Greg's Corner

How to get the new iPhone without being ripped off

Yesterday at one of their annual events, Apple announced the upcoming release of the iPhone 11. While the new generation of iPhones aren’t that much different than the iPhone X, they are said to have better cameras and better battery life along with a faster processor. Apple even took a step that they don’t normally do by offering these devices at a lower price than their predecessor. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are being sold at prices of $699, $999, and $1,099 respectively for the base 64GB models. If you skipped the iPhone X this may be the time for you to pick up a new device. However, you shouldn’t let your eagerness for a new phone override your common sense when it comes to getting a deal.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3yIViqkmME%5D

As soon as new iPhones are announced, scammers are probably already looking to take your money or sell you knockoffs. The iPhone 11 does not officially go on sale online through Apple until this Friday. At 5am PT on the 13th, you’ll be able to order an iPhone 11 through Apple’s online store. Then the devices will be available through retail outlets come the 20th. While iPhones are still wildly popular, they don’t have the demand like they used to when people would camp out at Apple stores trying to get their hands on the limited supply. That doesn’t mean that scammers won’t try to make a buck off of you.

Often, scammers will post iPhones for sale claiming that they bought two by accident and are trying to get rid of one. Or they’ll say they bought one then got another one as a gift. These could be serious red flags when it comes to buying a new iPhone second hand. If you are going to buy an iPhone second hand, try to avoid the usual scams such as wiring money to the seller. If the seller can’t meet you at a local police station then the odds are pretty good you saved yourself from fraud.

If you miss out on the first round of orders from Apple, just be patient. After the hoopla dies down you’ll probably be able to get a decent deal from one of the top phone carriers as we get closer to the holiday season.