Sample check

This is a real GadgetGauge result, run through the same engine every check uses — not a mockup. The listing: an iPhone 13, 128GB, asking $180 against a $215–$250 U.S. marketplace comparison range. On price alone this looks like a great deal. The seller says Activation Lock will not be removed.

Verdict

Avoid

AVOID — walk away. Price does not resolve this.

Walk-away conditions

Activation Lock will not be removedApplies to this listing
Without Activation Lock removal the phone may be unusable and could be lost, financed, or stolen. Do not proceed.

Universal boundaries

Never send money before you meet and inspect the phone
Deposits, gift cards, and app transfers before an in-person inspection are common scams with no recourse.
Meet in a safe, public place in daylight
A public location with cameras protects you; this app cannot make a meeting safe.
Confirm you can erase and set up the phone as new before final payment
Setting it up as new confirms there is no Activation Lock from another account before your money changes hands.

Completing this list does not guarantee the transaction is safe. GadgetGauge cannot validate the seller or verify the phone.

Missing evidence

Confirmation the seller will remove Activation Lock
Critical
Ask the seller to confirm they will sign out of their Apple Account and remove Activation Lock before payment.

Offer strategy

No offer is shown. Resolve the risk above before price matters — a low price does not make this transaction safe.

Why this verdict

Seller states Activation Lock will not be removed.
Risk
Serious transaction risk overrides any price advantage — resolve it before price matters.
RiskPrice
Pricing uses licensed marketplace data collected on the observation date shown.
Confidence

Message to send the seller

Thanks for the details. I can't move forward on this one — I only buy when Activation Lock will be removed, the seller will erase and activate the phone with me, and no payment is required before I can inspect it. If that changes, feel free to reach back out.

U.S. private-party comparison context

Marketplace asking price (mixed sellers)observed August 22, 2026

$215$235$250

Asking price marker: $180

Confidence: Confidence blocked
Source type: Marketplace asking price (mixed sellers)
Provenance: Approved live API
Evidence date: August 22, 2026
Data snapshot: gg-ebay-active-2026-08-22
Rule set: 1.3.0

Only this one evidence channel (Marketplace asking price (mixed sellers)) is used for this estimate — it is never merged or averaged with other channels. See the current evidence status.

Calculation disclosureMarketplace asking price (mixed sellers)observed August 22, 2026

Full precision is kept internally; the lines below are shown to the nearest dollar and offers land on the nearest $5. Every total below reconciles exactly as the sum of the lines above it — a “display rounding carry” line appears if whole-dollar rounding would otherwise shift a total by $1.

Line item	Amount
Evidence baseline — iPhone 13 128GB Evidence midpoint for the reference configuration (unlocked, good condition, battery >= 90%).	+$235
Comparison midpoint	$235

Evidence baseline — iPhone 13 128GB

Evidence midpoint for the reference configuration (unlocked, good condition, battery >= 90%).

+$235

Comparison midpoint

$235

Methodology and limitations

Confidence is blocked: a critical security or seller-cooperation concern must be resolved before any price-forward guidance.

Dated marketplace asking-price snapshot (official API) — asking prices, not completed sales or a live feed.
Active asking context is not proof of completed-sale value.
GadgetGauge cannot authenticate or inspect the phone.
Screenshots may be outdated, edited, or from another device.
GadgetGauge cannot verify ownership or stolen status.
GadgetGauge cannot guarantee part authenticity.
GadgetGauge cannot diagnose hidden or internal damage.
GadgetGauge cannot validate the seller or guarantee meeting safety.
This is educational decision support, not an appraisal, offer, warranty, legal advice, or safety guarantee.

Evidence date: August 22, 2026
Snapshot: gg-ebay-active-2026-08-22
Rule set: 1.3.0
Result created: July 12, 2026

Read the full methodology and limitations