How to receive a phone lot so you can file a claim

Claims on phone lots often fail for a boring reason: the buyer can't prove what arrived. The boxes were opened, the units went into stock, and two weeks later someone notices a short count or a locked phone. By then there's no video, no IMEI list and no clean timeline.

A receiving routine fixes that. Here is the order that works, and the printable version is in the receiving checklist.

Start before you open the box

Film the sealed shipment. Every side of every outer box, the shipping label, any tape or seals. Say the lot ID out loud or hold it up on paper at the start of the video.

Look at the condition of each box and photograph anything crushed, wet, re-taped or torn. If a driver is still there and the box looks wrong, write that on the delivery receipt before you sign, and photograph the signed copy. Check the carrier's own rules for how they want damage noted.

Keep every box and label until the lot is closed out.

Count against the invoice, by model

Open one box at a time, on camera, with the box number visible. Count units and match them line by line to the invoice or packing list: model, storage, color. A total that looks right can hide two wrong models that happen to balance out.

Write the counts in a log as you go, not afterward. A simple spreadsheet works.

Match the IMEIs

This is the step most people skip and the one that matters most when something goes wrong.

For each phone, record the IMEI (and serial number for iPhones). Dial *#06# or check Settings, then compare three things: the number on your supplier's list, the number on the device and the number on the box. A mismatch between any two is worth a note.

Check for duplicates in the lot, and that every number is well formed: 15 digits with a valid check digit. That only catches typos and made-up numbers. It says nothing about whether a phone is clean.

Check lost or stolen status

Public tools let you look up an IMEI one at a time. Two common options are Swappa's IMEI check and the GSMA Device Check. GSMA says its Device Check is for registered users, so read its terms before you rely on it. Apple's Check Coverage tool asks for a serial number and tells you about coverage, not about theft.

Write down the result and time of every check, and screenshot anything blocked or unexpected. These databases can lag, and a phone that passes today can be flagged later, so the log is your record of what you knew at receiving. Don't script these sites.

Grade against the listing

Grading is where disputes get messy, because "Grade A" means different things to different sellers. Before you buy, get the supplier's grade definitions in writing. At receiving, write the scale at the top of the log and grade every unit against it.

Check the screen on and off, the body, the frame and the back glass. Power the phone on. Look for activation lock or a management profile, and note any unit you can't get past the setup screen. Test touch, cameras, speakers, microphone, charging, buttons and biometrics on a sample you choose in advance, and record battery health where the model shows it.

Take photos that hold up

For each problem unit: the front and back with the IMEI visible, a close-up of the defect, and a short video if the problem is functional. Name files so anyone can find them (LOT123_B2_U07_screen), keep timestamps on, don't edit the originals and back the folder up the same day.

Log every discrepancy

One line per problem: what the invoice said, what you found, which files prove it and when you found it. Add up the claim using the exact invoice prices.

Know when to make the call

Contact the supplier the same day for short counts, wrong models, IMEI mismatches, flagged or locked devices and grades below the listing. Send one message with the lot ID, invoice number, your discrepancy table and a link to the evidence. Say what you want: replacement, credit or refund.

Contact the carrier if the box itself was damaged or items are missing. Claim windows differ by supplier, carrier and payment provider, so read your own terms and the provider's current page.

Hold disputed units until the supplier answers. Reselling a phone you've said is defective makes the claim harder.

Next step

Shield is built for trade businesses that buy inventory. You can put inventory purchases on a Shield business credit card, and pay suppliers, including suppliers in China and Hong Kong, from a Shield account. Owners can live outside the US, with a US company. There are no upfront or subscription fees. When a claim comes up, you want proof of what arrived and proof of what you paid.