Mythbuster: IMEI Blocking cannot Protect your Lost Phone
The following is a precautionary issue for our readers and subscribers.
From multiple sources, online and offline, we recently came to know about a common illegal trend that is afoot in several cities in India and is gaining momentum with time. Here’s a recap of a news related to this trend:
A software engineer was apprehended by Mumbai police officials for changing the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of mobile handsets. The accused is known to run a mobile store, and to have performed similar modifications on several handsets before he was caught red-handed by the police. He was charged under various sections of Information Technology Act. Changing or tampering with the IMEI number of a device is considered unlawful. You can read more about this news here
Now, Why Are We Informing Our Readers About This?
The IMEI number is a unique number assigned to your phone by its manufacturer. This number is used by GSM networks to identify your device.
Why is IMEI Number Important?
– When a mobile device is lost or stolen, its IMEI number can be blacklisted by the service provider to prevent the device from connecting to any network. [The deployment of this service depends on the operator’s discretion, and its availability in the country of residence]
– The IMEI number might come in handy for the police to trace lost or stolen phones to their original owners.
– Discourages sale of lost or stolen phones as legal secondhand devices.
But IMEI Number can be Changed by Easily Available Equipment
Blocking the IMEI number of a stolen device won’t help if the number itself gets changed after theft.
So, in a scenario like this, IMEI blocking is of no help in protecting lost or stolen mobile devices from being misused or resold as second hand equipment. A better alternative would be a mobile tracker that can show the device’s location on a map. An added advantage would be a feature that can allow users to remotely lock their phone and protect its files and other information from being misused.
Quick Heal Mobile Security products have been designed keeping in mind the risk of mobile theft and loss. Its anti-theft technology lets you:
1. Remotely lock your phone
2. Remotely erase its data
3. Track its location on a map
4. Capture audio and video of the phone’s surrounding area
5. Receive notifications if the SIM of the lost phone is changed
Learn more about the above features that can help protect your phone.
To conclude, there are many websites that claim to track lost devices through their IMEI numbers. IMEI locking is a procedure that involves the law and enforcement and cannot be carried out merely with the help of the Internet.
140 Comments
thank you
sir
i alert
it’s all available in Google Default Android software
in google setting -> Android Device Manager -> just activate (Allow Remote Lock And Erase Option) & (Remote Locate Device)
no need any other software Needed….
What if the stolen devic is formatted after stealing… then the anti theft software will not be able to hep either… correct???
Hi Rohit,
There are several ways a mobile device can be formatted. One method is the factory resetting the phone. Mobile anti-theft feature lets you remotely lock your phone and prevents factory reset. Other methods can also be used for formatting the device, controlling which is virtually impossible of any security app.
Regards,
Sir my Samsung device got stolen. I made mobile tracking service and GPS location ON, which is the facility of Samsung. My questions are, can thief change the IMEI no.? Can he deactivate/remove the mobile tracking service provided by samsung? How police will find my mobile if IMEI number got change? What will be solution of finding my phone? Please suggest some solution. Thank you.
Hi Bhushan,
As mentioned in the post, yes, IMEI number can be changed. The inbuilt mobile tracking service provided by Samsung cannot be removed as easily as removing a mobile app. Deactivating the service also requires user sign in. Also, if your SIM card gets replaced, Samsung tracker will send an SMS notification to your alternate number(s). If you have received any such SMS, the police can help you trace the owner of the SIM card. We also advise you to request your phone carrier to block the SIM card.
Regards,
To whom it may corncern,
If i was to access the phone completely I would wipe the phone from boot menu in android…root the device and change my imei (available with 3rd party apps)…
The thief gets full access
can anyone hack a phone with IMEI no. or with IP address..?? and can the person also hack our accounts with this no.’s?
Hi Anup,
Hacking a phone or account using IMEI is something unheard of; although there are sites that claim to provide software that can hack phone with IMEI number, email address of the user, phone number, and other info. But the genuineness of these sites is questionable.
Regards,
Thanking You………………………………
Which mobile or application provide service for IMEI No. changing?
Please ans. me trough e-mail ID!
Hi,
As we have mentioned, changing IMEI numbers is illegal and as recent cases have shown, the police has arrested people who have been caught doing the same. We strongly recommend that you do not consider changing IMEI numbers.
Regards.
awesome app
What if some one hard reset the device?
Hi Yashpal,
There are several ways mobile devices can be wiped off clean of all their data and apps. Most of the times, unscrupulous people who steal or find lost phones try to do this via the mobile. Having a mobile security app installed on your phone, it can help you lock the phone so that it becomes unusable. Location tracking and remote data wipe are other facilities that mobile security apps provide.
Regards,
sooo.. if someone steals my note 4 pulls the sim and factory resets it while at my house before i even know its missing im pretty much beat for a phone and some loser is now using it as his own and i cant track it all i can do is blacklist it?
appreciable information. will be used shortly .thanks a lot .
misuse of the system must be strictly stopped,by strict rules. Govt.should take immediate step.
my Pc is infected with some GOsave virus that keep on showing ads , how i remove it , i am using original quickheal but it wont repair it
Hi Prashant,
In order to resolve this issue, we recommend that you get in touch with our support center. You can contact them on 0-927-22-33-000 or submit a ticket by visiting this link – https://www.quickheal.co.in/submitticket. Our technical help team will solve this issue for you.
Regards.
Well good information … but tell me 1 simple thing.. the person who steals it… and is capable of changing the IMEI number …wont he be able to format the phone? thats the 1st thing the person will plan to get it done.. as they are smart enough to understand that rest to factory settings wont just work…
And it is also easy to flash the factory ROM or custom rom wiping out all the apps / data … etc from the original environment..
how can 1 software of yours protect a phone in that situation?
Hi Amit,
Given the advanced age of technology that we are in, there are several illegal procedures that criminals can perform on stolen or lost mobile devices, and changing IMEI number is one of the many techniques. Our intention behind this post was to inform people who think that IMEI blocking is an effective way to make a lost/stolen phone useless, which is the not the case. Hence, we highlighted the features of Quick Heal mobile app that can not only lock a lost phone but track its location as well. Remote data wipe also comes in handy if the user fears about misuse of their data.
Now, coming to wiping devices clean of all data and apps, as mentioned before, several methods exist for doing so. While it is virtually impossible to tackle each of these methods, at Quick Heal, we try to do our best to protect our consumers devices as far as possible. Wearing a seat belt and driving cautiously are the only precautions you can take when you hit the road, but you might agree that other elements such as weather conditions, how others drive, traffic signals, etc., are surely not under our control.
And as you have noticed, we have not deleted your comment. You are our reader, and we appreciate your readership and feedback.
Regards,
My phone just got stolen and we have people changing imei in our country for stolen phone,i reported it to the police and just need to know if there is another way that the police can recover my phone wihout using imei
Hi Leni,
You did the right thing by registering your complaint at the police station. We would advise to followup with them regularly to know the status of your phone recovery.
If your phone has an anti-theft feature installed in it, then might be able to track it. And if you phone is an Android, you can use the Android Device Manager.
>> https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
Regards,
Nice
Dear Reader,
You might be very brilliant in developing different kinds of software which will prevent misuse of your Device. But let me inform you that there is many numbers of mobile engineers, who can hard reset your devices, once it resets all the software installed will be wiped out from the mobile even settings also. at that time no software will help you to remote your device.
in that case, what can we do if our phone is lost or stolen?
Hi Lokesh,
There are several ways in which crooks can wipe mobile devices clean of all their data and information. As we learn more about these techniques, we work on implementing a counter solution. But we cannot ignore the technical limitations that come across us. Our intention is to protect our consumers’ devices as far as possible. Having said that, the primary protection starts at the mobile owner’s hand. If they are careful enough with their devices, none of these issues or doubts would ever arise.
Regards,
thanks for giving this information,hope your product will solve the issue.
had very limited knowledge about above mentioned illegal activities ….thanks for informing us…..hope your product is well designed and competent enough to stop this menace.
Thank you sir.
I have installed QUICKHEAL on my mobile, but could not locate the mobile on maps on my Laptop. Quick heal claims a lot, but delivers little – very look disappointing.
Hi Sudheer,
Before we develop a feature or a product and release it, it is tested extensively and on all kinds of devices. However, as is the case with almost all forms of technology or hardware, sometimes it just doesn’t work. There are multiple reasons for such instances. We suggest you try this feature again. Also ensure that your GPS and data connection is switched on and the anti-theft feature is enabled in your settings. If you send a text – TRACE ‘your password’ – to your device from another device, you will receive your devices connection within seconds. If your RDM account is activated, then you can achieve this by going to LOCATE and then clicking on Trace Device. Hope this helps and you are able to make use of this feature successfully.
Regards.
Thanx for usefull information
Hi
I lost my note 2 in airport (kerala).
I want to know that how can we trace it using imei if the theif take it to any other country?
can we trace it or its imei while connected to wifi?
plz replay me
Hi Alisha,
As far as we know, the facility of IMEI number tracking is not available in India. But, you can contact with your telephone service provider to get a better clarity on this.
Regards,
Sir, I have lost my mobile phone on dated 25.10.14. The IMEI No. is 911209201275240. Please help me to get my mobile back.
Hi Govind,
Have you tried contacting your telephone carrier regarding the issue? We would also recommend you to block the SIM card, and register an FIR at the police.
Regards,
my samsung galexy s5 phone has been stolen by theft.
i want to ask you that it easy to change imei number of galexy s5.
or it will be complicated to change.
& what are the possibilities to recover device.
Thanks
Hi Shashi,
We would recommend you to lodge a police complaint, place a request to block the SIM, and use Android Device Manager to see if ypou can track your device’s location or lock it remotely. As far as IMEI number is concerned, you can contact you service provider to inquire if it is possible for them to track your device using its IMEI number.
Regards,
dear sir,
my phone stolen from bus stand 2 months ago. i went to police station and lodge the FIR but all in vain.
my device name is samsung galaxy note 3.
and device imei is 351540060634060.
police officer unable to find my phone.
i have no idea how to find my device and where to go.
in your post your write imei change is possible.
what if someone stole the device and change the imei no.
it is difficult to find my device then
Hi Chirag,
Yes, IMEI number can be changed. However, even if it is not, it is most unlikely that service in India have the IMEI number tracking facility. You can contact your service provider to know more about this. Also, you can use Android Device Manager to see if you can track your device’s location.
Regards,
Hi Rajibji,
New Year Greetings!!!
Thanks for your support and sharing the info…
My Samsung Galaxy Mega GT 19152 was stolen De 22′ 2014.
Have already lodged the FIR at nearest POlice station.
What i want to know is there any web site wherein i am able to track the handset with the help of IMEI number or any other info.
My SIM is been blocked.
Checked with Android Device Manager in which last Locator is Dec 21st 2014.
Does it probably means that my Device is still not activated by third person?
another thing is that Android device have the facility of Screen lock incase if i have the screen lock will it be possible for theft or third person to operate the device.
Would request if you could reply only on my ID.
Thanks in advance
Regards
Jaz
Hi Jaz,
It is most unlikely that an official website for IMEI tracking is available, at least for devices used in India. Also, if the last located time is Dec 21st, 2014, it is probable that the Internet connectivity on your device is deactivated. And if your device’s screen was locked when you lost it, it won’t be possible for anyone to use it unless they know the unlock code.
Regards,
I Lost my moblie Jan 5 2015.I want to track the mobile.but android device manager NOT view the location
Hi Vignesh,
We request you to contact our technical support team as they will be able to help you out with this matter. You can reach them on 0-927-22-33-000 or you can submit a ticket by visiting this link – https://www.quickheal.co.in/submitticket.
Regards.
HIII
I JUST WANT TO NO CAN SIM NUMBER BE HACKED FOR GETTING INCOMING CALL DETAIL OR IS THERE ANY KIND OF SOFTWARE WHICH CAN HACK ANY MOBILE EITHER ENDROID OR SYMBIAN CAN WE LISTEN LIVE CALL CONVERSATION ON A PERTICULLER NUMBER
Is there any other way to track stolen device if original IMEI is change to another IMEI? If yes then how handset can be tracked
Hi Raj,
No there is no other way. However, as far as we are aware, even IMEI tracking is a feature that is not available in India at present.
Regards.
Hi Sir,
My phone is lost. It was a windows phone (Nokia Lumia). The police has traced IMEI No. to a family, who apparently sent their phone for repair and probably the repair agent has changed the IMEI no. of their phone with ours. Both the phones did not have any mobile locator app installed. In this case, can we blame the family? How can I find my phone?
Hi Pam,
In this case, I believe you should first have a word with the family. Only then will you be able to judge whether they are a part of this process or if they are inadvertent victims. Once that has been deducted, the repair agent should be held culpable and responsible for the same.
Best regards.
sir my micromax canvus juice androde phone was stolen , can we remove my datas at galary with any type ? can we lock my phone with IMEI No.
Please tell me frequently .
Hi Kundan,
We recommend you to visit the below link. Using Android Device Manager, you can lock, track and erase your phone’s data:
https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
Regards,
Hi sir,
I am using micro max a176 mobile. I taken it all most 3 months.
Recently mobile performance is dull. So i done format in settings.
Unfortunately that time imei number is gone. Its showing invalid imei number.
So how i am get my imei number. I approached service center but they are saying its an additional charge of 700 rupees. So is there any way to get my imei number with out approaching service center.
Hi Ravikumar,
It is not possible to remove an IMEI number simply by formatting your phone’s settings. We advise you to dial *#06# on your phone and recheck if it’s showing the IMEI number. If it’s still showing invalid, then you might have to get this fixed at an authorized service center. However, if you are able to use your phone without any problems in calls, SMSs or Internet, then you can ignore the issue with the IMEI number.
Regards,
Sir,
I have lost my Gionee Elife E7 mini at Kota(Raj) railway station,on 4 Mar 2015.
And have done all the formalities,also used the android device manager all in vein. But android device manager shows the last update of 4 mar 2015 only. Now what should i do. Please help me,is there any way to find out the phone with IMEI number or to operate the GPS with IMEI number so that android device manager could work for it. Or any other way to know the location.
Please don’t give any suggestion for any operator/police they are complete idiots.
Gionee Elife E7 Mini
M_IMEI: 864141020551062
S_IMEI: 864141021351066
Why doesn’t the Phone company help the buyer to atleast lock n locate the phone,if we have paid them big amount,from our small earning. Doesn’t they have any liability for there customers who are relying on them by purchasing there products.
If you could help me please.
Hi Rahul,
We are sorry to learn about this misfortune of yours. For the Android Device Manager to work, the phone must be ON and connected to the Internet, which in your case, seems to be not. IMEI tracking is not available in India as of now. However, your operator would be the best source for help because they can track the coordinates of your phone. So, approaching them is advisable.
Regards,
Regards,
Dear Sir,
My mobile was stolen on 9-Dec-14 & now Police are saying that even if the IMEI number is changed, it gets automatically reset after 3 months. So nothing to worry about. Is it? Please guide.
Thanks in advance.
Yogesh
Hi Yogesh,
Presently, IMEI tracking facility is not available in India. A better step to take would be getting in touch with your network service provider to block the SIM card and also know if they can help you track your device.
Regards,
i lost my mobile
i have a qestion that does the changed imei no. provide the same information of the phone that the previous ieme no. used to
Hi,
The IMEI number is an information in itself. It does not provide any other additional information.
Regards,
Dear Sir,
Why cant you go for “Factory Reset Protection” in android app that is what provided by iOS which significantly reduced theft of apple mobiles.That will give extra layer of protection!
My smart phone had been stolen by someone . How to look for it.
Hi Brajesh,
You can try the ‘Find your Android’ method mentioned in this blog post – https://bit.ly/1ccfifJ. Also, did you have Quick Heal installed on the device?
Regards.
what if the person who stole my phone logs out my google id, will android manager able to track it down//? also can he root the phone to get superuser access and delete samsung tracking app? will company be able to track him? can imei tracking work at this point?
Hi Soubhagya,
If the person logs out of your Google ID, Android manager will still be able to track it down. However, a skilled person can in fact root the device and deactivate the Samsung tracking app. At this point, IMEI tracking can still work as that is related to the hardware of the device. All other apps can be disabled in some way.
Regards.
Sir, I have lost my mobile phone in train . so I want to erase or block the data else phone is itpossible to do so.. Help me plseec
Hi Sumit,
You can lock and erase your phone using any one of the below methods:
1. Using Android Device Manager – Visit this link https://www.google.co.in/android/devicemanager and follow the instructions.
2. If your device has Quick Heal Mobile Security – Simply send the following message from any mobile to the lost mobile.
>> BLOCK antitheft-password (For example – BLOCK XXXXXXXXXX)
To erase your phone’s data, send the below message to the lost phone:
>> WIPE antitheft-password (For example – WIPE XXXXXXXXXX)
Regards,
Im using the note3 phone my qtn is,how should i know my imei number is tracked y the cops is there any notification i can recieve in my phone so that i can ubderstand the cops are tracking me?
pls help me sir my mob is missing pls deactive imei number
Hi,
We recommend you to call your network provider to block the SIM card. If you have Quick Heal in your lost phone, then follow the below mentioned steps.
To lock your phone, send the below SMS to it from another phone:
BLOCK antitheft_ password (For example – BLOCK XXXXXXXXXX)
To get the device’s location, send the below SMS
TRACE antitheft_ password (For example – TRACE XXXXXXXXXX)
To wipe all data on your phone, send the below SMS
WIPE antitheft_ password (For example – WIPE XXXXXXXXXX)
For further assistance, please follow https://bit.ly/QHSupport >> Chat with Us
Regards,
I lost my New Iphone 6. I puschase from the shop and was going home and it has been stolen in train. No sim card was inserted it was brand new can we track the phone and how i can claim that it was my phone can company help me for the same.
Hi Sid,
The best step we would recommend is to contact your local law enforcement agency to report it. Unfortunately, other than the Find My iPhone and Find My Mac apps, there is no other Apple service that finds, tracks, or otherwise flags your device for you.
Regards,
Dear RusselGuiñarez,
thank you for your message.
I understand that your phone was stolen and you would like to locate it. Sorry to hear that!
Have you already blocked your phone with the IMEI? Unfortunately you can only block your phone with the IMEI, not locate it.
If the service Find My Phone doesn’t work, it means that your phone is either inactive or someone has changed the Microsoft account.
Kind regards,
DIPAK KANTILAL PATEL’
Hi Sir,
I have lost my Motorola X smart phone at IGI airport in a Taxi. The details are as shown below :
Motorola X Mobile Number : +919873380396
IMEI N# : 353217051282435
FIR LR No. 871781/2015
SO No : 430/2014 Delhi Police
Address : Vikram Vishnu PM
House no 34/06 U Block
Third Floor, DLF Phase 3
Gurgaon : 122002
Email : Vikram.vishnupm@gmail.com
Please take my request into consideration.
Thanks & Regards,
Vikram Vishnu PM
+919873380396
Hi Vikram,
We are sorry to learn about your misfortune. We would recommend you to file a complaint with your local police station.
Regards,
Hi,
I lost my SAMSUNG NOTE3 3 months back and i logged a police complaint, they are not helping to find my mobile and i have contacted the mobile operator, they are saying they will not help on this regard, i have tried android device manager, but it says the mobile location is unknown, further there is one message as below
This device still has full account access, with no Google Account activity in the past 28 days. If you’re not currently using this device or you’ve reset it, you should remove its account access.
Is it possible to find the mobile, please help, appreciate your help.
Regards,
Nagarajan.R
Hi Nagarajan,
It seems that you have tried all the possible steps to locate your device. We suggest you remove the account access for this device from your Google account as soon as possible. Finally, only the police would be able to help you with this matter. There is not much else that can be done by other authorities. Unfortunately, your device may be irrecoverable already. So we also suggest that you change all your passwords.
Best Regards.
Sir I have a doubt if imei is changed than its possible to track phone..I lost my Samsung galaxy grand 2.. Bt I don’t use any security
Hi Anubhav,
In India, tracking a lost phone via its IMEI number is not available as of now.
Regards,
Sir i lost my new smartphone lenovo a6000 plus,it was not having any simcard in it, i lodged a complaint in police station can it be traced without simcard??? can i be able to get it back???
waiting for your reply…..
Hi Swapnil,
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your phone could be traceable now. Hopefully, the Police helps you with it.
Regards,
dear sir. i lost my iphone 5 this morning.
i want to erase my contacts .
with in one hr of loss, i went to mobile network office n complained . i think they blocked.
now i doubt if all my contacts frm sim n phone r erased r not .
please help me
Hi Sekhar,
May be this will help – https://support.apple.com/kb/PH2701?locale=en_US
Regards,
sir i stolen my samsung phone and i think the theif is changed my mobile imei number so now how is possible to i get back my stolen mobile? plz sir help me
Hi Abhishek,
Using the Android Device Manager may help you track your lost phone’s location. Please click on this link https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager and login with the same ID and password which you used to login to Google Play account on your phone.
Regards,
Can a thief who stole my phone use or browse the files in the phone even after it is blocked with the IMEI number?
Hi Reju,
If your phone is locked, then there is no way for anyone to browser through you files.
Regards,
hi Rajibji, please help me..
i have downloaded Quick heal app in my tab. after that i took the same app to my another mobile through xender app.
the problem is, when i took out the 2 sims from my tab and put it im ny phone, i found that in both my tab and phone , it’s showing..
“hello, this device is secured using anti-theft. In case you find this device, please contact the number(s) below”
It’s asking for password. plzzz help me. my both phones got locked .
Hi Tuhin,
Thanks for writing in. Our support team can help you with this:
1. Kindly submit your query at https://bit.ly/Askus
2. You can also contact them at 0-927-22-33-000
3. Alternatively, you can chat with our engineers by visiting https://bit.ly/QHSupport
Regards,
I LOST MY MOBILE… IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.HOW CAN I GET BACK???? PLZ TELL ME SIR.
Hi Uday,
We would recommend you to report it to a local police station.
Regards,
Thank you for the info, but I have a quick question,
I live in Canada,my phone service provider is a local Canadian company. Sadly My phone was stolen by someone whom I know. He took the phone with him to Ethiopia (in Africa). Now I called my service provider company to block the IMEI and they blocked it. My question is, can the person able to use the phone with another service provider in Ethiopia?
Thank you again
Hi Abebe,
If the IMEI is blocked, then it is unlikely that the phone will be usable. For a phone to be able to connect to a service, it needs to have an active IMEI.
Regards,
my friend lost his android phone in Delhi when he was going back to nigeria as he lives in Nigeria and he buy the phone from Nigeria and he doesnt know his imei numnber and his service provider is in nigeria and the phone is off and what if theif has reset his phone???…….can we locate his phone in delhi???…….
My sister’s phone got stolen. What are the chances of getting it back. I’ve already filed and FIR. The phone has pattern lock and the phone cannot be reset via recovery (I’ve tried before). My cousin also lost his phone a year and a half ago still police haven’t found it
Hi Kunal,
If you have some kind of anti-theft functionality set up and can track the phone down, then you can use this information and share it with the local police to find your phone. Without such features, it is very hard to locate a phone.
Best Regards.
hello sir
my nexus 5 got stolen and police not helping me, can LG company track my phone i complain but the police didn’t give me The FIR the police can’t report an FIR against the Stolen Mobile? if there is any site of app can help me please suggest me the app or site or give me some suggestion for finding my phone , and i also use the Android Device Manger but that not help me much
Hi Ankit,
We are sorry to hear that you lost your phone. Ideally, your local police station should have no problem in filing a report for this loss. Please approach them again and convince them to do the same. With the FIR you can approach LG or your network service provider to help you with locating your lost phone. However, there are very few cases where stolen phones are successfully retrieved.
Regards.
Is it possible for indian police to track a phone if it is send out of india?
Hi Shobhit,
Unfortunately, we cannot comment on this. We do not know whether the police would be able to track a phone in this manner. You will need to contact your service provider for an answer to this.
Regards.
Dude I have a different story, my mobile got stolen yesterday and today means on 11/25/2015 I checked the ad on olx. And it was the same as I had , same back cover, same way of putting tampered glass, everything looks like mine, I went to the person to meet , he was nevous and when I checked the imei no. It was showing like a barcode imei no or something like intentionally changed, the bill was fake, there were 4 people to sell the phone and every one looking like a theft or terrorist, they were nevous becasu I was keep asking that this is not the original type of showing imei.
He has shown the bill n box , don’t know what should I do but I really believe it’s mine, I was not able to do anything because I do not have any proof.
The price shown the bill is not the original price though… It was never sold in that less price.
My hard earnings gone and I can’t do anything but 99% that was mine phone, because ad got posted on same day in night.
Looks like a gang is working…
Hi Jaspreet,
Thank you for sharing your experience. This will be useful for other people facing the same situation. We hope that going forward some method can be discovered through which a phone can be identified in a better manner.
Regards.
Sir,
I have lost my Mi4i mobile recently. I have MIE number, pls help me ti recover my mobile.
Hi,
We are sorry to learn about your misfortune. We’d recommend you to file a complaint with your nearest police station. Also, you must get the SIM card blocked at the earliest.
Regards,
hello! quick heal team
I am a shopkeeper & a sealed micromax phone is stolen from the shop of my rack.
I have its bill with its IMEI, nothing else, even the seal was not broken. that means total loss, can I have some solution?
sir my Samsung ph was stolen .I did pattren lock on it .is they can see or misuse my data
.
Hi Shahvez,
It will be hard for them to get through the lock and see the contents on your device. However, they could format the phone and then erase all the data on it and restore it to factory settings before accessing it.
Regards.
Sir, sum 1 Stole my Samsung E7 cell as I was travelling in a bus last 2 days ago I want my cell back I had registered a police complaint nd also blockd mah card bt I dnt understand how to get it back bcoz the theif might have already formated my cell .I really need it back plz help!
search by using 9025779249 no in FACEBOOK ,one phone image with IMEI NO will be shared in that on timeline:u just share ,pls forward that in your frds list ,to find my mobile.,kindly help me,dont comment
else ,if you know any frds around you is in network providers pls kindly track the imei no
I lost my CELKON Q455 MOBILE phone Anroid ,i want you to track using service provider network
pls kindly help me IMEI NO:911389650776151/IMEI NO:911389650776169
Hi…Sir my phone. .is missing. .Pl block. .my ime code
Hi Ramachandra,
We’d suggest you to file a complaint at your location police station, and have your SIM blocked with the help your telephone service provider.
Regards,
Hi Sir,
I find a thread on xda, on that there is an app called imei changer,apk which is a module of xposed installer, can easily change any imei if the phone is rooted.
So, my question is, if the thief change the imei of my phone, will the police able to find my lost phone using the orginal imei.
plz let me know asap.
Hai,
i lost my oneplus one phone. the phone has provide cynogen protection also. does the thief change imei number. any way to get it back with the help of cybercell?
Hi Arjun,
The bitter truth is, the chances of finding lost cell phones always remain bleak. You can try the Android Device Manager to see if you can trace its location. Please visit https://www.google.co.in/android/devicemanager
About the IMEI, even if it is not changed, currently there is no system in the country that helps users locate their phone via the IMEI number.
Regards,
Is it illegal if i try to recover my original imei number which i lost during flashing a rom. I will use the imei number from my device box if a method is available.
Hi Sir
I lost my phone please help me to track my phone. .. I launched the complaint already … is there any way to find my mobile. .. or any paid services if you know…..
Regards
Hi Shivansh,
If the lost phone is an Android, then you can use the Android Device Manage to try to locate its position. Please visit https://www.google.co.in/android/devicemanager
Regards,
Hi Rajib,
I know for sure they stole my phone to play with the data in the phone. Voice recordings, pics etc. Those are my personal data for a purpose.
I have a screen lock and Imei code.
I Immediately, got a new sim for the same number. Now, I dont want these guys to open and use data wrongly, including all of the contact nos. and sms etc.
I tried Android- Device manager ——-It says Only ” ENABLE, LOCK AND ERASE” – I Clicked and it said request sent to lock and erase.
I Believe my phone is switched off. I have a new phone where my new sim is functioning.
I dont want anyone to play with the data in my old MI 4W pHONE. pLEASE ADVICE !!
Thanks for your guidance in advance!
Shaan
Hi Shaan,
As you have mentioned that your phone is password protected. Given this, it is highly unlikely that they would be able to access the data present in the device. We would recommend you to try the Android Device Manager once a day to see if it able to erase the data on your phone.
Regards,
Hi
I have stolen my iPhone 6S Plus, my question is can anyone change the IMEI number and if he/she change the IMEI phone will run or apple inc. can lock that device permanently from their end if I write an email to them with the invoice and IMEI number.
Please advise me accordingly so that I can take further action.
Regards
Hi Robiul,
Yes, IMEI number can be changed. However, it is highly unlikely that the company can provide any help in blocking the lost or stolen device. We would recommend you to lodge a police complaint about this.
Regards,
Sir,
I misplaced my motto g2.i thought I placed it in my home but now it’s missing.i don’t know when I lost it bcos I changed my mobile 4 months back.my google account showed that my phone was inactive.can the phone be accessed without the third person knowing the password
Hi Rajib,
My iPhone 6s got stolen and is turned off since then. I have given the IMEI number to the surveillance so that they are able to track it. Is their any chances that the thief can change its IMEI number without turning it on ?
Hi Vedantsah,
We would recommend you to have a word with Apple’s Customer Care (https://support.apple.com/en-in/contact); they would be able to provide you with the accurate information on the query you have.
Regards,
Thank you for your informative article, Rajib. I’m about to head into the 2nd hand market, here in Malaysia, and am wondering what are the ways to check if a phone’s IMEI has been tampered with. Your advice is much needed.
I’m only entertaining sellers with a local original phone (SM-N910C), all Samsung stickers in proper place (with /N and IMEI), original box (with S/N and IMEI and original charger.
Will taking these precautions be enough to reduce likelihood of receiving stolen property?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Andy,
About the ways to check if a phone’s IMEI number is clean, you can refer to a website here – https://www.imeipro.info/
The likelihood of receiving stolen property like phones is high because of obvious reasons. So, verifying the number from a reliable source or from the manufacturer itself can be helpful.
Regards,
after registration of imei I formated my phone… can I get sim alert ? can I get my data ( before formatting) back? how to stop sim alert msgs…?
Sir, can I track my phone only I.p. address, without using IMEI and any other mobile tracking system.
Hi Ravi
We’d recommend you to have a word with your phone’s manufacturer; they would be able to help you with accurate information.
Regards,
If my phone is lost or stolen and anyone change my phone IMEI number then how i will track my phone.
dear sir
today i lost my phone which have no android system
samsung model-METRO 360
I HAVE IMEI NO CAN I TRACE IT THROUGH IMEI NO
please help
Sir,MY mobile lenovo a 6000 was stolen last week,I kept charging slept with my 3 freinds,when i woke up it was not there,How could i get it please suggest me.
Hii my name is himanshu and i want to know about imei no. My mean mere phon me different-2 type ki id banane ke liye konsa software use karna chayie jisse imei no. Ko koi trace bhi na kar sake plz yaar kush solution hai to batana or jo kuch lika hai vo samaj na aaye tho call karna plz bahi my no.is 9958923192
my samsung a8 is stolen in this week. google, android device manager, find my samsung mobile not working bcoz of its not conected to network or its switched off. do you have any new idea to locate my device? suppose thief do factory reset or install new software then can i lost my all security device? like finger print lock, pin lock, Samsung acc and sim change alert? please help me.
i have lost my iphone6..even i have registered an FIR to police..my question is..is it possible for police to trace my iphone even after IMEI has been changed..??
Hi.. I lost my mobile. Can I format the mobile with IMEI number? It’s samsung on nxt model.
Hi. Sir i loss my window phon without sim. There ia some personal picture i want to block it that no one use it and se my personal data. What i can do for this plz advice me. Thnx
Well I lost, my metro device on the 23 of January, believe it was stolen are tooken from the location were I left it. Never reported it to my carrier stolen, but put block on imei number. But before I I had been searching my number on Google hopen to find out about my device pull up my number that somebody is using my number from GTE sw- verizion as a land line number from s person in Plano, I still have the imei number still hopen to put in right. To try different imei trackers to still search my device. But is there any way I can track my device still with the imei number. Find out my imei number, and track my device even if it’s turn off , possible still track my device that was stolen with my number, and email address, that has the same number and email had my new device now. Should I file complaint with my carrier.
Hi sir..
My phone is theft I have registered to Samsung lost account and google IMEI tracker but till that day I can’t reach to my cellphone through IMEI Pls suggest .
Hi Rajiv,
I just wanted to understand if the fir is done by an individual , the cops would put the phone in trace . The phone can be only traced once it is switched in and a sim is inserted. What if the phone is taken taken outside India . I lost iPhone 6 last year and it’s location was found in China through find my iPhone app. What is the recourse. This year as well I lost iPhone 7 and same is the case. It is constantly off. What if someone takes it to USA/Canada/Singapore or any middle East country and use an international network ?
Can we get it blocked there as well ? You answer would be highly appreciated .
Regards