The 3 Hidden iPhone Locks Every Buyer MUST Check (Or Risk Getting Scammed in 2025)

 

If you’ve ever bought a used iPhone or even thought about buying one, you’ve probably heard horror stories:

• “The phone suddenly asked for someone else’s Apple ID…”
• “My SIM card doesn’t work at all…”
• “This iPhone says it’s ‘monitored’ by some unknown company…”

Most people don’t realize this, but every single iPhone has three invisible locks. And if you bought a phone from anywhere online, you can easily end up with a useless, expensive slab of glass. Before buying an old iPhone you must know all three locks.

Activation Lock

Activation Lock also known as ID Lock, and this feature available from iOS 7 whenever “Find My iPhone” is enabled.

If the phone is reset or updated, it will demand the original Apple ID and password before it can be used again.

This feature perfect for security but if you are a second-hand buyers it is the nightmare. Many online shady sellers always hides the Apple ID. When you are interested to buy phone, the phone looks normal. You can swipe, text, and install apps. But the moment you reset it. The locked, completely unusable, wastes your money.

How to avoid it:

• Ask the seller to remove their Apple ID on the spot.
• Check “Find My iPhone” → It must say OFF.
• Run an official device report (many online tools can do this).

If during purchasing you will find “Activation Lock” reappears after removing the Apple ID, It’s a disguised ID-locked device.

Carrier Lock — The Cheap iPhone That Isn’t Actually Cheap

Some mobile carriers sell iPhones tied to a contract. These carriers are AT&T, SoftBank, T-Mobile, and others.

The phone only works with that carrier’s SIM card.

Put any other SIM inside, and the iPhone politely says, “No service.”

The “black unlock” workaround

Did you know, tech-savvy users in China often use SIM unlock adapters, making the phone “appear” unlocked.

These are known as

• Do not buy carrier-locked phones
• Do not buy SIM-unlocked phones
• Do not buy black unlocked phones.

The ugly truth

Yes, they are cheaper.
But:

• Signal issues
• No 5G support
• Random disconnections
• iOS updates can break the unlock.
• Not beginner-friendly at all

If you’re a casual user, don’t buy these. A carrier-locked phone is only a “good deal” until the day it stops working suddenly.

Configuration Lock — The Hidden “Monitored Device” Sellers Don’t Want You to Notice

This one shocks most people. Configuration Lock is usually found on company-managed or school-managed iPhones.

It’s technically a normal retail iPhone — but with restrictions added through Apple’s MDM (Mobile Device Management). If a phone is monitored, you’ll see something like

“This iPhone is supervised by [Company/School Name].”

This means:

• They can track the phone.
• They can install or remove apps.
• They can lock it remotely.
• They technically own the device.

The scam:

Some sellers hide the MDM message and resell these phones as “brand-new mainland China retail units.”

You won’t notice the problem until restrictions suddenly appear.
Or the device gets locked by the original organization.

How to check:

• Go to Settings → General → About.
• Look for “Supervised” or “This iPhone is monitored.”
• Use online MDM-checking tools.

If it’s locked by configuration, you’ll need the organization’s login to remove it. Which… you won’t have.

Why These 3 Locks Matter More Than Price

In 2025, the secondhand iPhone market is booming.
And the scams? They’re booming even faster.

Price doesn’t matter.
The locks matter.

Because:

• A carrier-locked phone limits freedom.
• A configuration-locked phone kills privacy.
• An activation-locked phone becomes e-waste.

How to Buy Second hand iPhone

1. First ask the seller to remove his Apple ID.
2. Restart the device and check Activation Lock.
3. Insert your own SIM card to test for carrier lock.
4. Go to Settings → About to check for MDM supervision.
5. Prefer official channels or verified refurbishes
6. Never trust “too cheap to be true” deals.

Do this every time, and you’ll never get burned.

A Real Apple Fan Knows the Locks, Not Just the Specs

A real Apple fan isn’t defined by owning the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max Titanium Diamond Ultra Edition.

A real Apple fan is someone who understands
How Apple protects its ecosystem,
how scammers exploit it,
and how to buy devices wisely.

If you’ve read this far, you now know more than 95% of iPhone buyers. You’re officially part of the “real fan” club.