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(How to tell) Factory unlocked iPhone 4S?

Garbag3man117

Garbag3man117

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 12, 2011
45
0
Lafayette, IN
Yahoo answers wasn't the place to post this, so I'm copying it over straight from there. It may sound a little odd :p



Ironically, I am an iOS software developer, but I have never had an iPhone newer than a 3G in my life (until now). I just use iPod Touches.

On Craigslist, someone contacted me about my iPhone 4S I got a few days ago (mine's 16GB). I wanted to trade my new iPhone and my 32GB 4th generation iPod Touch for a 32GB iPhone 4S. He said he had a factory unlocked 64GB iPhone 4S, still sealed in the box, that he wanted to trade for my iPhone, iPod, and 40 dollars because he was apparently getting a divorce. He said he bought it off of Amazon.

I told him that would be a good deal, and I accepted, but telling him that I must open the box and make sure there was the correct iPhone inside. He said he didn't want me to open it, (probably for return if the trade didn't work out) and that we could go in and the people at AT&T could tell me it was an iPhone 4S and everything. (We're meeting at an AT&T store).

I told him that if I opened the box and made sure everything seemed good and he wasn't trying to scam me, I would definitely accept the trade (negating the need to return it), which he agreed upon.

My question is, can someone give me some pointers for making sure everything is legit? Being very familiar (mostly) with iDevices, I know to look for the antennabands in the correct locations for the 4S and the SIM card slot being present, and I'm also going to check the model number on the back.

I'm going to plug it into my car if it's not charged, and make sure it's 64GBs via the settings app. My question is, do factory unlocked iPhones allow access to the phone features without a SIM card being present and activated? I have a blank AT&T SIM card that I use for iPhones so I can use them like iPods, but will it be able to get activated without a computer or WiFi? If not, is there a way to check the storage size without having full access to the phone?

Also, how do I know if it's even factory unlocked at all? I want to use the iPhone on T-Mobile (yes, I know there's no 3G.)


Finally, I just need to know how not to get scammed. Has anyone heard of a scam similar to this before? I'd really appreciate any tips. I always get paranoid when things seem to be a good deal. Thanks!
 
You can check the stats based on the IMEI number from the phone on http://www.imei.info. The site showed that my iPhone 4 was unlocked after I had AT&T due the unlock a few weeks ago. It will also list warranty status as well.
 
Garbag3man117 said:
Yahoo answers wasn't the place to post this, so I'm copying it over straight from there. It may sound a little odd :p



Ironically, I am an iOS software developer, but I have never had an iPhone newer than a 3G in my life (until now). I just use iPod Touches.

On Craigslist, someone contacted me about my iPhone 4S I got a few days ago (mine's 16GB). I wanted to trade my new iPhone and my 32GB 4th generation iPod Touch for a 32GB iPhone 4S. He said he had a factory unlocked 64GB iPhone 4S, still sealed in the box, that he wanted to trade for my iPhone, iPod, and 40 dollars because he was apparently getting a divorce. He said he bought it off of Amazon.

I told him that would be a good deal, and I accepted, but telling him that I must open the box and make sure there was the correct iPhone inside. He said he didn't want me to open it, (probably for return if the trade didn't work out) and that we could go in and the people at AT&T could tell me it was an iPhone 4S and everything. (We're meeting at an AT&T store).

I told him that if I opened the box and made sure everything seemed good and he wasn't trying to scam me, I would definitely accept the trade (negating the need to return it), which he agreed upon.

My question is, can someone give me some pointers for making sure everything is legit? Being very familiar (mostly) with iDevices, I know to look for the antennabands in the correct locations for the 4S and the SIM card slot being present, and I'm also going to check the model number on the back.

I'm going to plug it into my car if it's not charged, and make sure it's 64GBs via the settings app. My question is, do factory unlocked iPhones allow access to the phone features without a SIM card being present and activated? I have a blank AT&T SIM card that I use for iPhones so I can use them like iPods, but will it be able to get activated without a computer or WiFi? If not, is there a way to check the storage size without having full access to the phone?

Also, how do I know if it's even factory unlocked at all? I want to use the iPhone on T-Mobile (yes, I know there's no 3G.)


Finally, I just need to know how not to get scammed. Has anyone heard of a scam similar to this before? I'd really appreciate any tips. I always get paranoid when things seem to be a good deal. Thanks!
Click to expand...

tell him to give you the serial # from the back of the box (better to have him send you a picture of it....) and call apple, ask the customer service rep to confirm if its factory unlocked or not....I did this twice for the two iPhone's I have...a factory unlocked one and a rogers one....they can/will tell you and its the best place to check/verify something like this. Also where I'm from (Toronto, Canada) people do scam others by claiming to have a Factory Unlocked iPhone when its not, they always say "I don't want you to open it incase I have to return it" two times I told person I would take less than 2minutes to place my SIM in and test it....but they just kept making excuses so i just walked away.

Also if you want to use it with T-Mobile why are you walking to a AT&T store? why don't you go to a T-Mobile store....over there you can test it as they now sell Micro SIM's....if it accepts the T-Mobile SIM then its 100% unlocked because Only factory unlocked iPhone's work with T-Mobile SIM out of the box, and AT&T won't verify for you if its unlocked on the spot and also if you don't have a account with then they won't most likely tell you anything about its locked/unlocked state. By any chance they do somehow test it for you....it'll be tested with a AT&T SIM and if it happens to be locked to AT&T then when you get home it won't be so exciting anymore. Just be smart about the purchase/sale. Goodluck
 
Last edited:
Satnam1989 said:
tell him to give you the serial # from the back of the box (better to have him send you a picture of it....) and call apple, ask the customer service rep to confirm if its factory unlocked or not....I did this twice for the two iPhone's I have...a factory unlocked one and a rogers one....they can/will tell you and its the best place to check/verify something like this. Also where I'm from (Toronto, Canada) people do scam others by claiming to have a Factory Unlocked iPhone when its not, they always say "I don't want you to open it incase I have to return it" two times I told person I would take less than 2minutes to place my SIM in and test it....but they just kept making excuses so i just walked away. Also if you want to use it with T-Mobile why are you walking to a AT&T store? why don't you go to a T-Mobile store....over there you can test it....if it accepts the T-Mobile SIM then its 100% unlocked because Only factory unlocked iPhone's work with T-Mobile SIM.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I figured out how to check the model number to tell if it's factory unlocked. It ended up that I didn't even meet the guy. I would still like too, but I just never got around to it. Oh well :/
 
Garbag3man117 said:
I can confirm it worked for my iPhone. It even gave me the current software version. However, some of the sites it links to look pretty shady.
Click to expand...

I use my own software to check IMEI's. imei.info isn't always reliable.

If you want me to check yours, I will for free, no problem. Just send me a message. It also doesn't take up to an hour for results unlike imei.info, It takes no more than a minute.

Anyway, just trying to help out.
 
EngageWithRage said:
lol. because handing out your imei to a stranger on a forum is always a good idea, let alone some *****ty looking website
Click to expand...

Please elaborate on what one might be able to do with such a special number as an IMEI.



Especially if the phone involved isn't even yours.
 
EngageWithRage said:
lol. because handing out your imei to a stranger on a forum is always a good idea, let alone some *****ty looking website
Click to expand...

This person knows it all. Jeez, lets let him figure everything out. The Mother F*ckin Genius!

It's a software that a lot of people use rather than relying on imei.info
 
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