Safe selling guide

How to sell an iPhone safely in Los Angeles, California

Selling an iPhone in Los Angeles, California? A used iPhone is easy to sell and easy to steal. Use these steps to sell yours without getting scammed or robbed.

Before you list it

  • Back it up. Save your photos and data to iCloud or your computer first.
  • Turn off Find My. Then sign out of your Apple ID. If you skip this, the phone stays locked to you and the buyer can't use it.
  • Erase it. Go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
  • Take out your SIM card. If you use an eSIM, choose to erase it when you reset the phone.
  • Find the IMEI. It's in Settings, under General, then About. Buyers use it to check that a phone isn't reported lost or stolen.
  • Take honest photos. Show the screen and the back. Show any scratches up close. Clear photos mean fewer surprises later.

Scams to watch for

  • The swap. A buyer asks to look it over, then hands back a fake or a different phone. Keep it in your hand until you're paid.
  • The password ask. A buyer says the phone is locked and asks for your Apple ID password to fix it. Never share it. Sign out yourself before the sale.
  • The code trick. A buyer asks you to read back a code they texted you, to prove you're real. It's really a code to set up a phone number in your name. Never share a code sent to your phone.
  • Fake payment proof. A screenshot of a payment isn't money. Check your own bank or payment app before you hand anything over.
  • Overpayment. They send more than your price and ask you to send back the extra. The first payment fails later, and you lose both.

If you do meet

  • Meet at a police station. Many have a safe exchange spot in the lobby or the parking lot. Call the non-emergency line to ask.
  • Go in daylight. Bring a friend if you can.
  • Keep your address to yourself. Don't meet at your home.
  • Get paid first. Take cash you can count, or wait until the money is fully in your bank. Some payments can be pulled back later.
  • Watch for last-minute changes. If a buyer pushes to change the place or the time at the last minute, walk away.

A tip for Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles summers are dry, and inland they can get very hot. A phone left in a hot car can get too warm to turn on. Keep it with you and out of the sun until the handoff. If you do meet in summer, pick a spot with shade or AC. In late June the sun does not set until about 8:10 PM.

Or skip the meetup

Already found a buyer on Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp or in a group chat? Finish the sale with Vessel, and a courier carries the item for you.

  1. Make a link. Add your item and your price on Vessel. You get a link to send.

  2. Send it to your buyer. Paste it into the chat you already have going.

  3. Your buyer pays first. They pay in their web browser. The money is held before anyone comes for your item.

  4. A courier picks it up. The courier carries it from you to your buyer. Your street address is never shared with the buyer. They only see your city and state.

After delivery, the buyer has 3 hours to check it. If they send it back, a courier brings it back to you. After 3 hours the sale is final.

You're paid as soon as the buyer keeps it. If they say nothing, you're paid automatically when their 3 hours end.

You pay no fee on the item. You choose how much of the delivery you cover, from none of it to all of it.

Vessel works in every state. Before anyone pays, we check that a courier can make the trip.

Make my Vessel link

You can do it all in your web browser. You'll add your bank once, before your first sale.

Questions sellers ask

Is it safe to meet a stranger to sell an iPhone?
It can be. Meet at a police station, in daylight. Get paid before you hand anything over, in a way that can't be pulled back. Or skip the meetup: with Vessel, a courier does the handoff.
What's the safest way to get paid?
Cash you count yourself, or money that has fully landed in your bank. A screenshot of a payment isn't money. With Vessel, your buyer pays first, and the money is held while the item is on its way.
What if the buyer says something is wrong with it?
After delivery, the buyer has 3 hours to check it. If they send it back, a courier brings it back to you. After 3 hours the sale is final.
Does Vessel work in Los Angeles, California?
Yes. Vessel works in every state. Before anyone pays, we check that a courier can make the trip.

More guides