If you’ve spent five minutes scrolling through tech news or social feeds lately, you’ve probably seen the headlines. People are supposedly selling used iPhones on eBay for the price of a mid-sized sedan just because they have TikTok installed. It sounds like one of those weird internet fever dreams, right? Well, it’s real—sort of.
The phenomenon of the tik tok phone ebay craze kicked off in early 2025 when the app briefly vanished from the Apple and Google app stores due to federal mandates. Even though a 75-day extension was eventually granted, the app stayed off the official download shelves for a while. This created a panic. People who had deleted the app or bought new phones suddenly couldn't get it back.
Enter the "entrepreneurs."
The $50,000 iPhone? Let’s be real.
Honestly, if you see a listing for an iPhone 14 Plus priced at $10,000 because it has TikTok, you’re looking at bait. It’s market manipulation 101. Sellers list these things at astronomical prices to generate "sold" listings that look impressive, but half the time, these sales never actually close. They’re "Best Offer Accepted" situations where the actual price could have been $400, or just fake accounts bidding on each other’s stuff to create hype.
It’s exactly like the Flappy Bird saga from 2014. Remember when people thought their iPad minis were worth a fortune because they had a pixelated bird game? Same vibe. Most of these high-priced listings are just people hoping to find one "whale" who doesn't know how to use a VPN.
Why people are actually buying (and selling)
For some, it’s a weird collector’s thing. For others, it’s pure desperation to stay connected to their audience. But buying a tik tok phone ebay special is a logistical nightmare.
Think about it: to keep the app, the seller can’t factory reset the phone. If they wipe the device, TikTok is gone. This means you’re essentially buying a phone that still has a stranger’s digital ghost in it. Sure, they might sign out of iCloud, but a phone that hasn't been properly wiped is a security disaster waiting to happen. You don’t know what’s buried in the file system.
The massive security risk nobody mentions
Cybersecurity experts like Paul Kenir have been waving red flags about this for months. If you buy a phone that isn't factory reset, you’re trusting a stranger not to have installed a keylogger or some weird tracking software.
And if you’re the seller? You’re even more at risk. To leave the app on the phone, you have to manually delete your photos, messages, and saved passwords one by one. You will miss something. There are forensic tools that can recover deleted data from a device that hasn't been fully wiped. You’re basically handing over your digital life for a couple thousand bucks. Not exactly a great trade.
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The "Workarounds" that make these phones worthless
Here is the kicker: you don’t actually need a special "TikTok phone" from eBay.
- Sideloading: On Android, it’s as simple as finding a reputable APK.
- The Browser: You can literally just go to tiktok.com on Safari or Chrome. It’s not the same as the app, but it’s definitely not worth $5,000.
- Foreign App Stores: If you have an Apple ID registered in a different country (like Canada or Mexico), you can often still download it.
The "scarcity" is artificial. It’s a bubble built on the fact that the average person doesn't want to mess with their phone settings.
What to do if you’re actually looking for a phone
If you really need a device and you’re looking at eBay, just buy a normal used phone. Check the IMEI. Make sure the seller has a 99% or higher rating. If the listing mentions "TikTok installed" in the title and the price is $200 higher than the market average, keep scrolling. You're being taxed for an app you can technically get yourself with ten minutes of googling.
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Don't fall for the FOMO. These listings are basically the 2026 version of Beanie Babies—lots of noise, very little actual value.
Actionable steps for buyers and sellers
If you are determined to engage with the tik tok phone ebay market, follow these strict rules to avoid getting burned:
- For Buyers: Never buy a phone that hasn't been factory reset unless you plan to use it as a secondary, "offline" device for content creation only. Never log into your primary bank accounts or personal email on a device that came pre-loaded with apps from a stranger.
- For Sellers: If you are trying to cash in on the hype, use a "Buy It Now" price with immediate payment required. Auctions are currently being flooded by non-paying bidders and "troll" accounts that bid $50,000 just to mess with the algorithm.
- Verify the Version: Check which version of the app is installed. If it’s an old, buggy version from 2024, it might not even support the newer 2026 creator tools, making the "premium" you paid totally useless.
- Check the Battery: A lot of these "TikTok phones" are old iPhone 11s or 12s pulled out of junk drawers. Ensure the battery health is above 85% before dropping any serious cash.
The hype is mostly smoke and mirrors. Stay safe, keep your data private, and remember that no app is worth compromising your financial security.