Thinking of purchasing a pre-owned iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad? Most sellers are respectable folk but sadly there are a few out there looking to shift dodgy goods – particularly stolen tech. Apple is now offering a service through its iCloud website for potential second hand buyers to check the legitimacy of the item in question to see if it’s been reported as stolen which works with a feature brought into play on iOS 7.
The Activation Lock on devices running iOS 7 (and above, after the arrival of iOS 8) can be enabled up in the Settings so that if the iPhone, iPod or iPad gets lifted by thieves the owner can get the gadget locked and it can’t be used by anyone else who’s hands it might fall into.
If a buyer suspects a phone might be nabbed, or wants to check for peace of mind sake before handing over the cash, they can hop onto the iCloud website to Check Activation Lock Status by entering the Apple device’s serial number or IMEI which should be given on request with the seller. The process is pretty painless and, aside from trying to master one of those annoying CAPTCHA codes, is simple to find out whether the goods are hot or not.
Apple has provided a great tool to use in an age where usually expensive technical devices are bought second hand regularly online on sites such as eBay and from trade-in stores where these checks should be, but are not always, completed prior to resale.
If you’re an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch owner now interested in setting up your Activation Lock, here’s the steps:
Enter Settings on the iOS 7/8 device > Select iCloud > Use Apple ID to Sign In > Turn on Find My Phone to enable Activation Lock.
Your device can now be locked from use in event of a theft and will appear in the Check Activation Lock Status.