Have You Purchased a Used Smartphone?

Many of us have probably purchased or considered buying a used cell phone on www.craigslist.com or www.ebay.com but how do you make sure the phone is not stollen property.  As a child I was told that a "deal to good to be true is probably not true" but when faced with another two year service plan commitment to get an updated phone from my provider these used phones for sale online become really tempting.  On the flip side, I'm sure you or someone you know has also been the victim of a cell phone theft.  This is a fast growing crime that has plagued society and presented law enforcement with a new crime to fight.

Recently Apple has introduced its new iPhone 5 C line and the S model includes a fingerprint security system.  Experts say this is a step in the right direction towards protecting people from thieves who steal phones for resale on the black-market.  Read and listen to this story by NPR about the cell phone black-market problem.  However, what happens if it does not work perfectly and you can not get access to your phone?  Just thinking out-loud.

Have you had a phone stolen?  Have you purchased a used phone online?  Please share your experiences with this topic and what you have done to protect your own phone and/or to make sure what you purchased used was not stolen property.