Seller Refuses to Share the IMEI: Should You Walk Away?
Marketplace warning signs, safe IMEI verification at handover, and what a genuine used-phone seller should let you check.
Direct answer
Do not pay until you can inspect the IMEI on the physical phone and run an appropriate status check. A seller may reasonably avoid posting a full IMEI publicly, but should permit verification privately or at handover.
Illustrative buyer scenario
A seller sends a polished box photo but refuses to open Settings or dial *#06#. At the meeting, the number on the phone differs from the listing. The buyer pauses the deal instead of relying on screenshots that could belong to another device.
This is a representative scenario built from common marketplace risks, not a customer testimonial.
How this can harm you
A copied screenshot or box label can hide a different, flagged, counterfeit, or tampered device.
Pressure to pay outside the marketplace or before inspection can remove practical refund and buyer-protection options.
What to do next
- 1
Ask to see *#06# and Settings on the actual phone; for dual-SIM devices, record both IMEIs.
- 2
Match the phone, box, receipt, model and IMEI, then run the check while you still control the buying decision.
- 3
Use the marketplace payment system or another protected method, and leave if the seller rushes or blocks verification.
Check before money changes hands
Identify the device first, then unlock its current GSMA Block List status and the reported reason when available.
Check this IMEI nowFrequently asked question
Is it safe for a seller to share an IMEI?
A seller does not need to publish it openly. Private verification with a serious buyer, or checking together at handover, balances privacy with buyer safety.