It’s sealed, and that proves nothing.
The line is “Brand new, sealed, half the price of anywhere else.” Plenty of cheap tech is real, and plenty of new sellers are honest, so neither settles it. What the seller lets you check does.
£449
iPhone Pro 256GB. Brand new, sealed
Listed 2 hours ago
Jay M. Joined this month. No ratings yet.
Postage only. No collection.
Lots of interest, mate. £50 deposit holds it for you.
PayPal friends and family pls, saves us both the fees.
None of these prove it’s a scam. Together, they’re your cue to check.
- 1
A price worth a question
A low price alone proves nothing: clearance and refurbished stock exist. Compare other sellers, as US Customs advises, then find out why this one differs.
- 2
“Sealed” closes the conversation
Shrink wrap tells you what’s on the outside. It also gives the seller a reason why you can’t test anything before paying.
- 3
A seller with no history
Everyone starts somewhere, so treat it as a prompt. With nothing to read, you need the other checks to pass.
- 4
No way to see it first
On an item this size, ask to meet. Apple’s advice for a used iPhone depends on seeing it switched on.
- 5
The payment type that drops protection
This is the serious one. PayPal excludes Friends and Family payments from Purchase Protection, and the “saved fees” are the price of that.
A parcel with three possible endings.
Follow it like a tracking page. Times are an example, and only the last line is a surprise.
Mon 09:12
Listed
A sealed box photographs the same whoever owns it, or whether it exists.
Mon 10:40
Deposit paid
You’ve been told others are waiting. Once money has moved, walking away feels expensive.
Wed 16:05
Balance paid
Friends and family, as asked. You now have no PayPal Purchase Protection on this payment.
Fri 11:30
Delivered, in a manner of speaking
What’s inside is on the slip below.
Packing slip / Contents, one of
Nothing
The seller stops replying, and the listing and account can disappear with them.
A lookalike
The FTC warns of counterfeits and different products at the end of these deals.
A locked phone
Genuine, and tied to someone else’s account. Apple says not to buy one and to return it if bought online.
Make the seller prove the phone.
Ask for the serial number before you pay.
Enter it on the maker’s own site, such as Apple’s coverage check. A pass is limited evidence, because a real serial can be copied from a real box.
Apple coverage checkSee it switched on.
For a used iPhone, Apple says it should be erased and unlinked from the last owner. “iPhone Locked to Owner” means don’t buy it. So does a setup screen asking for their Apple Account.
Apple Activation LockPay by a method with protection.
Use a credit card, or a checkout with buyer protection. Refuse a deposit by friends and family, bank transfer or gift card.
Check you can reach a shop seller.
US Customs advises checking for working contact details and a reasonable return policy before you buy from an online seller.
US Customs shopping tipsBuy chargers from a reputable retailer.
Electrical Safety First (UK) warns that substandard or counterfeit chargers from online third-party sellers carry a higher risk of catching fire or exploding.
Electrical Safety First
If it turns out to be fake.
United Kingdom
- Report counterfeit goods to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133, which passes reports to Trading Standards.Citizens Advice
- If a charger smells odd, sparks, smokes, swells or cracks, unplug it and stop using it.
United States
- Report counterfeit goods to US Customs and Border Protection through e-Allegations or on 1-800-BE-ALERT.US Customs
Australia
- Scamwatch flags unusual payment requests, including pre-loaded cards and paying into several PayIDs or accounts.Scamwatch
Sent the deposit? Don’t send the balance.
Stop at what you’ve sent
End the conversation. A second payment to “release” or “insure” the parcel is one more loss.
Open a case anyway
Friends and family payments are excluded from Purchase Protection, but still report it to PayPal, your bank and the marketplace.
Keep the listing
Screenshot the listing, seller profile and messages before the account disappears.
Sources and review
- Reviewed
- 2 November 2026
- Review due
- 2 May 2027
- Owner
- Scam Finder
General guidance, not legal or financial advice. Rules depend on your country, provider and payment. This guide names UK, US and Australian rules where it can. Elsewhere, check with your national consumer or fraud authority. Example companies, people and figures are invented.