How do I know a refurbished laptop is not stolen?

To make sure a refurbished laptop is not stolen, buy from an accountable source and verify its identity. A legitimate refurbisher sources from corporate fleets, leasing companies and authorised channels, keeps records, and issues a GST invoice in your name, which is itself proof of legitimate ownership. Before and after purchase: check that the serial number or service tag is present and untampered; ask the seller to confirm the unit is free of any corporate or activation lock; and on the device, confirm there is no BIOS password, no MDM/enrolment lock, and no iCloud Activation Lock on a Mac. You can also enter the service tag on the manufacturer's support site (Dell, HP, Lenovo) to confirm it is a real machine. Edify sources through verified channels, wipes and re-images every unit, and provides a GST-compliant invoice, so ownership is documented. A genuine seller will never hesitate to give you a proper bill.