Buying phone over craigslist

[chargersrool]

I made the decision to buy a phone over craigslist rather than in store for reasons. I know what to look out for and how to determine whether the seller is giving me bs or not if we are face to face.
I know the phone comes with a 1 year manufacturers warranty.
Any way you can extend the warranty?

What should I look out for when buying the phone? Test the display, see if the buttons work etc.?
I should also ask for the receipt correct?

Thanks.

 

[mikedt]

The risk of IMEI or ESN blacklisting I think. When someone has bought a phone on, they didn't pay the full price for it, they sell it on Craigslist, Gumtree or eBay, default on the contract and pocket the cash they got for the phone. And you end up with a phone that's useless as a phone. And it might take a few months for the phone to be blacklisted. It's apparently working fine, and suddenly one day you can't do anything with it, no calls, no SMS, no data.

 

[kate]

I know the phone comes with a 1 year manufacturers warranty.
I should also ask for the receipt correct?

Are you buying from a dealer or a regular person?

When buying a used phone meet your seller at the phone store and have them verify it's not stolen. Then have the phone transferred into your name while the seller is still there. After that they can't report it stolen.

 

[dan330]

only suggest meet at the carrier store... to activate the phone.
once it is activated.. you at least know it is a good phone.
then give the seller the $$

 

[ndex477]

You can go through all the other precautions but i believe in buying devices new because it gives you direct link to the manufacturer and a shorter paper trail and most of all you are getting firmware that is factory. Buying second-hand you don't know who has tried to tamper with it.

Most importantly it's usually safer. Just recently in my area a person went to meet what they thought was someone trying to buy their iPhone then it turned out to be a few people that tried to rob the person of it.

Skip the hassles if you can afford it.

 

[chargersrool]

Thanks everyone for the help!
Meeting at the carrier store is a good idea but what if I buy an At&t galaxy s5?
The phone will most likely need to get unlocked correct? or will it just work because at&t is linked with cricket?

By the way, im sure if I contact a seller saying I want to meet at a carrier store to activate the phone right away, it will drive the sellers with a stolen phone away and I most likely wont hear from them again. Its a good precaution. Thanks!