Need advice re activation lock buying used iPhone 5

[MacLicious]

Hey going shortly to buy a used iPhone 5. I've heard about making sure that the seller has disabled activation lock. How do I check for this?

 

[lclev]

Here is some information:

iCloud: Activation Lock

Lisa

 

[MacLicious]

OK, so if I go into the settings of the iphone and if 'find my iphone' is not 'on' then I should be safe in buying this iphone?

Call me paranoid, but I'm afraid of paying $350 to buy a brick. Thanks for any help!

 

[ycl1688]

Clean ESN and icloud activation (as mentioned by Lisa) need to be checked.
Clean ESN means your carrier can accept it is not stolen and blacklist phone, to check this you need the IMEI number from seller and use swappa and iphone.info to double check the ESN.
Next step make sure activation code is unlocked.

 

[lclev]

Yeah...what ^^^^ said!

Lsia

 

[MacLicious]

Great, thanks for the help!

Bought it. Checked out the Blacklist for Canada, iphone.info and Apple's SN and it all checked out fine. Has Applecare til mid May 2015. My son will be happy to get it!