purchasing a phone, how to make sure it's totally new?

[louis2008]

I am logging in with some kind of local service that requires passport identity proof as well as that they prohibit one person from using other people's account (e.g. your friend). I don't know how they could find out if someone is using another one's account but I guess that when someone logs onto more then one account on the same device they will be able to detect by their system.

OK. To put it simply, before paying for a phone, what can I do to test if the mobile phone is perfectly new and was not used or tested by other customers? Because I cannot control what they might have installed or even logged in. Or if it's just NO way to make sure the phone was not tried or played by any other people because they can always factory reset everything to make it look like a new phone?

 

[mikedt]

I am logging in with some kind of local service that requires passport identity proof as well as that they prohibit one person from using other people's account (e.g. your friend). I don't know how they could find out if someone is using another one's account but I guess that when someone logs onto more then one account on the same device they will be able to detect by their system.

Quite frankly the only time I've ever had to do that was for registering with bicycle rental services{Mobike and Ofo}) , and NOT buying phones. What site is this?

OK. To put it simply, before paying for a phone, what can I do to test if the mobile phone is perfectly new and was not used or tested by other customers? Because I cannot control what they might have installed or even logged in. Or if it's just NO way to make sure the phone was not tried or played by any other people because they can always factory reset everything to make it look like a new phone?

If you want to be absolutely sure you're buying a new LG, then buy it directly from LG, or an authorized LG retailer.

 

[psionandy]

That's why boxes have tamper proof seals...


If it doesn't then buy from somewhere else

 

[Hadron]

If it comes in a shrink-wrapped sealed box it's probably new. If the box has no seals then you can't be certain, though new phones usually have a plastic film over the screen, which you'd peel off a display model. So if you are buying from a physical store you've a fair chance of telling. If it's mail order then you cannot possibly know until it's delivered, by which time you have paid, so that's a matter of trusting the seller (though here in the UK remote selling legislation means you would have the right to return it no questions asked, so if it doesn't match the description of new goods you can send it back).

 

[louis2008]

Unfortuantely there was no tamper proof seals........

 

[psionandy]

Oh well... If you've already bought it, then it's too late

 

[mikedt]

Unless you can return it to this whatever it is "local service" you bought it from?