How to check a wholesale iPhone lot before you pay — 7 steps

Most losses in wholesale phones happen at one moment — the second the money leaves your account. A wire or USDT transfer cannot be pulled back. After that, your only leverage is the seller's honesty.

So every check below happens before you pay. None of them take more than a day. A real supplier passes all seven without arguing.

1. Get IMEI photos of real units

Ask for individual photos of at least 10 phones from the lot, with the IMEI visible — on the box label, the SIM tray or the About screen.

Stock photos prove nothing. A reseller pretending to be a wholesaler sends the same catalog pictures to every buyer. Real IMEIs mean the phones are physically in someone's hands.

2. Run every IMEI through a check

Put each IMEI through a checker (imei.info, or a GSMA-based service) before you agree on price. You are looking for three things:

• Model and storage match what you were quoted. An iPhone 15 Pro Max quoted as 256GB should not come back 128GB.
• Blacklist status is clean. A blacklisted IMEI — reported lost, stolen or for an unpaid carrier balance — can be blocked on the network in your country.
• Carrier lock. "Factory unlocked" should come back unlocked. A locked phone is worth far less and may not activate at all.

One TG Wireless case study describes a reseller who found more than half a lot blacklisted after paying — a $75,000 loss. Checking 10 IMEIs takes 15 minutes.

3. Ask for a live video of the warehouse

A short video call — 5 minutes — where they walk the shelves and pick up a couple of units of the model you want.

A real warehouse means rent, staff and something to lose. Someone who is always busy when you suggest a call, or only sends pre-recorded clips, is a reason to move on.

4. Get the grading in writing

"A/B stock" means whatever the seller says after the money moves. Ask for the grade definitions on paper before you pay — what a scratch is, what a dent is, battery health floor, whether the screen is original.

We publish ours: our grading standard defines every grade, and the 3D viewer on our homepage shows A1, A2 and A3 from every angle. If a supplier cannot show you theirs, the grade on the invoice is meaningless in a dispute.

5. Split the payment — 50/50

Do not send 100% up front to a new supplier. A fair structure for a first order:

1. 50% deposit — the lot is reserved and the IMEI list is fixed.
2. 50% before dispatch — after you have checked the IMEIs and seen the units on video.

A supplier who refuses any split on a first order is asking you to carry all the risk.

6. Match the stock to your country

The best-priced lot is worthless if it cannot clear customs or register on your country's networks. Brazil, for example, requires Anatel homologation, so used gray-market units are effectively not sellable there — sealed only. Colombia, Peru, Chile and the Dominican Republic allow used phones with IMEI registration.

We cover each country in a separate guide. Check with your customs broker before you order — rules change.

7. Plan for the DOA phones now

Even a good lot can arrive with a few dead-on-arrival units. Ask before you pay:

• How many days do you have to report DOA?
• Is it a replacement, a credit or a refund?
• Who pays return shipping?

Your own customers are waiting on that stock. You need an answer in minutes, not days — so agree on the process while you still have leverage.

Questions buyers ask us

Is it rude to ask a supplier for IMEI photos?

No. It is the normal first step in wholesale. A real supplier has the phones on a shelf and can photograph them in minutes. Resistance to a 10-photo request is the single clearest warning sign in this business.

What if the supplier only accepts crypto or wire?

USDT and wires are common and fine — but both are final. That is exactly why the IMEI check, the video and the 50/50 split come first. Pay in two parts so the second half only moves after you have seen the stock.

How many IMEIs should I check on a large lot?

Check every IMEI on the list before the second payment. On the first look, 10 random units is enough to catch a lot built from stock photos. On repeat orders with a supplier who has delivered clean before, spot-check 10–20%.

Can a phone pass the IMEI check and still be a problem?

Yes. An IMEI check covers model, storage, carrier lock and blacklist status on that day. It does not show cosmetic condition or whether the battery was replaced. That is what the written grade and the video are for.

What should the invoice show?

Every line: model, storage, color, grade and IMEI. A total-only invoice protects the seller, not you. With a per-IMEI invoice, a problem is one line — not an argument about the whole order.

The short version

• IMEI photos of 10+ units before you pay.
• Every IMEI checked — model, blacklist, carrier.
• A live warehouse video.
• Grades in writing.
• 50/50, never 100% to a new supplier.
• Stock that is legal in your country.
• A written DOA process.

If a supplier pushes back on any of these, that is the answer.