Technically, the TikTok ban is over, at least temporarily, but that doesn’t mean you can just go and download the app. The law stipulates TikTok is still persona non grata in the U.S., and despite now being operational again TikTok is still missing from app stores. And that’s causing some chancers to try and cash in.
Anyone that already has TikTok installed on their phone is still free to use it as they like. So, just as when Fortnite or Flappy Bird were delisted, people are trying to make a quick buck by selling TikTok-infused phones on eBay. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the prices weren’t so ludicrous.
We’re talking listings ranging from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand. A quick cursory glance shows me a huge range, and some of these listings don't seem too unreasonable — assuming they’re not an elaborate scam. An iPhone 11 for $200, or a Samsung Galaxy A54 for $250. Then there are the people trying to sell an iPhone 13 for $7,000, and an iPhone 16 for almost $5,000.
Flicking the listings to the highest price, and you have some ridiculous options that are either elaborate trolls or an attempt to exploit the dangerous combination of TikTok addiction and stupidity. An iPhone 14 Pro Max listed for almost a million dollars, or a Samsung Galaxy A14 with a starting bid of $500k (or a $1 million Buy it Now price).
Obviously a Samsung Galaxy runs on Android, which means you can sideload TikTok pretty easily, but that’s not the craziest thing about that listing. Despite listing a $200 phone for a million dollars, the seller still wants an extra $50 for shipping.
Despite listing a $200 phone for a million dollars, the seller still wants an extra $50 for shipping.
A lot of these absurdly-priced listings are coming from accounts with zero sales and no positive feedback. So they’re clearly not being listed in good faith. But there are still others that come from established accounts, some of which have more feedback than I do — and I’ve had an eBay account for almost 16 years.
9to5Mac notes that for iPhone users, buying a used phone with TikTok isn’t the worst way to go. If the seller has TikTok downloaded, those apps should remain in place when the buyer logs into their own Apple ID on the phone — so long as they don’t restore any cloud backups. Though there’s an obvious security risk for the seller, since they aren’t wiping their phone first.
Though to be perfectly honest, if you’re that obsessed with getting access to TikTok I wouldn’t be buying an overpriced iPhone. Just buy one of the best phones under $300, all of which are Android, and sideload it. Or alternatively, just use your web browser.
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