Buying a used laptop on Facebook Marketplace: what to check before you pay

Questions to ask before you go

A few messages up front save a wasted trip:

• The exact model and processor. Ask for a photo of Settings > System > About, or the sticker on the bottom. "Core i5 laptop" could be from 2012 or 2022.
• Is the charger included? A laptop without its charger can't be tested, and a replacement adds cost.
• Has it been reset, or is it still signed in? Either is fine, but you'll want to be able to reach the Windows desktop or a fresh setup screen at the meetup.
• Will it be charged? Ask them to charge it fully in case there's no outlet where you meet.

Then do some homework on the model. If it has an Intel 8th-gen or newer processor, it can run Windows 11. If it's older, plan on Windows 10 with ESU until October 2027, or Linux after that, and price it accordingly. How to tell a laptop's age from its processor.

For price, search the model on eBay and filter by sold listings, which shows what it actually sells for. Also compare with a refurbished seller that includes a warranty. A Marketplace laptop should cost less than that, since you're taking on the risk.

Listing red flags

• The price is far below similar listings. There's usually a reason.
• "Forgot the password," "just needs a reset," or "no charger, can't test." You can't check anything, and a locked BIOS may never unlock.
• The seller wants a deposit, or offers to ship a local item. That's the most common scam setup on Marketplace.
• Several identical laptops from a new profile. Could be a legitimate reseller, could be trouble. Ask where they came from.
• Company or school asset tags with no explanation. More on that below.

For an older laptop, a model known for sturdy build and easy repairs makes a used buy less risky. That's one reason old ThinkPads and business models from Dell and HP tend to be safer buys than cheap consumer laptops.

Where to meet and what to bring

Meet in daylight, somewhere public, ideally with a table and an outlet, like a coffee shop or library. Many police departments run safe exchange zones for exactly this. In Topeka, the police department has offered a Safe Exchange Zone at the Law Enforcement Center, with cameras and officers nearby. Call ahead to confirm it's still set up before you go.

Bring:

• A USB flash drive, to test the USB ports.
• A USB stick with Linux Mint on it. If the seller can't sign in to Windows, you can still start the laptop from the stick and test Wi-Fi, sound, the screen, and the keyboard. My Linux guide shows how to make one.
• Your phone, to use as a Wi-Fi hotspot for testing.
• Earbuds with a headphone plug, if the headphone jack matters to you.

The 15-minute test

1. Look it over. Check the hinges, corners, and screen for cracks. If the case bulges, the touchpad sits higher than usual, or the lid won't close flat, the battery may be swelling. Walk away.
2. Plug in its charger and turn it on. Make sure the battery icon shows it charging.
3. Check the BIOS. Restart and tap the setup key: F1 on most ThinkPads, F2 on Dell and many others, F10 on HP. If it asks for a password the seller can't give you, stop here. The BIOS main screen also shows the processor, memory, and serial number, so compare them with the listing.
4. Get to Windows. You want the seller's desktop or a fresh setup screen. If setup asks for a work or school account, or you see "managed by your organization," it's still tied to a company. Pass.
5. Check the specs. Settings > System > About shows the processor and memory. Under Activation, Windows should say it's activated.
6. Check the battery. Open Command Prompt, run powercfg /batteryreport, and open the file it names. Compare Full Charge Capacity with Design Capacity. Above about 70% is fine. Lower means a new battery soon. Reading the battery report.
7. Check the drive. The Windows 11 health check or a portable copy of CrystalDiskInfo on your flash drive takes a minute. You want "Good." What the results mean.
8. Test the hardware. Open Notepad and press every key. Try the touchpad, and the TrackPoint on a ThinkPad. Open the Camera app. Play a video for sound. Connect to your phone's hotspot. Plug your flash drive into every USB port. Open a plain white web page and look for dead pixels or lines on the screen.

If something small fails, like one dead USB port or a worn battery, that's a price conversation, not necessarily a dealbreaker. A password prompt, a company lock, or a swollen battery is a dealbreaker.

Is it locked or stolen?

There's no public database where you can type in a laptop's serial number and see if it was stolen. What you can do is watch for the signs:

• A BIOS password nobody can give you. Business laptops often have one set by the company's IT department.
• A work or school sign-in during Windows setup, or a "managed by your organization" message. The laptop is still registered to its old owner's management system.
• Asset tags, engraving, or "Property of" stickers from a company, school, or government office. Businesses and schools do sell surplus laptops, often through auctions or recyclers, so a tag alone doesn't prove anything. Ask where it came from. A seller with a surplus receipt will usually say so.
• No charger and a vague story. On their own these mean little. Together with anything above, pass.

The maker's warranty lookup (Lenovo, Dell, and HP all have one) shows the ship date and warranty status from the serial number. It won't tell you who owns it, but it does confirm the model and age.

Paying safely

• Pay after the test, in person. Cash is simplest.
• Never pay a deposit to "hold" a laptop, and never pay for shipping on a local item.
• Know what isn't protected. Facebook's Purchase Protection only covers items bought through Facebook's own checkout, not local pickups paid in person. Payments through Zelle and similar apps are hard to get back once sent.
• Ignore emails about "upgrading" your payment app account to receive money. That's a scam.

When you get it home

1. Reset Windows. Go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC and choose Remove everything. You don't know what the last owner installed.
2. Run Windows Update until nothing's left.
3. Go through the first-48-hours checks in my refurbished buying guide. They work for any used PC.
4. Upgrade if it helps. If it has a hard drive, an SSD is the biggest improvement. Check which SSD it takes, then see the speed-up guide.