Device Ownership & Anti-Theft Verification

Buying pre-owned electronics comes with a responsibility to keep stolen property out of the resale market. We follow a documented verification process at every meetup in Shrewsbury and across Central Massachusetts so that legitimate sellers get paid quickly and stolen devices are flagged and returned to their rightful owners where possible.

By offering a device to us, you represent and warrant that:

• You are the lawful owner of the device, or you are expressly authorized to sell it on the owner's behalf.
• The device is not stolen, embezzled, or obtained by fraud.
• The device is not subject to an active lease, installment plan, or financing agreement that prohibits transfer or resale.
• The device is not reported lost or stolen to a carrier, manufacturer, or national registry.
• You are at least 18 years old and legally able to enter this sale.

Government-issued photo ID

A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID is required from every seller at the time of sale. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID. We record your name, the ID type and number, and the date of sale per Massachusetts secondhand dealer requirements.

Why we keep the record

The record ties each device's serial number to the seller. If a device is later reported stolen, this record helps law enforcement recover it and identify the seller. Records are kept for the legally required retention period and released only in response to a lawful request.

Before payment, we record and verify the device's unique identifiers:

• Phones and tablets — the 15-digit IMEI (dial *#06# or check Settings).
• Laptops and Macs — the serial number printed on the device or in About This Mac / System Information.
• Cameras, lenses, and drones — the manufacturer serial number, often under the battery or on the base plate.
• These identifiers are checked against carrier and industry stolen-device databases at the meetup.

A device whose serial or IMEI matches a stolen or blocked record cannot be purchased. This protects the original owner and keeps our inventory clean.

At the meetup we run the device's IMEI or serial through available carrier and industry-shared stolen-device registries. We also check carrier financing and activation-status databases where accessible.

What we screen for

• Carrier blacklists (reported lost, stolen, or fraudulently obtained).
• Active financing or lease balances that prevent resale.
• Insurance-claim replacements that were reported lost or stolen by the claimant.
• Activation-locked devices still tied to an unknown owner's account.

Activation-locked devices — iPhones, iPads, and Macs still tied to an Apple ID with Find My on, or Androids locked by Google's Factory Reset Protection (FRP) — cannot be resold and may indicate the device is not fully yours to sell.

• Turn off Find My iPhone/iPad/Mac and sign out of iCloud before the meetup.
• Remove your Google or Samsung account and reset FRP on Android devices.
• A device that boots to an activation-lock or account login screen at inspection will be declined until it is cleared.

For step-by-step instructions, see our Device Prep & Activation Lock Removal Guide.

If a device fails the ownership, IMEI, or activation checks, we will politely decline the purchase and explain the specific reason where we legally can. We do not pay for and do not take possession of devices we believe may be stolen or fraudulently obtained.

• If the flag is an honest mistake (for example, you forgot to remove Find My), we'll reschedule once it's cleared.
• If the device is confirmed stolen, we may hold it and contact the Shrewsbury Police Department or the agency that reported it.
• We do not release a confirmed-stolen device back to the seller.

We reserve the right to refuse any transaction, at any time, for any lawful reason — including a failed ownership check, suspicious circumstance, or an item that does not match the photos and description you submitted for your locked quote.

As a Massachusetts secondhand dealer of electronics, we comply with state recordkeeping and reporting rules. This includes recording the seller's identity and the device's serial number, holding items for the legally required waiting or retention period where applicable, and reporting transactions to local law enforcement as required.

These rules exist to disrupt the market for stolen electronics. Compliant, honest sellers are unaffected and get paid the same day — the extra steps are quick and protect everyone.

Questions about ownership verification, a device you'd like to sell, or a device you believe may have been sold to us unlawfully? Call Elite Online Services LLC at 508-571-0410 or email us at hello@eliteonlineservice.com, Monday through Sunday, 8am–8pm.