Verifying an Apple products supplier

Hello,

I found a potential supplier for iphones with some decent prices based in the US, but as with anything surrounding iphones I am fairly skeptical. The seller provided me with 5 iphone serial numbers to verify that he has legitimate iphones in stock. Is there anyway I can use these serial numbers to authenticate his stock? I went to the apple site and entered the serial numbers but the only information that was disclosed was that the iphones were iphone 4s models and have a 1 year apple limited warranty with a specified start date.

Thanks,
Don

Hi Don,

Sorry but we don't have specific steps on how you can verify an Apple products supplier. But here are some simple things you can do to protect yourself when dealing with any supplier (especially those found outside of SaleHoo).

1. Run a whois check on the supplier's website to verify when it was created (it is safest to deal with suppliers who have been online for at least two years), who owns the domain, and where the domain was registered (the country should match the contact details on the supplier's website). We recommend using Link hidden: Login to view (replace salehoo.com with the url of the supplier).

2. Search the SaleHoo forum for the supplier's website/company name and see what other members have to say.

3. Call the supplier's telephone numbers to ensure they are genuine.

4. Purchase a sample before bulk ordering to ensure that the item meets your expectations.

5. Watch out for sellers asking you to "safeguard" your purchase by sending your money transfer in the name of a friend or loved one, or by establishing a "test question". These actions will not protect you from a fraudulent seller.

6. Low prices do not necessarily mean fraud, but radically low prices should warrant a closer look. If a price seems to good to be true, it probably is. Ask the seller as many questions about the item's authenticity as you can before you go any further.

7. Always use a credit card or Paypal to purchase goods. These forms of payment are safe because they give you a comeback if something goes wrong. With these payment methods, you can usually have the transaction reversed fairly easily if necessary.

Hope that helps.