Is it ok to buy iPhone 3G from Craigslist or eBay?

Why would you consider it? Does it work out cheaper?

Sure, some people are trying to sell them to make a profit. If you’re willing to pay more than regular price. However, be cautious.

My wife sold four iphones on CL when we upgraded to 3G (but she wouldn’t do it on eBay for fear of scam artists (which there are many.))

By “okay…”

Is it allowed by AT&T/Apple? Yes it is. If it’s unlocked or jailbroken, that’s a different story. You can undo either of these things by restoring it to factory settings and activating it through iTunes like you normally would, though.

Is it safe? Just like ideabrian, I’d be extremely wary of scams. Amazon has a pretty good refund policy- I’ve never had to wait more than a week to get my money back. Ebay or craigslist, though? Not much there in the way of customer security. Paypal MIGHT help out, but I’ve heard mixed things on Consumerist.

The thing is, in order for someone to buy an iPhone 3G, they had to sign up for a 2 year commitment with AT&T in order to get the subsidized $199 price.

If they’re selling their iPhone 3G prior to the end of that commitment, then they’re still on the hook for meeting the obligations of the 2 year term, as well as for paying back the subsidy on the phone (like $300).

Of course, they might try selling the thing at a high enough price to make up the hit to their wallet, but then it’s not really gonna be a good deal for you.

So, if you’re looking to buy a used iPhone 3G (less than two months since their initial release), you better be very wary.