iPhone acting like an android

Hello,

I just bought a new phone from someone that has a valid MEID #. Apple and Verizon both said it's a valid MEID# but it's has a weird Apple App but has Google Play store. I saw another post from 2020 that had a similar thing happen and it was a fake iPhone. Has anyone else run into this? Was Facebook Marketplace or the police able to help retrieve the $ and find the person?