Is it safe to buy a phone online in the UK? Eight checks before you pay

yes, buying a new phone online is safe when the seller is a registered business with clear returns and you pay by card. The risks are mostly with private sellers, marketplace listings and prices that look too good. These eight checks take about ten minutes.

1. Check who the seller is

A UK business selling online has to show its legal name, a postal address and a way to contact it. Look for those on the site, and check the company name against Companies House. A seller with no address and only a web form is a warning sign.

2. Be wary of a price that is far too low

If a brand-new, sealed phone costs 30% less than every other shop, ask why. Sealed phones from a normal supply chain do not sell far below the going rate. Cheap phones are more likely to be used, refurbished, grey imports or not the model described.

3. Read the returns page before you pay

Online purchases from UK sellers carry a 14-day right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, counted from the day the goods arrive. Many sellers go further. Ours is 30 days, set out on the delivery and returns page. If a shop will not state its returns terms, do not buy.

4. Look for a warranty in writing

New phones from a UK seller should come with at least the manufacturer's warranty, and the seller must also stand behind faults under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Our warranty terms are on the warranty page.

5. Pay by card

Credit card payments between £100 and £30,000 are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which makes the card company jointly responsible if the goods never arrive or are not as described. Debit cards offer a chargeback process, which is slightly less strong but still a safeguard. Bank transfers to a stranger offer almost no protection.

6. Look for a secure checkout

The address should begin with https and the payment should go through a recognised provider. You should never be asked to send card details by email or message.

7. Check the phone when it arrives

• The box should be sealed and the model on the label should match what you ordered.
• Dial *#06# to show the IMEI and check it matches the number on the box.
• On an iPhone, open Settings, General, About and look for "No SIM restrictions" under Network Provider Lock.
• Check that the phone is the right region. UK models are set up for UK networks.

8. Keep the order evidence

Save the order confirmation, the delivery notice and photographs of the sealed box when it arrives. If anything goes wrong, they make a return or a claim much quicker.

Where the real risks are

Most phone scams happen when a buyer is taken off a marketplace to pay by bank transfer, when "unlocked" is not true, or when the phone has an unpaid finance agreement on it. Buying new from a business removes most of those. If you are buying used, run the IMEI through a history check first.

Common questions

Is it safe to buy a phone from a shop I have not heard of?

It can be, if it passes the checks above: real address, clear returns, card payment and a reasonable price. Unknown does not mean unsafe, but silence on those points does.

What if the phone is faulty?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can reject a faulty phone within 30 days for a refund, and after that you are entitled to a repair or replacement.