UK-used phones are currently very popular in the Nigerian market and for good reason; they are relatively cheaper than their brand new versions. These UK-used phones are highly sought after because the devices still look new even though they have been used before so buying them gives one the feeling and satisfaction of purchasing a new phone for a really nice and economical amount of money.
Now, for the record, the term UK-used, of course, refers to items that have been used in the United Kingdom before being shipped to Nigeria for further use. However, Nigerians have bastardized the term especially when applying it to fairly used phones. This is because many Nigerians now refer to all fairly used phones as UK-used whether or not they are from the UK. Realize that not all the fairly used phones in the market are UK-used. Some of these phones have been used in the USA or Canada or even Norway, but because they are fairly used and still quite good-looking, they are generally referred to as “UK-used.”
In this post, we are going to tell you about the good and the bad sides of purchasing UK-used mobile devices. If you have been planning to get one of them for yourself, you might want to take a look at the following first.
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Why Nigerians Love UK-Used Phones
UK-used phones have become popular among Nigerians because with them you comfortably join the ‘Big Boys’ league with little financial stress.
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They Are Big Phones With Cheap Prices
Many Nigerians love big phones but don’t have enough money to buy them. This is where the UK-used phones come in handy. Usually when you go to the market and ask for UK-used phones, you will find big, sophisticated mobile devices which cost quite a little compared to how much they originally cost brand new. And since they still look quite new, many people make a rush for them.
Basically, when you think of UK-used phones, you have found a way to get a great phone for yourself without necessarily having to break the bank.
This pretty much all about the advantage of getting the UK-used phone for yourself.
What You Must Consider Before Buying A UK-Used Phone
Even though buying a UK-used phone means you’re saving quite a lot of money, there are some things you have to consider before rushing to buy them. Below are some of those things.
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You May Get Arrested
You stand a chance of getting arrested if you buy a UK-used phone. Yeah, you read that right; You might be arrested! This is especially bound to happen if you leave Nigeria and travel out to the UK, USA, South Africa Germany etc with the UK-used phone you have bought.
This awareness was spread recently in April this year (2018) by ACP Olatunji Disu, the commander in charge of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) unit of the Lagos State Police command.
The officer warned Nigerians to stop buying UK-used phones because they stand the risk of being jailed. He explained that most of these phones have been flagged off as stolen or used for fraud in the countries where they have been brought from. So if you buy the phone in Nigeria and take them to the countries where they have been flagged, you will be arrested that country for theft of fraud.
ACP Olatunji Disu also confirmed the recovery of such UK-used phones in the city of Lagos.
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They Don’t Come With Warranties
When buying a UK-used phone, just know that warranties are out of the question. This puts the buyer in a dilemma because you have no assurance that you can return the phone to the company if you find a fault with it after a while.
Now, the UK-used phone, as the name implies, has been used by someone before you and the person is not in the same location with you. So even if the warranty which was issued by company it was originally purchased from is still valid, you as the new buyer cannot use it to your advantage. Basically, if you buy a UK-used phone and find out that it has technical issues or factory damage after some time of usage, you will have yourself to blame and not even the retailers you bought it from will help you out.
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UK-Used Phones Never Come With Accessories
Now, this is one worrisome thing. You have to realize that when you buy a UK-used phone, you will also have to further proceed to buy the accessories that are supposed to originally with the device.
For instance, the UK-used phone does not come with earpieces, chargers or other items that are unique to it originally. This means that after buying the device, you will have to go about buying these accessories separately.
Sometimes the cost of buying these accessories separately is really annoying. So bear it in mind when you are buying your UK-used phone.
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Some UK-Used Phones Easily Develop Faults
Many people who have patronized UK-used phones in the past, have complained that they easily developed faults. Sometimes, while the physical appearance of the phones may look really great, they have some internal problems that can limit their performance.
So bear it in mind that if you’re not lucky, your UK-used phone may not last long at all even though it worked perfectly well during purchase.
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The UK-Used Phones May Have Been Stolen
This is one sad reality. There is every probability that the UK-used phone you are about to buy, has been stolen from their original owners. The truth is that hundreds of phones are now being stolen around the world. Phones would be stolen in one country and then get shipped cross to other counties for unsuspecting people to buy.
You stand a risk of being traced by authorities if you buy a UK-used phone that has been stolen from the original owner. The best way out is to make sure that you have been given a receipt after you make your purchase.
