How to spot a fake used-iPhone supplier
Most buyers who lose money on a used-iPhone order do not lose it because the phones were bad. They lose it because the supplier was not a real company. Here is what to check before you send a deposit, written from the supplier side of the table.
1. Ask for the business registration number — then look at it
A Hong Kong company should be able to give you its Business Registration (BR) number and a scan of the certificate. Ours is 80760802-000. The number should match the company name on the invoice and on the bank account.
Red flag: the invoice is issued by "Goodwell Trading Co" but the bank account is a personal name, or the BR number belongs to a different company. This is the single most common pattern in scam orders.
2. Bank account must be the company account
Every legitimate Hong Kong trading company invoices from and is paid into a company account in the registered name. If the account holder is an individual, you have no recourse and no proof of who you paid.
What we tell every new buyer: we never ask for payment to a personal account. If you ever receive different bank details using our name, call the number on our website before paying — that message is fraud.
3. Ask for a live video, not a photo
Photos are free to reuse. Ask for a short continuous video: the supplier holds a phone, opens Settings → General → About, shows the IMEI, then scrolls to Battery Health in the same clip. A video that shows both screens without a cut is very hard to fake.
Ask for this on a sample of ten units, not one. The best units are always placed at the front of the tray.
4. Check whether the grading is defined, or just words
| Vague | Defined |
|---|---|
| "good condition" | "back glass cracked, screen intact, all functions tested" |
| "99% new" | "Grade A — near new, boxed, light wear on frame" |
| "tested" | "12 points: body, glass, lens, dead pixels, touch, uniformity, battery health, port, speed, cameras, audio, radios, Face ID, buttons" |
If the grade cannot be described in one sentence of physical facts, it is marketing, not grading.
5. Ask what happens when a unit fails on arrival
A real supplier has an answer ready: how many days to report, what evidence is needed, and whether it is a refund or a replacement. A scammer will answer "no problem, we take care of you" — which means nothing.
Our written policy: report within 7 days with IMEI and video, replaced in your next shipment. We do not offer a warranty beyond that, because used stock cannot be warranted like new stock — and a supplier who promises a 12-month warranty on Grade C phones is either lying or will disappear.
6. Watch the dispatch promise
Nobody can guarantee a delivery date on used electronics. Customs and carriers control it. What a real supplier can promise is dispatch within 24 hours with a tracking number.
Red flag: "3 days door to door guaranteed." That promise is not theirs to make.
7. Start small, but not too small
Test orders are fine, but understand the economics: under 50 pcs the freight and clearance cost per unit often exceeds the margin. A scammer prefers small test orders — easier to disappear with. Ask for references from two buyers in your country instead.
The five-minute check, summarised
- BR number given, and it matches the invoice and the bank account holder
- Payment goes to a company account, never a personal one
- Live video with IMEI and battery health in the same clip
- Grade described in physical facts, not adjectives
- Written DoA policy with a number of days
If a supplier clears all five, the risk is mostly normal trade risk. If they clear two or fewer, walk away regardless of the price.
Ask us for the price list — and test us on all fiveGOODWELL TRADING HONG KONG LIMITED · BR 80760802-000 · MOQ 50 pcs · FOB Hong Kong · Full terms