Use Verizon IMEI Checker Before You Buy A Used iPhone

Buying phones that have been previously owned is a great way to save money, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong, too. What if the phone has been reported lost or stolen, has unpaid bills attached to it, or has a Simlock that will prevent you from using it freely?
If you are buying a used iPhone through Verizon, there is now an easy way to check that your new phone is all ready to go—and it’s called Verizon IMEI Checker.
Read below to find out how to use Verizon IMEI Checker to check your device before you buy.
CHECK FOR SIMLOCK & ESN
When buying a used Verizon phone, keep in mind that all devices from Verizon originally come unlocked from the factory, which means that you should be able to use the device in any country internationally by simply switching the sim card.
However, if a Simlock has been introduced to the device sometime during its previous ownership, this will limit your ability to use it in certain countries.
Verizon IMEI checker is able to detect such a change in your device from factory settings, as well as identifying if it has bad ESN.
FIND THE IMEI NUMBER OF YOUR DEVICE
There are two easy ways to find the IMEI number on your device, which you will need for the Verizon IMEI checker:

Follow this path to find your IMEI in Settings.

Settings > General > About > IMEI
There will be a 15-digit number listed beside “IMEI”.

If you can’t access Settings for some reason, the IMEI number is also printed on the SIM card tray. Eject the tray to see the number.

USING VERIZON IMEI CHECKER
Follow these steps to check your device using Verizon IMEI checker:

Click on this link. It will take you to the Verizon IMEI Check website.

www.verizonwireless.com/bring-your-own-device

In the section titled “Check Device,” enter your IMEI / SN code, which you would have identified in the previous step.

Note: for the code to be valid, it must be exactly 15 digits long.

Click “Check Device”.

The Verizon IMEI Checker will now produce the details of the device associated with your code, including whether or not it has ESN or Simlock issues.

YOUR DEVICE IS COMPLETELY READY TO USE!
If your device is free of ESN and Simlock problems and all ready to go, the Verizon IMEI Checker will provide you with a message like this:
“Success! Your Apple® iPhone® 7 64GB in Space Grey works on the Verizon network.”
Congratulations! Your device is ready to be used as if it were new.
You may also want to follow up by checking that iCloud is enabled, as this is another common problem that can arise with used phones, but does not appear on the IMEI Checker report.
SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR USED DEVICE?
If the Verizon IMEI Checker does find an issue with your device, your message will appear a little more like this:

The phone associated with the Device ID you entered is not compatible with the Verizon Wireless network.

Please contact Customer Service at (800) 922-0204 for assistance.

Please log in to your Verizon account to activate this device.

You will now have to do a bit of troubleshooting to discover just where the problem lies in this device—is it a Simlock? Is your device blocked? Is it set up with the correct Carrier?
If you can’t figure out what is keeping you from the Verizon network, you may want to consider purchasing a different used phone.