Buying a phone on ebay? Read this first!

If you are considering buying a phone on ebay, there are several things to consider before making the purchase. One consideration is whether or not the phone has water damage. The motorola razr and other phones (check your model) have a water detection sticker that turns red (or perhaps another color) when it is exposed to water, meaning that water at least got inside the battery compartment.

Ask the seller whether or not this sticker, if the phone as one, is activated. I made the mistake of buying the phone in the photo and it died soon after I bought it. Whether or not this was because of water damage, I don't know, but it would have been nice to get a refund for the phone in hind sight. Most sellers will likely exclude this information if the phone still works, thinking that their customer won't notice.