One routine, every purchase
Whatever you're buying — a phone, a sofa, a camera, a car — the same inspection mindset protects you: verify it's genuine, verify it works, verify the condition matches the description, and keep yourself safe at the meet. This is the universal checklist; the category guides add the specifics.
Before you go: vet the listing
- Reverse-image-search the photos. Stolen or stock images are a fraud signal.
- Read the seller's history — reviews, past sales, account age.
- Ask a specific question only a real owner could answer (serial number, a fresh photo with today's date, a short video). Evasion is a red flag.
- Confirm the real market price so you know whether the deal is good — see pricing & negotiation.
At the meet: verify genuine
- Check brand marks, serial/model numbers and authenticity markers against what the maker actually used.
- For electronics, confirm it's not account-locked or blacklisted (see used electronics).
- If a price is far below market, treat "genuine" as unproven until you've checked.
Verify it works
- Power it on and use it — never accept "it works, trust me" for anything electrical or mechanical. Bring a charger, batteries or an adapter so you can actually test.
- Run every function: buttons, ports, moving parts, modes, settings.
- For mechanical items, operate them through a full cycle and listen for unusual noise.
Verify the condition
- Inspect in good light. Daylight reveals scratches, stains, cracks and repairs that indoor light hides.
- Check the high-wear points specific to the item (hinges, seams, edges, contact surfaces).
- Smell it — smoke, damp and mildew are expensive or impossible to remove.
- Look for signs of past repair or hidden damage; mismatched parts or fresh paint can hide problems.
Trust the hesitation. If the seller rushes you, won't let you test, or the story keeps changing, walk away. There is always another item; there isn't always your money back.
Stay safe at the handover
- Meet in a busy public place in daylight; bring someone for higher-value or at-home deals. Many police stations offer safe-exchange zones.
- Inspect fully before any money changes hands.
- Pay in a reversible or traceable way where possible; keep the listing, messages and a receipt.
For the fraud patterns this routine defends against, see avoiding scams.