<p data-start="2872" data-end="3050">One of the best checks is verifying the IMEI. On most phones you can dial *#06# to show IMEI. Then compare it with the IMEI in the phone settings and the IMEI printed on the box.

<p data-start="3052" data-end="3207">If these numbers don&rsquo;t match, avoid the phone. Mismatched IMEI can indicate a swapped motherboard, a refurbished unit disguised as new, or a stolen device.





<p data-start="3209" data-end="3357">Also check if the phone shows two IMEIs for dual SIM models. If a dual SIM phone shows only one IMEI, that can be suspicious depending on the model.