How to Check a Used iPhone Before You Buy in Ghana
By Kurom Team · 9 October 2026
<p>Used iPhones are among the most popular items on Kurom, and among the easiest to get wrong. Ten minutes of checks before you pay can save you from a locked, faulty or stolen phone. Do these with the seller, in person, with the phone in your hand.</p>
<h2>1. Make sure it is not iCloud locked</h2>
<p>Go to <b>Settings</b> and tap the name at the top. If someone else's Apple ID is signed in, ask the seller to sign out and erase the phone in front of you (<b>Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings</b>). A phone that is still locked to another person's account is useless to you, and the seller cannot remove the lock later.</p>
<h2>2. Check the battery health</h2>
<p>Open <b>Settings › Battery › Battery Health</b>. Above 85% is good. A message saying the battery is not a genuine Apple part usually means it has been replaced with a cheaper one.</p>
<h2>3. Test Face ID, cameras and the screen</h2>
<p>Set up Face ID (or Touch ID), take photos with every camera, and drag an app icon slowly across the whole screen to find dead spots. Check for a "Unknown part" notice under <b>Settings › General › About</b>, which shows a replaced screen or camera.</p>
<h2>4. Check the IMEI and network</h2>
<p>Dial <b>*#06#</b> to see the IMEI and make sure it matches the one in <b>Settings › General › About</b> and on the box, if there is one. Put your own SIM card in and make a call: a phone locked to a foreign network (common with imported "UK used" phones) will not work with MTN, Telecel or AT.</p>
<h2>5. Confirm the storage and model</h2>
<p>Look at <b>Settings › General › About</b> for the exact model and capacity. A 64GB phone sold as 128GB is a common trick.</p>
<h2>6. Know a fair price</h2>
<p>Compare the asking price with what other sellers are asking on Kurom right now, for example the <a href="/prices/iphone-12">iPhone 12</a>, <a href="/prices/iphone-13">iPhone 13</a> and <a href="/prices/iphone-11">iPhone 11</a> price guides. A price far below the typical one is a warning sign.</p>
<h2>7. Pay safely</h2>
<p>Pay only after every check passes, in person, and keep the chat on Kurom. Prefer sellers with the Blue Mark, who have verified their identity with their Ghana Card. See also <a href="/guides/pay-safely-with-mobile-money-ghana">paying safely with Mobile Money</a>.</p>
<h2>1. Make sure it is not iCloud locked</h2>
<p>Go to <b>Settings</b> and tap the name at the top. If someone else's Apple ID is signed in, ask the seller to sign out and erase the phone in front of you (<b>Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings</b>). A phone that is still locked to another person's account is useless to you, and the seller cannot remove the lock later.</p>
<h2>2. Check the battery health</h2>
<p>Open <b>Settings › Battery › Battery Health</b>. Above 85% is good. A message saying the battery is not a genuine Apple part usually means it has been replaced with a cheaper one.</p>
<h2>3. Test Face ID, cameras and the screen</h2>
<p>Set up Face ID (or Touch ID), take photos with every camera, and drag an app icon slowly across the whole screen to find dead spots. Check for a "Unknown part" notice under <b>Settings › General › About</b>, which shows a replaced screen or camera.</p>
<h2>4. Check the IMEI and network</h2>
<p>Dial <b>*#06#</b> to see the IMEI and make sure it matches the one in <b>Settings › General › About</b> and on the box, if there is one. Put your own SIM card in and make a call: a phone locked to a foreign network (common with imported "UK used" phones) will not work with MTN, Telecel or AT.</p>
<h2>5. Confirm the storage and model</h2>
<p>Look at <b>Settings › General › About</b> for the exact model and capacity. A 64GB phone sold as 128GB is a common trick.</p>
<h2>6. Know a fair price</h2>
<p>Compare the asking price with what other sellers are asking on Kurom right now, for example the <a href="/prices/iphone-12">iPhone 12</a>, <a href="/prices/iphone-13">iPhone 13</a> and <a href="/prices/iphone-11">iPhone 11</a> price guides. A price far below the typical one is a warning sign.</p>
<h2>7. Pay safely</h2>
<p>Pay only after every check passes, in person, and keep the chat on Kurom. Prefer sellers with the Blue Mark, who have verified their identity with their Ghana Card. See also <a href="/guides/pay-safely-with-mobile-money-ghana">paying safely with Mobile Money</a>.</p>
