Hello, this is my first post but sure it not the last!
I have been exposed of fraud! I bought Note 10 Plus on a website called Blocket in Sweden were you can buy everything. The guy told me that the phone was locked to 3 and that was no problem because i have that to. But when he came to me he had activated the phone so WiFi call was on (I didn't know that). I logged in to my google account and then I also connected to my WiFi. Then i tried a call and no problems so I paid the guy and got a receipt and took his ID. But as soon as I went out I couldn't call and did some research and the phone had only 0 as IMEI and in small letters on the back it says that it is a Demo unit and have a serial number and its name is SM-975X . So my question is if anyone have been able to get a phone like this to work? Everything is reported to the police but he had false ID and the phone number has been turned off! I payed 650$ so would be so happy if anyone has an solution of my problem :fingers-crossed :fingers-crossed:
Sadly, there is no solution, only a motherboard replacement would work
Hm, is it so bad! Do they remove the radio parts for everything else works like a charm even WiFi calls and wireless charging both on my phone and to other phones to!
Do you know if the they only remove/disable the radio part and let everything else work?
What I know, is that there is no way to make it work as a regular device, they are intended to be used by vendors, to discourage people from stealing them from showrooms, precisely the cellular part is totally disabled
the IMEI is generally a unique identifier used by networks and such to track devices (stolen or otherwise) without one a device wont work on a network and the only way for a device to get one is from the factory encoded into the hardware, so short of swapping out hardware for a different board that has an IMEI there is pretty much nothing you can do.
as if it was simple to change them people would be able to hide stolen hardware or their tracks when swapping SIM cards. also would get them around blacklisting and other features on the networks.
the IMEI is basically the same as a VIN number on a car, even if you could change it you would need a valid one to register the device on a network.
it's sad but unfortunately all you can use this as is a learning experience, in future only buy from reputable sources that offer some level of consumer protection and always check things like the IMEI as people even sell blacklisted phones as they will turn on and seem to work but will be blocked off the majority of networks.
Yes it was a wakening call, but I have sold and bought 40-50 different phones and other stuff on "Blocket" but this was the first time i was cheated. I had no idea of that you could make WiFi calls otherwise it wouldn't worked! He had receipt and everything so I had no thought that it was a demo phone! Before he came i was looking for a site were you could write the serial number and look if it was stolen but couldn't find any! Apple has one and have used that often and had one guy that tried to sell a iPhone that was stolen!
I talked to a independent repair shop and he was willing to buy it for 200$ so he could use it for parts, then my lost is only 450$ but it hurts anyway
yeah screen battery and a few other parts would still be viable, it's mainly the board with the phone modem on that would be unusable as little more than a demo/home unit.
WIFI calling will still work as it doesn't use any of the phone identifiers other than stuff like the MAC address of the phone WIFI chip that even a demo unit would need.
A quick google should give you IMEI checker sites and it's something you should always check, if you have bought as many phones as you say, you have been very lucky this is the first to have a problem as there is a massive black market for stolen devices that are black listed and such, that is why IMEI checker sites are fairly common as most networks do allow access to blacklist device lists as they don't want them being sold on. so really IMEI is probably the most important thing to check when buying a phone as there are multiple ways it could cause you problems.
Related
Many people often come up to me in the street and say, you look like a bit of a geezer (their words), do you know how to change my IMEI to clone that of another phone legitimately purchased within the state of my draconian governement?
I will typically retort with a chuckle, and then the following diatribe:
CHANGING YOUR IMEI IS VERY LIKELY TO BE A CRIME IN YOUR COUNTRY
Now, you may well be a pimp or snakehead already, so no worries relatively speaking, but understand that changing IMEIs can result in a prison sentence or castration, not merely a slap of the wrists. One way or the other, you won't be bending over in the shower if this is a crime in your country and you're found guilty. The law is there for a valid reason, if not necessarily a good reason.
Please check the law in your country before considering changing your IMEI.
You should note that in these days of heightened terrorist threats, if your phone is found to have a false IMEI and you also happen to have a beard and a beautiful tanned completion, you're likely to be spending time with wires hanging out of your orifices, so again, think twice.
I have no place to speak for the administrators or other moderators of the board, just for me, but my view is this:
The board is called XDA Developers. We develop.
The fact that you gets newbs, rubes and non-dudes on here is by the by; our raison d'être is to develop. That entails research and development, so for me, researching changing IMEIs may be a legitimate pursuit. Probably not, but maybe.
Next, recall that the administrators of this board researched and released pretty much the definitive solutions for IMEI changing, on older phones at least. That's part of the reason this board exists. I would be a hypocrite to jump on anyone else carrying the same flag. However, anything that will potentially get the board in trouble will be stopped.
So once again, lube yourself up well before considering changing your IMEI.
And please, be nice to each other, eh?
LOL! Vijay, I love the way you write! Funny but educational. (A little more humor around here would not hurt.) Well done!
Ben
Vijay,
If you have 2 perfectly working O2 Exec and I change the IMEI numbers to be the same on both then
1) What effect does that have if the phones have SIM's from the same service provider, if any?
2) What if the SIM's are cloned, will an incoming call ring at both the phones? Does having same IMEI have any effect here?
.....getting ready to be sore
Universal IMEI change
Sorry ,I can't use it in my Universal,any body can help me?
can anybody help ?
hi
my provider is ir-tci and it doesnt let the imei to be changed but i installed core 2.0 wm6 and after that radio 2.69.11 and it has changed my imei ... how can i change it back to original ?
thanks
I thought that was just me as the imei number on the phone changed too after i have run some unlocking software on it.
Dial in *#06# and the last four digits on my phone's imei number have changed from the printed sticker under the battery.
How have i managed this.?
james21170 said:
I thought that was just me as the imei number on the phone changed too after i have run some unlocking software on it.
Dial in *#06# and the last four digits on my phone's imei number have changed from the printed sticker under the battery.
How have i managed this.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked mine too and I noticed that *#06# just gave me 2 more digits than what's printed under the sticker, so just double check the whole IMEI and I bet you find the same thing - just extra digits!
same here, missing the last two digits in my IMEI number after installing Radio 1.41.00.10
champ8242 said:
same here, missing the last two digits in my IMEI number after installing Radio 1.41.00.10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My IMEI number has 2 extra digits (than printed on box and under battery) it has an extra "04". Saying this I have never looked at it using #*06* before. It may not have been changed.
angelstarsix said:
Vijay,
If you have 2 perfectly working O2 Exec and I change the IMEI numbers to be the same on both then
1) What effect does that have if the phones have SIM's from the same service provider, if any?
2) What if the SIM's are cloned, will an incoming call ring at both the phones? Does having same IMEI have any effect here?
.....getting ready to be sore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you make a call or a data connection using your device the IMEI number is transmitted to the network. So they keep a track of what device your using when making calls sending sms's etc
1> same IMEI number will not be active at the same time on the network,
for example, if you make a call with device A and hand up then make a call with device B, thats fine, as the IMEI number will only be associated with 1 number at the time.
You will not be able to make 2 calls on both devices at the same time.
2> same thing here if the sims are cloned on say vodafone the network will pick up 2 different sim numbers in use and call will fail.
heres something I cam across when i worked for VODAFONE-
customer had a P900, which was reported as stolen- the handset was blacklisted-the IMEI number was barred on all UK networks- and a replacement device was sent out to the customer via there insurance cover.
The very same day the customer went into a Vodafone store and said that the device was not working. and wanted it swapped there and then.
Normally store staff comply without asking to many questions, but this guy was being arsey so the store staff member decided to follow producer and call us on technical support-
I was lucky enough to get the call- she explained she couild not make any calls on the deivce-
I made sure the account was active, all was ok on the network, the sim had updated onto the network and the network new it was activated-
I asked the store person what she experienced and she said just a single beep and thats it, she had full reception etc-
so i got her to do *#06# and checked the IMEI number, and it came up as blacklisted.
mmmmmm i asked her if it was a new phone, she advised yes the customer brought it in today and it had al the packaging-
I then checked the imei number against the calls that where made prior to the user reporting there phone as stolen, and guess what it matched.
so who can tel me whats happened here?
ok thats enough guess-
The customer reported his phone stolen, went to the cops reported it to them- got a crime refernce number- called vodafone put the insurance claim through, got his new handset in the post, took that out of the box, his old handset that was now blacklisted put that into the box,
was hoping that he would take it into the store, tell them the device was not working and they will swap it there and then, so he will have 2 working devices
naughty naughty
the shop staff, thanked me for my help and said this ha sput a big smile on her face.
what happend to this guy,
his account was blocked, he was blacklisted (that info is shared with other uk networks) and to top it off he woyuld have to pay the remainder of this 12 months contract.
he could say NO- but all Vodafone would do is, write of his debth and sell it to a collections agencey.
moral of the story-
If you be nice to people you may get away with what you want-
its not what you ask, its HOW you ask.
Whats my rambling abouve have to do with IMEI numbers
DONT DO IT - its not worth the prison time-
uk blacklisted phones will work in any other country other then the UK
My thinking thereon subject is different.
All depends what right is in data of country. It in my country be permissible then what right does not it forbid.
I spoke with two operator and they denied clearly that imei has with realization of connection some relationship.
It it in modern nets was used was only ID card of SIMAS and it telephone set.
It it was it is knowed was universally that ways exist in relays IMEI. Since it exists prepare it - it was not it been possible to unite IMEI and telephone.
I bought my telephone and can to make what it wants. How it wants to alter I have IMEI this prowo him to alter. I in instruction it have not written: Prohibition of change IMEI.
I in right it have not written : Prohibition of change IMEI.
I lost my telephone. He be found at police. in order to to get him I passed imei there now policeman said me. Imei could someone alter, pass different features which had this telephone. I answered him : scratch on casing, damaged catch from battery and sticker underneath, red colour. So policeman tells this it agrees. And my telephone gave back.
I understand that someone can take me telephone, to alter IMEI and to pretend that he his is property. Then truth. And it it should oneself do this because criminals were helped. It there now it it was not it been possible was to claim: change IMEI is crime. I alter XDA maniulator imei - whether means from I am criminal ? I created to change tool IMEI - whether I am criminal? How you will use him in aim the commission of crime you - are criminal then . if you have gun you - are killer? It ! If you will kill someone this gun then you are killer - and this is bad. this is difference.
You do not it understand maybe because my English is bad - forgive me.
hrm
how can the authorities proove that it was you who changed the imei though?
you might have bought a used phone witch had its imei changed by the seller without your knowledge for example
I'm in favor of any tool that lets us do what we want with our phones as I prefer a fully unlocked machine that will let me do exactly what I want with it. For that reason, if anyone knows of a prog that will allow me to do all these things on a G4 prophet (including change imei if I so choose) please post the links without any of this "search and ye shall find" nonsense. Please just show the direct links to all the tools needed and detailed instructions for the less technical amongst us.
I don't harm people just because I have access to knives or break the law just because I can. Nor do I do so if asked to by someone. We don't have to do wrong simply because the tools exist for us to do so, and the ability to change imei will not make us hardened criminals. It may help some who are unable to use a perfectly legitimate phone for reasons beyond their control in an unfair situation and that can only be a good thing. As for those wanting it for the wrong reason, they will find a way without the help of this forum and it would be very naive to think otherwise. Where profit is concerned a criminal will always find a way and this forum will make little difference to that fact.
This is a developement forum and I would prefer to see it remain so without entering into off topic arguments. I also don't like to see people advertising anything for profit as it negates my own reason for being here. This forum has rescued me numerous times in the past at no cost and I am only too willing to return the favor if ever able without payment. A pity others seem to see it as a free advertising medium.
XDA Developers has always improved things for me and will hopefully continue to do so. its a pity the roms which made things better in the past have now gone and I don't want the same to happen to the free tools still being developed which give us the control we deserve for our own equipment.. The more the merrier.
Extra digits at the end of IMEI!!!
daveschz said:
I just checked mine too and I noticed that *#06# just gave me 2 more digits than what's printed under the sticker, so just double check the whole IMEI and I bet you find the same thing - just extra digits!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello guys,
Don't worry if the first 15 digits are the same with what's printed under the sticker... Extra 2 digits represent the software version of the phone.
You can check it here http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=imeinr
Pinesio: generally we don't mind discussing techniques from a hacking/development POV, but the problem is the illegality of aiding in changing IMEIs in many jurisidictions.
There are well publicised apps on this board already, some open source, some which we all helped to write, to change IMEIs. But, those members that like to watch their ass or are relatively easy targets tend to stay away for fear of getting on the wrong side of the law... But generally, I'm all up for seeing where hacking can take us with the device that we paid for - within legal boundaries when in a public sphere.
V
vijay555 said:
Pinesio: generally we don't mind discussing techniques from a hacking/development POV, but the problem is the illegality of aiding in changing IMEIs in many jurisidictions.
There are well publicised apps on this board already, some open source, some which we all helped to write, to change IMEIs. But, those members that like to watch their ass or are relatively easy targets tend to stay away for fear of getting on the wrong side of the law... But generally, I'm all up for seeing where hacking can take us with the device that we paid for - within legal boundaries when in a public sphere.
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what exactly would imei cloning be used for?
i didnt quite understand ?
say someone calls me and my imei has been cloned will it ring on both?
i read somehwere that it will ring on the first phone it reaches... ?
but say i pick up on my other phone (thats not ringing) what happens then ?
neat stuff vijay..
hey vijay..
your name sounds indian.. are u one???
neways.. i need some help..
pls get me solution for this..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=316228
main reason is to rehabilitate stolen phones
boinger66 said:
what exactly would imei cloning be used for?
i didnt quite understand ?
say someone calls me and my imei has been cloned will it ring on both?
i read somehwere that it will ring on the first phone it reaches... ?
but say i pick up on my other phone (thats not ringing) what happens then ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
..the reason it's illegal is that mobile phone theft's really common - at least in the UK. you can now get 5 years in prison for IMEI changing here. reasoning is that the networks have worked out that if they block the IMEI number of stolen phones, they become worthless. let the scallies work this out, and eventually mobile phone theft stops, i guess.
now, if you were to change the IMEI number, you could then unblock all these stolen phones...this is why it's illegal in many countries.
The only country where you *might* have a legitimate reason for changing an IMEI is Turkey. If you are a Turkish resident and you baught a mobile phone outside of Turkey then your IMEI will get blacklisted by the Turkish networks because of some stupid law. Changing the IMEI to your old and unused phone would get around this.
It's probably illegal there too...as are a lot of things in Turkey...like free speech for example but that a whole different debate.
Help Me Please
Help Me Please
Yardım Edin Lütfen
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1417550
hi, i have recently purchased a touch pro 2 off ebay and i stuck my SIM card in it to find out i cant get a signal or make calls etc..
i really dont know what i should do.
please help. any advice is helpful.
Was it used or new?
used, he was selling as 'it no longer makes calls or sends texts'
if it was listed as barred theres no way i would have bought it. but with what he wrote it sounded fixable.
earni said:
used, he was selling as 'it no longer makes calls or sends texts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you were suprised when you got it that it doesn't make calls? Call you provider they might be able to unlock it if the phone isn't broken to begin with. Next time i suggest understand what you are buying because this is a pretty ridiculous post. I am questioning my own judgment for even answering to this post.
i wasnt surprised it didnt make calls, i thought he may just have a bad radio or something but i checked the imei on checkmend and it shows up as blocked..
You bought a phone that the seller told you didn't work. You assumed the reason it didn't work was one thing, but it turned out to be another. Whether he lied to you as to why it didn't work or not, you still took a chance on buying a phone you knew was not working. Take your loss, learn from it and move on.
If the phones blocked then he has found/stolen it. Or put in an insurance claim saying it’s been lost/stolen.
If you paid by PayPal put in a claim giving reason that you were not told the phone was blocked. You will then get your money back.
earni said:
i wasnt surprised it didnt make calls, i thought he may just have a bad radio or something but i checked the imei on checkmend and it shows up as blocked..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bwaaaaahahahahahaha...that's what you get...!!!
earni said:
hi, i have recently purchased a touch pro 2 off ebay and i stuck my SIM card in it to find out i cant get a signal or make calls etc..
i really dont know what i should do.
please help. any advice is helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had this situation before and although it turned out that the phone I had purchased wasnt stolen, the process will be the same:
Contact your Phone Network and give them the IMEI number and explain the situation. Don't worry - they are used to dealing with this type of call. They will use a database shared between all the network providers to find out the original and current owner of the handset and tell you whether it has been registered stolen or just blocked by the previous owner (this is what happened to me only I found this out a lot later).
If they tell you it is stolen, take the handset and everything that came with it to your local police station, including print-outs of any correspondence you have had with the seller - via the website market place or direct.
The police will give you a crime number and most probably take the device and the print outs from you to investgate further. You will need the crime number to get your money back later on.
Contact the market place and your bank (credit card company) and explain the situation and give them the crime number.
In most situations, the market place will give you your money back (withdraw it from the sellers account). If they dont, your credit card company will do the chasing for you but you'll need to try yourself first.
The market place may ask you for more documents from the police and the police will be very understanding. The police woman assigned to my crime number was very helpful and was in regular contact with me about how the investigation was proceeding.
The whole process may take 6-8 weeks. It can be drawn out but persevere and you will get your money back - and deservedly so.
Good luck and PM me if you need any further advice.
I thought gsm phones cannot be blocked?
DJ_MiX said:
I thought gsm phones cannot be blocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am no expert but they can certainly be blacklisted by the owner and that was what I was suggesting.
http://www.unlockme.co.uk/blacklist.html was a site I read up on when I was faced with the same situation.
My phone was blocked. I rang up Orange and told them the situation and they unblocked it - to my surprise. At the same time, I had opened a case in eBay which went in my favour, but I decided to keep the TP2 as it's now working. In my case, I could get a signal (four bars), but it always came up with no connection.
Remote phone access features.
I am surprised MS are not advertising their features which match HTCSense.com
HTC seem to be making a big deal about Remote location, Ringing and Erasing your HTC Desire HD or Desire Z from a browser.
I was really pleased to discover matching features at windowsphone.live.com.
Using Find My Phone on the website you can:
- Map it (to catch thieves...)
- Ring it (to locate in the sofa)
- Lock it (with onscreen message)
- Erase it
On activation the Microsoft sytem warns that it works via a hidden text message based system instead of the HTC equivalent which seems to work on mobile data, and so it takes about 30 seconds for the Windows version wheres HTCSense.com takes about 2 seconds to perform each task.
What do you think of their systems?
Q1) What if the phone can't get a data connection?
Is Microsoft GSM SMS method is better?
Q2) What if a thief changes the SIM card?
Does the HTC method still work via a phone identifier, where MS is perhaps linked to the phone number?
I wonder how they work...
Still, I am pleased! Very cool feature to have provided by the operating system and not a third party app.
I read somewhere (can't remember where) that you can change this setting so it uses the 'push' functionality to react faster, but uses more battery.
evilangelic said:
Remote phone access features.
I am surprised MS are not advertising their features which match HTCSense.com
HTC seem to be making a big deal about Remote location, Ringing and Erasing your HTC Desire HD or Desire Z from a browser.
I was really pleased to discover matching features at windowsphone.live.com.
Using Find My Phone on the website you can:
- Map it (to catch thieves...)
- Ring it (to locate in the sofa)
- Lock it (with onscreen message)
- Erase it
On activation the Microsoft sytem warns that it works via a hidden text message based system instead of the HTC equivalent which seems to work on mobile data, and so it takes about 30 seconds for the Windows version wheres HTCSense.com takes about 2 seconds to perform each task.
What do you think of their systems?
Q1) What if the phone can't get a data connection?
Is Microsoft GSM SMS method is better?
Q2) What if a thief changes the SIM card?
Does the HTC method still work via a phone identifier, where MS is perhaps linked to the phone number?
I wonder how they work...
Still, I am pleased! Very cool feature to have provided by the operating system and not a third party app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of this crap matters. If I find a GSM phone I'm going to remove the SIM card and factory reset it. Anyone that isn't retarded will do the same thing. If you care about people using/reselling you device if you lose it or get it stolen, you have no business getting a GSM phone.
Any thief or person who finds a nice device will immediately turn the phone off and both remove the SIM Card and factory reset it. Then they will pay $15 to get it unlocked and make bank with it on CraigsList or eBay.
No Cell Carrier will cooperate with police to track that phone. T-Mobile has even defied sopoenas citing "privacy issues."
As to you two quetions. None of them matter - at ALL. The phone is turned off and factory reset ASAP when it is stolen or found by someone in 95% of cases. There are very few nice people when they find or take something and no one sees them. They will wipe the phone, remove the SIM, and either keep or sell it.
Only way to be secure is to either have an iPhone or get a CDMA device. That way the phone becomes useless (unless jailbroken for iPhone, but EINs are marked dirty and the devices become useless other than as WiFi devices) and they can only profit off of it through scamming others (or selling it for parts?).
After my experience with getting my Vibrant stolen, and what I've learned... I'm definitely going with a CDMA carrier the second I can (and ETFing T-Mobile). The fact that US Carriers don't work together like Europe makes it a market for thieves and resellers. Privacy laws even protect the thieves, here.
Kinda Disagree on this
N8ter said:
None of this crap matters. If I find a GSM phone I'm going to remove the SIM card and factory reset it. Anyone that isn't retarded will do the same thing. If you care about people using/reselling you device if you lose it or get it stolen, you have no business getting a GSM phone.
Any thief or person who finds a nice device will immediately turn the phone off and both remove the SIM Card and factory reset it. Then they will pay $15 to get it unlocked and make bank with it on CraigsList or eBay.
No Cell Carrier will cooperate with police to track that phone. T-Mobile has even defied sopoenas citing "privacy issues."
As to you two quetions. None of them matter - at ALL. The phone is turned off and factory reset ASAP when it is stolen or found by someone in 95% of cases. There are very few nice people when they find or take something and no one sees them. They will wipe the phone, remove the SIM, and either keep or sell it.
Only way to be secure is to either have an iPhone or get a CDMA device. That way the phone becomes useless (unless jailbroken for iPhone, but EINs are marked dirty and the devices become useless other than as WiFi devices) and they can only profit off of it through scamming others (or selling it for parts?).
After my experience with getting my Vibrant stolen, and what I've learned... I'm definitely going with a CDMA carrier the second I can (and ETFing T-Mobile). The fact that US Carriers don't work together like Europe makes it a market for thieves and resellers. Privacy laws even protect the thieves, here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of this is correct but is heavily assuming that the person who takes the device has some knowledge of its functions and of smartphone use in general.
There has been some theft of devices in AU recently where the thieves have been caught due to lack of knowledge of the device they had stolen. It did in fact lead the cops to where they were. They had basically just replaced the sim and done nothing else to the phone.
This of course maybe different in the US and of course powered off it ain't calling anybody.
Incorrect. It's not hard to know what to do here.
If it says Verizon or Sprint (Includes Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, etc.), the phone is worthless if they report it stolen, aside froma WiFi media device because the ESN will be marked dirty and it won't be able to activate after the owner calls it in as Lost or Stolen.
If it says T-Mobile or AT&T, you have hit the jackpot. GSM Carriers here allow any stolen devices on their network, without prejudice. I've already spoken to T-Mobile about this, because my first Vibrant was stolen. Their words, "If you didn't have a lock code on your phone, or the new owner resets it, it's their phone." With Cloud-based storage of info the information on the phone isn't an issue, it's the $500 piece of hardware that just went bye bye that's the issue (assuming you put your Photos in Picasa/FB/SkyDrive and don't let them rot on the phone's storage, of course).
Turn phone off. Remove Sim Card. Pay $10-20 for an unlock code. List on eBay. Profit?
Yes, there are dumb people anywhere. But anyone in the projects around here who has at least a 3rd grade education will shut that phone down and have it on eBay (probably from the Public Library computers) within a matter of hours. GPS Tracking and things like MyPhone won't help with that once they reset the phone (which is easier as ever these days, since everyone is putting it in as a simple menu option that is trivial to find).
Best way to get the phone back is to have been robbed or something. If you get injured badly enough the cops and the carriers will actually track the phone down. Cops here don't track phones unless it's a life or death situation. If you allow someone to use that phone without calling the carrier ASAP to get the line suspended, you can - and will - be held liable for whatever that person does on the phone. Have fun paying for every ringtone, wallpaper, etc. and all the overages they used on the account (i.e. if they used your phone to tether a torrent client on their laptop/notebook on AT&T with a 200MB data plan).
mobile me from apple is exactly similar to microsoft's devices.live.com service...
many many times theifs have been caught using gps tracking...majority of theives are idiots and don't know what they are doing...
also GSM phones are just as secure...just because t-mobile refuses to do something does not means GSM is insecure...IMEI can be blocked from the network very easily and is done on a regular basis in NZ if phone is stolen...
If you live in Australia you can contact your carrier and have the phone blocked by using the IMEI number.
The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) runs a world-leading anti-theft program at no cost to consumers. It works by detecting a mobile phone's electronic serial number, known as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, then sharing this information with carriers to block handsets across all networks in Australia.
Here is a link to check it out:
http://www.lost.amta.org.au/
powersquad said:
mobile me from apple is exactly similar to microsoft's devices.live.com service...
many many times theifs have been caught using gps tracking...majority of theives are idiots and don't know what they are doing...
also GSM phones are just as secure...just because t-mobile refuses to do something does not means GSM is insecure...IMEI can be blocked from the network very easily and is done on a regular basis in NZ if phone is stolen...
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Im talking about the usa. No gsm carrier blocks imeis here. I thought I made that crystal clear in my us/europe comparisons.
They arent tracking a phone here without a court supoena and myphone/mobileme are useless vs 99% of thieves.
Majority of thieves arent idiots. Vast majority of stolen phones are never recovered. Theyre as easy to steal as a netbook and a phone locked there can still be used np in the us, which is why stealing gsm phones are profitable.
There are no inter-carrier databases for logging blacklisted imeis here, like there is in europe.
Lots of stolen phones also goto asia.
I hope that explains my stance. Yes. Gsm is less secure than cdma because the phones can be unlocked and used in other markets easily, unlike cdma. That portability is a blessing and a curse to gsm...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
N8ter said:
Im talking about the usa. No gsm carrier blocks imeis here. I thought I made that crystal clear in my us/europe comparisons.
They arent tracking a phone here without a court supoena and myphone/mobileme are useless vs 99% of thieves. Seriously, good luck getting said supoena... Maybe if your Barack Obama you will get it.
Majority of thieves arent idiots. Vast majority of stolen phones are never recovered. Theyre as easy to steal as a netbook and a phone locked there can still be used np in the us, which is why stealing gsm phones are profitable.
There are no inter-carrier databases for logging blacklisted imeis here, like there is in europe.
Lots of stolen phones also goto asia.
I hope that explains my stance. Yes. Gsm is less secure than cdma because the phones can be unlocked and used in other markets easily, unlike cdma. That portability is a blessing and a curse to gsm...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
N8ter said:
Im talking about the usa. No gsm carrier blocks imeis here. I thought I made that crystal clear in my us/europe comparisons.
They arent tracking a phone here without a court supoena and myphone/mobileme are useless vs 99% of thieves.
Majority of thieves arent idiots. Vast majority of stolen phones are never recovered. Theyre as easy to steal as a netbook and a phone locked there can still be used np in the us, which is why stealing gsm phones are profitable.
There are no inter-carrier databases for logging blacklisted imeis here, like there is in europe.
Lots of stolen phones also goto asia.
I hope that explains my stance. Yes. Gsm is less secure than cdma because the phones can be unlocked and used in other markets easily, unlike cdma. That portability is a blessing and a curse to gsm...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
You're incorrect about cdma. All you have to do is flash the phone to another carrier such as Cricket, Metro, or Boost. Companies that don't care about the ESN numbers.
So I bought on Offerup an S4 with all of the works. I forgot how I tested it out, but the person selling it had over 30 5 star ratings so that usually means things are legit. I have been trying to sell it lately and decided to check the imei for unlock status. It turns out that either the sites can't find the imei or they think it is lost/stolen. What is even more odd is that it does not show in any blacklisted sites that I can find.
This leads me to believe it might be fake. The next thing I did is to try my Tmobile sim and it works like a champ. No problems at all. The only issue is if you want to make or receive a call which of course would be rare, you can't use your number because of ATT numbersync popping up. So then I installed 2nd line app and with wifi off only using carrier data, it works without a problem and now I can bypass Numbersync.
So my latest idea is to try and find an AT&T customer who can add the device to their account then turn off numbersync as I have not found any way to turn it off or bypass it other than using a 2nd number.
I thought others might find this information useful though.
I bought s20 ultra from local cell phone dealer off the craigslist. The local dealer seems quite reputable however the guy said IMEI has been changed which got me bit concerned but proceeded to buy anyway. What are the reason for that? Quick search of the internet shows it could be stolen. But I dont see someone from respectable local phone dealer (at least based on their yelp google review) doing that since they are sittiing duck.
I contemplated either to resell back or keep using and for now using. It is wonderful in terms of speed comapred to junk I carried briefly (LG Q70).
However, there is just bit of an easy feeling about using it with IMEI chanegd.
For now, I am doing for e-mail, phone call and various apps but hesitant about using with fin-app (brokerage), bank, ebay apps that involves money.
Any ideas?
What are the chances of mine being compromised? I am setting a common sense here as just because I got from wireless authorized dealer does not mean it is bad and getting a brand new from authrozied dealer (verizon) not necessarly guarantee security.
guyenxda000 said:
I bought s20 ultra from local cell phone dealer off the craigslist. The local dealer seems quite reputable however the guy said IMEI has been changed which got me bit concerned but proceeded to buy anyway. What are the reason for that? Quick search of the internet shows it could be stolen. But I dont see someone from respectable local phone dealer (at least based on their yelp google review) doing that since they are sittiing duck.
I contemplated either to resell back or keep using and for now using. It is wonderful in terms of speed comapred to junk I carried briefly (LG Q70).
However, there is just bit of an easy feeling about using it with IMEI chanegd.
For now, I am doing for e-mail, phone call and various apps but hesitant about using with fin-app (brokerage), bank, ebay apps that involves money.
Any ideas?
What are the chances of mine being compromised? I am setting a common sense here as just because I got from wireless authorized dealer does not mean it is bad and getting a brand new from authrozied dealer (verizon) not necessarly guarantee security.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You bought a potentially compromised phone with a changed IMEI. That means that it's definitely stolen or was owned by someone who didn't want to be traced before being soled as a burner phone.
That being said, IMEI is just device ID. Meaning: Your device is in no way compromised just because a different ID. Surely whoever has the tools and your IMEI can track all your records across the internet and track your current location as well.
But don't worry the tools necessary for such a thing can only be accessed by authorized personnel of respective telecommunication company (Like AT&T) and your local authorities.
Also banking apps have meticulous safety checks before allowing the usage of the app, so don't worry too much.
However that doesn't mean that your phone is secured, as remains the question of how did they change the IMEI of your phone?
There are multiple ways to change an IMEI number but they all include one common point: They all directly affect some component in the device whether it be software or hardware.
So there is the possibility that your current software/hardware is compromised.
My advice? Just get a new phone, or make your phone secure again.
You can start by doing SafetyNet check. If the result is ok then you can be safe. (However as I said before whoever has the methods can still track you)
Flashing the stock ROM of the device then locking the bootloader can help. Also rooting the device then manually checking the device software for issues. Or simply changing the IMEI of your device again. (Only try those methods if you know what you're doing)
It's enough by itself that google, social media platforms and the government can track all your records across the internet whenever they feel like it, I myself wouldn't feel safe with potentially sharing my data with another unsolicited person.
So to answer your question:
Privacy is the issue when you have a potentially compromised IMEI. Not security.
Security is the issue when you have a potentially compromised system.
Hope I answered your question.
You've bought a stolen phone.
Theres absolutely NO REASON to change the IMEI.... EVER. If it has been changed, it is because the original IMEI has been reported stolen, and changing it gets around the cell network blocking it. There is NO LEGAL REASON TO CHANGE AN IMEI
I hope you are not caught with it, its essentially stolen property.