if Touch ID works.

If at least something in the smartphone is suspicious, then it is better to look for another option. iPhone 7 is not a shortage, you can easily find another offer at a similar price.

If everything suits you, then before giving money, unlink the account of the previous owner and activate the smartphone as a new one with your account. If the seller refuses to untie his Apple ID, then you have a scammer who stole a smartphone and does not know the password.

How can I be 100% sure that I will buy a normal iPhone 7?

No way. For example, the seller's phone fell into the water, he dried it and put it up for sale. How do you determine this in half an hour of checking? No way. Or, for example, you come home, and it turns out that the phone’s battery is dying, and the iPhone 7, which is not the record holder in terms of operating time, lives 30-40 percent less than usual. Will have to change the battery.

And such nuances - a cart and a small cart. So think a hundred times whether it is worth buying an iPhone 7 from your hands.

Rather than risk spending a lot of time and nerves on checking, it’s better to save up a little and buy a new iPhone 7. In addition, the iPhone 7s will be released soon, so the price of the iPhone 7 is no longer as biting as in autumn and winter. In our store, the price starts at 37,990 rubles for a model with 32 GB of memory and a one-year warranty.

Unfortunately, not many people can afford to buy a new iPhone due to the high price tags due to the appreciation of the ruble. That is why the iPhone is often purchased by hand, for example, through ads on Avito and other sites. Only here, as a rule, not all buyers are lucky, and some people simply purchase high-quality fakes that look like the original iPhone on the outside, but inside they are not. What to do in this case, you ask? How to check the phone for originality? In fact, there are a large number of ways, which will be discussed in this article.

And it doesn’t even matter whether you buy a new iPhone or from your hands, there is always a chance to “run into” scammers who packed either a refurbished device or a used smartphone in a box.

Each device has its own serial number, which is assigned to it at the assembly stage, and this information is also stored on the official Apple website, so you can view it at any time and make sure that your device is original and really belongs to Apple products.

Where can I find the iPhone serial number?

If you have the original box that the smartphone was in, you can view the serial number on the back. It will be marked Serial No and contains 12 characters consisting of numbers and Latin letters. If there is no box, you can look in the iPhone settings. To do this, follow these steps:

• Go to the “Settings” of the device and go to the “General” tab;

• Next, click on the "About this device" tab and scroll down the page until you see the "Serial number" item.

We have received the unique number of your smartphone. Now you need to check it. To do this, go to the Apple website at https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do to get directly to the desired section and enter the serial number here. Also enter the verification code and click Continue.

Based on the results of the check, you can have several outcomes:

1. Such a device with a serial number is indeed in the database. Information will be provided on it, which will display the model, the possibility of providing technical support and checking the date of purchase;
2. If the serial number was entered incorrectly, then information about the existence of an iPhone with such a number will not be provided. In this case, you need to double-check the correctness of the input, and if you really enter the information correctly, most likely the data is simply rigged and this is not the original device;
3. If the site says “iPhone needs to be activated”, then you have a brand new phone that has not yet been activated. This is an original smartphone that has not been used by other owners.

Checking the originality of the iPhone through IMEI

Each device has its own IMEI code, which is assigned to all phones, including those that were released 10-15 years ago. That is, you can be completely sure that there are no smartphones with the same IMEI, so the information will be reliable. You can find out IMEI in several ways:

• If you have a smartphone box, look at the number on the back. As a rule, the number consists of 15 digits, and next to them there is an IMEI mark;
• You can also go to the “Settings” of the device, select the “General” tab, go to “About device” and scroll to the IMEI item. This is where the unique identification number of the phone will be;

• There is also a single command for checking IMEI. Dial *#06# on your device and you will see the number on the screen.

Once the number is received, you will need to use one of the services below. For complete reliability, we recommend checking your smartphone against several databases at once.

Official IMEI resource

You can go to https://www.imei.info/ and check your smartphone there. This is a single resource that stores data about all devices. On the main page, enter the number and click the Check button.

If the IMEI is correct, detailed information about this smartphone will appear. You will see the release date, main characteristics, device model and other data.

SNDeepInfo website

Another equally popular resource is the site https://sndeep.info/ru. The main feature of the service is, of course, support for the Russian language, which is very important for Russian users. But there is less information available in the free mode. On the main page in the results, you will see the name of the model, manufacturer, and you can also see whether this smartphone has been stolen or not. For example, a user whose iPhone was stolen can go to this resource and fill out a special application, where they enter the IMEI of the stolen smartphone. When checking this number, it will indicate that it was stolen.

If you need more complete information, you can click on the appropriate tab, where for $ 2 you can get additional data in a complete set. If you only need basic information, it will cost $0.18.

Connecting to iTunes on a computer

Even if the methods described above showed that such a phone exists, you were given a box and there is a record of the serial number and IMEI in the smartphone settings, you need to use additional verification methods, because Chinese underground companies have long learned to substitute information about real serial numbers, however in fact, devices with such identifiers are sold somewhere on official shelves. That is, they simply made a copy of the device with such an IMEI or other identifier and provided it to you. That is why we recommend using iTunes, which automatically recognizes the connected Apple device and syncs the data.

• Download on your computer latest version iTunes and using a USB cable, connect your smartphone to your computer;
• Wait until the system detects a new device, and as soon as the drivers for it are installed, your iPhone will appear in iTunes;
• If the device information does not appear, check if the drivers are installed correctly or try plugging the USB cable into a different port. Otherwise, it can be assumed that the iPhone is not original, and therefore is not detected by the program.

Attention! When connecting to iTunes and viewing device information, be sure to check the serial number. It must match the number that is specified in the settings of this iPhone.

Checking iPhone in Apple Store

They can fake the appearance of both the device itself and the software in the iPhone by adding all the items and tabs, as in the original version of iOS, but such devices will always have one big disadvantage - this is the inability to connect to the Apple Store. In a fake, you will never be able to log in with your Apple ID and go to the service to download any application. That is why we advise you immediately after the methods described above, for reliability, immediately try to log in to your account and try downloading an app or game from the Apple Store. If it loads, then you have a 100% original device from Apple!

Checking the appearance of the original iPhone

It is rather difficult for a person who has not previously used Apple devices to assess the external condition of a smartphone and compare it with the original, however, there are certain patterns that will help even beginners to quickly identify a fake:

• We get acquainted with the device. Before buying and meeting with the seller, we recommend that you look at reviews on the Internet to understand what buttons the iPhone has, what size, what colors it is available in, when it will be announced and sold in Russia. Very often they sell iPhones that should be released only in a few days, however, sellers guarantee 100% originality and their “outputs to suppliers”. It's all a scam. Approximately according to the same principle, you can determine a fake just by looking at its color. Apple releases devices in strictly defined color shades, and does not provide any exclusive options for individual users.

• Buttons. We have already talked about buttons, but here you should be more careful about checking. The iPhone usually has only a few keys: volume rocker, home button, power on/off, and mute. At the same time, they do not crunch, do not make any noise and work correctly in any conditions.
• Logos. On the back cover of the iPhone there is always a bitten apple logo, and at the bottom there is an inscription about where the device was made. Pay attention to color and shape. The original devices do not have any curves and patterns, additional colors on the logos. Everything is done smoothly and neatly.
• SIM slot. The main feature of iPhones is the lack of the possibility of using additional drives to expand the memory, so there can only be a SIM card in the SIM card slot, and only one and no SD cards can be used here, just like additional SIMs!

• Materials. All Apple devices are made from certain materials. Initially, look at the official website what the case is made of, how much the device weighs, what materials are used on the back cover. Very often, fakes use slightly different materials. For example, if the original iPhone 8 uses glass on the back, fakes can simply make a solid shape of a certain color.

iPhone software check

And the last stage of verification is some "chips" in software iPhone. We have already described the most common and optimal verification methods, but if you want to be 100% sure that you have an original phone in front of you, you can try these options:

• Voice Siri Assistant. Launch Siri with your voice and give any command, such as launching the Apple Store app or going to a specific website. There is no voice assistant in fakes, so this operation will not be performed;

• Applications. Try launching the Wallet app to link your bank cards to Apple Pay or Commands to link a specific voice command to a specific action. There are no such programs in fakes, although they are installed by default in the original version of iOS.

Indeed, there are many options for checking, and we have described most of them in this material so that you can be sure of the reliability and originality of the device you are purchasing. If you are buying an iPhone for the first time and do not know how to connect it to iTunes, how authorization is carried out through an Apple ID, we recommend that you take a person with you who has such a device, otherwise you will fall into the tricks of scammers and purchase a fake.

And pay attention to the seller. For example, if he offers you a cashless payment, delivery to any region, but at the same time does not want to meet with you in person, this is a 100% fraud, as a result of which the maximum that you will receive is a fake. In the worst case, you will simply lose your money!

If you didn't buy your smartphone or tablet from an Apple Authorized Reseller store, such as a classifieds site, this verification will be very helpful for you for a number of reasons.

Cases of fraud are not uncommon in the secondary market, therefore, by checking the IMEI and serial number, you can find out exactly where the iPhone was bought, find out the activation date, the remaining warranty (if any), find out if the device is new in front of you and check it for authenticity.

Let's go through each of these questions in more detail.

How to find IMEI and iPhone serial number?

The most reliable option is to look in the settings of the device itself. To do this, launch the "Settings" application, go to the "General" section and select "About this device".

By clicking on it, you will see all the necessary information, including the serial number and IMEI. For clarity, these items are circled in the screenshot. The whole sequence of actions is also valid in relation to the iPad.

Similar data is indicated on the original box and the back panel of the device. But, if we are talking about a used device, they could be replaced, but the system will give 100% reliable information.

Another way is iTunes. Run it and connect the device to the computer using a cable. Click on the name of your gadget, and on the "Overview" tab, its serial number will be displayed:

Check iPhone by IMEI

After you have found out the necessary information, you can start a quick check of the device using a special service. Not all of them work correctly, therefore, we recommend using the proven iphoneimei.info

Going to the site, you will see only one field, into which you need to drive the received IMEI numbers. Just a few seconds and you get the information you need:

As you can see from the screenshot, in this way, you can find out:

• iPhone activation date
• date and country of purchase
• the presence of binding to the operator.

In addition to a third-party service, similar data can be obtained from the Apple website. More on this later in the article.

Checking by serial number

To check the warranty and get other useful information, as they say, "at first hand", go to the Apple website at this link. You will be taken to a page labeled "Verify eligibility for service and support" with a field in which you need to enter the serial number of the equipment, then the captcha, and click the "Continue" button.

As you can see in the screenshot above, this way you can quickly check the Apple warranty, which is important in case the seller assures you that it is still valid. Thus, you will be able to verify this yourself.

A modern smartphone, especially when it comes to a brand new iPhone, is quite an expensive thing, so no one wants to accidentally buy a “pig in a poke”. And out of ignorance, it is very easy to become a victim of scammers and become the owner of a “gray” or, even worse, a used device. Offices selling illiquid gadgets today are a dime a dozen. At the same time, their prices are noticeably lower than those of an authorized dealer, and the smartphones themselves can look perfect from all sides.

However, let's not forget that for every advanced user who understands all the intricacies of Apple smartphones, there will always be a trickster. Nevertheless, many tricks of unscrupulous sellers can be avoided if you have the information and be careful. In this article, we will tell you how to check the iPhone upon purchase and not let yourself be “thrown”.

1 Checking the packaging and contents of the box

Apple cares about every little thing. Including the execution of the boxes, which should be made of thick cardboard with an embossed logo on it. The serial number and IMEI are always indicated on the bottom of the box, which must match the corresponding numbers in the smartphone settings and on its case. So feel free to open the box and check its contents.

Of course, there should be a phone, documentation, a warranty card and additional accessories: wires, chargers, headphones, etc. Again, let's not forget that we are talking about Apple products, so make sure that all cables and plastic joints on the wires are perfectly smooth and without burrs, and the cables themselves are soft.

2. Visual inspection of the iPhone upon purchase

Depending on which model of the "apple" smartphone you decide to purchase, you should be extremely careful even during a visual inspection. Let there be no catch at first glance, but if you don’t confuse it with other models, then buying / or / you can turn out to be the owner of an ordinary iPhone 5/6 or /. Outwardly, they are very similar, and you can find differences only with a careful examination.

But in the case of other models, you should keep your finger on the pulse and not relax. Chinese clones of the iPhone can look quite believable, and in a hurry, they too can be confused with the original. Especially if the seller, when checking, hurries you all the time and distracts you. By the way, this is the first sign that they are trying to sell you a "left" device. And do not lose sight of the fact that in the original Apple smartphones, all parts must be tightly fitted to each other without backlash and squeaks, causing a feeling of a monolithic design.

In order not to be left with a nose, study in advance as much information as possible about the iPhone model that you decide to purchase. For example, the iPhone 5S smartphone was produced in several variations, and they can only be distinguished by the number that should be indicated on the back cover. If you're buying an Apple iPhone 5S, make sure it's labeled A1456, A1507, A1516, A1529, or A1532 and nothing else. In the case of iPhone 8 - A1905. Modifications A1863 and A1906 are made for other countries, and other numbers indicate that they are trying to slip you another model.

3 Checking the localization

If a visual inspection did not raise doubts that you have the same iPhone model, which you dreamed about, it's time to move on to the health check. And so - turn on the phone. A smartphone intended for the Russian market must have Russian firmware, and if during the download you find any hieroglyphs or errors in the translation of the interface, you should be on your guard. There is a chance that you have a perfectly executed Chinese clone in front of you.

It is not difficult to check the fears: in Chinese fakes, the Siri voice assistant or the “Find iPhone” option will not work, since it is very labor-intensive to fake the functionality of these features. In addition, the serial number of a fake will never be verified on the manufacturer's website, but we will talk about this a little lower.

You can also immediately go to the AppStore and see which app store the device will transfer you to. Before that, do not forget to look on the Internet or on the “apple phone” of your friend how the store interface looks like, so as not to be misled while checking the smartphone.

4 Compare the serial number and IMEI

After turning on the phone, you should make sure that the IMEI on the box matches the one specified in the smartphone itself. You can do this by going to Settings | Main | About this device”, either by entering the *#06# command in the dialing window, or by checking the SIM card tray, which should also contain the serial number and IMEI identifier.

Did everything match? Excellent. It remains only to break through the IMEI on one of the many services on the Internet (for example: imei.info), where you can find out for sure whether the Apple smartphone that you are holding is officially sold in Russia and whether it was stolen from another owner.

When checking the iPhone, remember that the former owner of a stolen smartphone can remotely block it at any moment, after which the phone will turn into a brick, like a carriage into a pumpkin. And if such an apparatus is also calculated by the police, there will be no problems. So at the slightest doubt, refuse to buy such a device.

5 Make sure you can call from it?

"Grey" phones, not intended for sale in the Russian Federation, may be locked, that is, they work only with certain mobile operators. To be sure of this, immediately insert your SIM card into the iPhone at the stage of checking the corresponding tray. Anyway, to enter the command to determine the IMEI, you will need to have it.

If, after installing the SIM, the iPhone does not detect the Network and, accordingly, will not allow you to make calls, the situation is extremely simple: they are trying to sell you a “gray” device, for unlocking which you will have to pay a considerable amount of money if you are not able to do it on your own for the sake of financial savings.

However, there is a little trick. In the SIM tray, you can install a special substrate made of a thin microcircuit, which will allow a locked smartphone to bypass the binding to one operator. The presence of such a substrate in your Apple iPhone immediately indicates that it is locked.

6 Checking the iPhone: is it really a new device in front of you, and not a used one?

How else to check the "apple" gadget? The final action will be as follows: go to the smartphone settings and make sure that the "Find My iPhone" option is not enabled, and there are no traces of the Apple ID account on the device itself. Also, make sure that iCloud settings, iTunes Store, and Apple Store account fields are blank. Otherwise, they are definitely trying to sell you a smartphone that already had an owner. Moreover, it is possible that this iPhone was stolen, as we wrote above, and the consequences may not be long in coming.

If the device has passed all your checks, you can safely pay the seller and enjoy the purchase. And remember that “the customer is always right,” so don’t let them rush you and prevent you from fully familiarizing yourself with the product you are purchasing, including interfering with any iPhone checks upon purchase. In the official Apple store, this will definitely be treated with understanding, but in little-known online stores, you can encounter some incidents.