Spent years in the phone game. Here's what most people get wrong when buying unlocked:

1. Band compatibility — Not every unlocked phone works on every carrier. Check your carrier's LTE/5G bands before you buy. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon all use different frequencies.

2. Warranty status — "Unlocked" doesn't mean "no warranty." Factory unlocked phones from the manufacturer still carry full warranty. Carrier-unlocked (post-contract) phones might not.

3. iCloud/Google lock — Always verify the previous owner fully signed out. If you see an activation lock screen, walk away.

4. Battery health — On iPhones, check Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Anything below 85% means you'll need a replacement soon. On Android, use AccuBattery.

5. IMEI check — Run the IMEI through a checker. This tells you if the phone is blacklisted, still on a payment plan, or reported stolen.

Every phone we sell at PhoneVault is verified clean on all 5. No exceptions.