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i JUST BOUGHT this netbook from a thrift shop how can i tell if it's stolen?
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Check the serial number against a stolen goods database. This site claims to have the largest database of serial numbers available and they look pretty reputable:
www.tracechecker.com/
www.tracechecker.com/
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I don't know that there is a definitive way of telling if a gadget has been stolen or not, but there are a few things you can keep an eye out for, including the following:
1. When I get rid of gadgets, I like to wipe them clean. That doesn't mean that everyone feels this way, but I'd be wary of purchasing stuff with existing user accounts, aside from generically named account (i.e.- Guest, Admin, etc.)
2. I also don't like to buy used stuff without some or all of the original contents. No power cord...why not?
Other than that, just try and deal with people you trust. I've had friends that worked at pawn shops, and they get all sorts of hot gadgets coming through the doors.
Buyer beware, and I would apply this same sort of logic to any sort of secondhand gadget purchased from online stops such as ebay, craigslist, etc.
1. When I get rid of gadgets, I like to wipe them clean. That doesn't mean that everyone feels this way, but I'd be wary of purchasing stuff with existing user accounts, aside from generically named account (i.e.- Guest, Admin, etc.)
2. I also don't like to buy used stuff without some or all of the original contents. No power cord...why not?
Other than that, just try and deal with people you trust. I've had friends that worked at pawn shops, and they get all sorts of hot gadgets coming through the doors.
Buyer beware, and I would apply this same sort of logic to any sort of secondhand gadget purchased from online stops such as ebay, craigslist, etc.
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