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Buying a used phone in Jordan — 12 things to check before you pay

Published · 4 min read

  • phones
  • tips
  • guide

Jordan’s used-phone market is big, and the difference between a great deal and losing 300 dinars is ten minutes of checking. This is a practical list, in the order you check things while standing with the seller.

Before you meet

1. Compare the price with the market

Search other ads for the same model and storage and work out the sensible range. A price far below market is a warning sign, not an opportunity: a stolen device, a phone locked to an account, a replaced screen, or a counterfeit.

2. Ask for the IMEI in advance

Ask the seller for a photo of the IMEI (dial *#06# on the phone). Check it on an IMEI lookup site to confirm the model, storage and colour match the ad, and that the device is not reported stolen or lost. Ask for a photo of the box or invoice if they exist.

3. Pick the meeting place

A public, well-lit place with people around: a café in a mall, or outside a phone shop you trust so you can check there. Do not go to a flat or an isolated spot, and never transfer money in advance.

At the meeting: the outside

4. Body and corners

Inspect the four corners and the frame for dents. A hard hit on a corner means a drop that may have affected the camera or the mainboard even if the screen is intact.

5. Screen: original or replaced?

  • Show a fully white and then a fully black wallpaper and look for spots, lines or yellowing at the edges.
  • A non-original replacement screen usually has weaker colours, lower brightness and slower touch response.
  • On iPhone, Settings → General → About shows an “Unknown Part” warning for a replaced screen or battery on recent models.

6. Screen: touch

Open the keyboard and type quickly across the whole screen, then drag an icon across its full width and height. Any point where the icon slips means a touch fault.

The inside

7. Battery health

  • iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health. Below 80% means a battery that will need replacing soon — price it in.
  • Android: diagnostic codes vary by manufacturer (*#*#4636#*#* on some devices), or use a well-known battery-check app. Most important: ask how old the phone is and watch it charge.

8. Linked accounts — the most important check of all

  • iPhone: make sure Activation Lock is off: Settings → [name] → Find My must be turned off, then have the seller sign out of their Apple ID in front of you (Settings → [name] → Sign Out).
  • Android: the Google account must be removed from the device in front of you (Settings → Accounts), otherwise the phone gets stuck behind FRP protection after a reset.
  • Then factory-reset it in front of the seller and confirm it boots to the welcome screen without asking for the previous owner’s account. If the seller refuses this step, walk away.

9. Cameras and audio

Take a photo with every lens, record a short video, record a voice memo and play it back. Test the earpiece with a short call. Camera shake or a fixed spot in photos means a damaged lens.

10. Network and connectivity

Insert your SIM: make a call, use mobile data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS by opening a maps app. A phone locked to a foreign carrier may work with only one SIM or not at all.

11. Ports and sensors

Try the original charger or your own, wired headphones if there is a jack, fingerprint or face unlock, the flash, the ambient light sensor (auto-brightness changing) and the proximity sensor (screen turning off when held to your ear).

12. Storage and capacity

Settings → About phone to confirm the storage and model stated in the ad, and that the device is genuine rather than a clone (clones give themselves away through screen specs and an IMEI that does not match the model).

When paying

  • Pay cash after checking, in the same place, or by instant transfer — no deposits in advance to someone you do not know.
  • Ask the seller to write the IMEI and sale date on a simple signed note, or keep the chat that contains the photos and price.
  • Keep your conversations with the seller as they are. If a problem appears later, the record is your evidence.

When to walk away

  • The seller refuses to factory-reset or sign out of their account in front of you.
  • The IMEI does not match the model, or the device is reported.
  • The price is far below market with pressure to hurry.
  • Any request to transfer money before inspection.

On Soogram every account is verified by a mobile number, and chat stays inside the app so your record of the deal keeps itself. The app is coming soon to Jordan — and if you run a phone shop, register your business before launch.