If giving a phone a second life by purchasing it on a personal sales site such as Kijiji or Marketplace represents an ecological and tempting option, you still need to be careful to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Here are five tips to optimize your chances:
1. Talk to the seller
Before buying a cell phone on a peer-to-peer selling platform like Marketplace or Kijiji, you should ask for the seller's phone number and call them. This allows you to reduce the risk of fraud, Protégez-vous reminded us.
2. Complete your transaction in person
The website “Protégez-vous” also advises people who want to buy their mobile phone on such a platform to prefer to meet in person.
Although this option is often the most cost-effective, the risk of fraud is greater because the transaction is person-to-person. Meeting in a public place is therefore preferable and could also reduce the risk of attacks or theft.
3. Find out about the warranty
If the phone you bought is still under warranty, you should be able to claim it, Protect Yourself informs. However, to use it you must have the original receipt in your possession. So remember to ask the seller.
4. Check whether the object works
Once you have the mobile in your hand and before proceeding with the transaction, it is advisable to check the functional status of the device. For example, you can insert your SIM card to check whether it is compatible with your new purchase. Also remember to make calls, surf the Internet and take a few photos, explains Protégez-Vous.
5. Make sure the phone is reset
If the phone has not been reset correctly, you may be asked for a password that you do not have, which could affect your use of the device.