Refurbished or "reconditioned" refers to a phone that has been returned, fixed, and polished to make it appear "like new." This typically indicates that the gadget is now in perfect working order and no longer has any issues. However, occasionally "refurbs" have problems. The warranty on a refurbished item is usually never as good, assuming it even has one. In addition, the construction quality might be lower because third-party replacement parts occasionally take the place of OEM parts in refurbs (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Additionally, refurbished objects have lower sale and resale values. A refurbished phone won't fetch the same price as one that is straight from the OEM if you ever decide to sell it on eBay or somewhere else. Check to see if a phone is a refurbished model before purchasing it or as soon as you receive one you ordered online. You can return an item and receive a full refund if the sale description did not specify that it was a refurbished item, or you can report fraud.