How to determine whether a phone is stolen or not when purchasing?

Without a phone these days, it’s like being without hands. It is a communication device and video player. And also a camera, secretary, notebook, library, toy library, and wallet. It stores a ton of personal information! Losing a smartphone is a big problem for the owner. You can find a phone by IMEI code under certain conditions.

It is available on absolutely all brands of smartphones, tablets with Internet access and other devices: Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor, Lenovo, Samsung, etc. And iPhone is no exception.

How to find a phone yourself

To begin with, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with how to find a gadget without using IMEI. Self-tracking is effective if the device is connected to the Internet 3G, LTE or Wi-Fi, and the SIM card is in place.

ATTENTION! If the connection is disconnected or the device is physically damaged, the battery is removed and the SIM card is removed, the detection methods described below do not work.

Google account

Modern Android devices cannot be fully used without a Google account. Having a profile allows you to download applications and updates. And the account will also be useful for finding a missing phone.

Find My Device is usually enabled by default. Another condition is the active “Location” mode and an Internet connection.

1. To detect a device, or at least delete all data from it and block it, go to https://www.google.com/android/find from your computer.
2. Information about the current location of the phone or the point where it was last identified will appear on the map in the window.
3. Using the “ring” option, the smartphone can be easily detected, for example, in an apartment or in a park.

Remote blocking and memory clearing is a guarantee of personal data protection.

How to check whether an iPhone is stolen or not

An iPhone is an expensive piece of equipment, so it would be a shame to buy a stolen phone. No matter how much money you pay for a gadget, it will have to be returned to the owner (in case of theft). Therefore, before purchasing, be careful and check that the phone history is clean. Below we will tell you how to do this.

Special sites

Previously, Apple owners had the opportunity to check whether their phone was stolen or not through the Activation Lock service. On the portal it was necessary to enter a personal number to find out whether the phone was reactivated or not. It is currently unavailable, but may resume operations soon.

There are many similar services in Russia, one of the most common is SNDeepInfo. You must enter the serial number in the field, select the mobile manufacturer and wait for the results. Using this service, you can check other modern phones: Xiaomi, Samsung, tablets, cameras and any equipment.

Lock screen

Many modern iPhones have built-in services that allow you to quickly find out if your phone is legal. Their main advantage is that it is impossible to turn them off if stolen. If a mobile phone is stolen, the owner can remotely block it using the “Find iPhone” function.

When a thief tries to unlock the screen, a message from the owner of the smartphone will appear. The text may vary, but before purchasing, you need to turn on the phone and look at its screen.

Fraudsters can make excuses and say that the gadget is dead, and therefore there is no way to turn it on and check it. Do not believe such persuasion, because a person must present the product in order to sell it. Don't pay attention to the low price and big discount, supposedly because the phone is unnecessary.

If you don't see anything on the lock screen, go to the menu and check if this feature is enabled. Perform the following algorithm of actions:

• Go to the settings section.
• Click on the “Apple ID” button.
• Click on the "iCloud" button.
• If the feature is not active, ask the seller to enable it, this will require you to enter a password. If the phone is stolen, the person will not know the password and therefore will not be able to activate the function. If the function is active, reset the settings and disable it so that an unscrupulous seller cannot deceive you in the future.

Table of contents

Full reset

All iPhones with an operating system higher than iOS 7 are linked to an Apple ID account, from which the former owner must sign out when selling his smartphone. When purchasing a phone, you must ask the seller to clean it. To do this, use simple instructions:

1. Enter the Settings menu.
2. Click on the “Basic” button.
3. Click the "Reset" button.
4. Click on the “Erase contact and settings” button.

After this, all information and accounts from the mobile phone will be deleted, but the system will ask you to enter a password for the current account, which can only be known to the account owner. If the seller refuses to do this, saying that he forgot the password or entered the wrong combination, you must refuse to purchase the phone.

If the password is entered correctly, the buyer will need to enter his ID data, if the system accepts them, the phone is “clean”, but if he asks to remember the old owner’s account, he must refrain from purchasing.

Phones with an operating system higher than iOS 11 have built-in protection against artisanal repairs. Often, when people steal phones, they remove the lock and replace the parts with genuine ones so that no one suspects about the past “life” of the smartphone. If there are problems with activation, errors appear on the screen, there may be third-party parts inside the phone and the reason for this is a stolen gadget.

What is phone IMEI

Each mobile device has a unique number. In international practice, it is usually denoted by the abbreviation IMEI, which stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. The number includes 14 decimal digits and one check digit, and all of them are not randomly selected. The first 8 contain information about the gadget model and country of origin. The remaining digits are the serial number set by the manufacturers using a special algorithm.

Where to look for the number

The IMEI is displayed on the inside of the case under the battery, but this only applies to older models. On modern systems, the name can be placed on the SIM card slot (sometimes in very small print).

1. The easiest and most convenient way to find out the number is to use the settings. For Android devices: Settings – About phone – ID code. Or enter *#06# on the keyboard, which is even easier.
2. On iPhone, have it in Settings - General - About device. The number is also stamped on the bottom of the case back. On some models - on the SIM card tray of iPhones.
3. Manufacturers also write IMEI on the packaging. The numbers are printed on a barcode on the side of the box.

Why is it important to know IMEI

Unfortunately, searching for a lost or stolen smartphone on your own is not always successful. Attackers are aware of all the methods described above. The IMEI code remains the only chance to detect the loss and prove that the device was actually the property of the applicant. Immediately after purchasing a device, it is important to record the individual number (take a photo, write it down, etc.) in order to prove your rights to the device to the police in case of theft.

The period established by law for searching for a phone

The police, having received a statement about the theft of a phone, must accept it in accordance with Article 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. In their actions, the police are also guided by Instruction No. 736 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation of 2014. Law enforcement officers have three days to verify the information contained in the application. If necessary, the period is increased to 10 days.

After checking the information, the police initiate a criminal case under Article 158 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, of which the applicant must be notified. If the police consider that there is not enough information to open a case, they refuse to open a case. The victim, according to Art. 124-125, such actions of law enforcement officers have the right to appeal.

The investigation, according to Article 162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, must be completed within 2 months. If new information is received that requires prompt action, the investigation may be extended or reopened. In response to a written request from the investigator, the chief of police has the right to extend the investigation for three months. If necessary, the investigation can be suspended - according to Art. 208 Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation.

A person who finds a phone and reports it to the police becomes the legal owner of the phone after 6 months, if the legal owner of the gadget has not been identified during that time.

When purchasing a smartphone, keep its packaging and technical documentation. Then, if the gadget is stolen, you will have a chance to return it. If the criminals do not change the IMEI code and you contact the police in time, the stolen device may be discovered and returned to its owner.

Source

Contacting the police. How do intelligence agencies find a phone?

The cost of new models of branded smartphones amounts to tens of thousands of rubles, and such a loss is a serious blow to the family budget and nervous system. That is why contacting the police is a natural and appropriate step.

1. Investigators will ask for as many details as possible. It is necessary to cope with emotions and be prepared to provide accurate information about the place, time, circumstances of the theft and provide signs of the criminal.
2. Before visiting the police station or before the patrol arrives, prepare all available documents for your mobile device: receipt, packaging, warranty card, insurance, IMEI code. All this will allow you to immediately initiate a case and begin a professional search.
3. If the owner does not provide documentary evidence, there is a possibility that the opening of a case will be refused and the application will not even be accepted.

The IMEI is immediately entered by the police into a special database. During raids on points of sale of telephones, pawn shops, especially used ones, a stolen item can be discovered quite quickly. This is one of the search methods, and law enforcement officers have developed other, no less effective schemes. Therefore, a statement to the police, if all the evidence is available, will help you find the property “hot on your heels.”

But keep in mind that the police will be more willing to look for an expensive smartphone, especially if it leads to some larger crime: selling stolen goods, for example. If the device is cheap, then most likely no one will show zeal.

Tips for buying a phone

In addition to checking the technical specifications, there are a number of other steps you need to follow that will help you identify whether the phone is stolen or not. Below are some recommendations:

1. Pay attention to buyer behavior. If he is cautious, anxious and wants to quickly complete a purchase and sale transaction, think before purchasing a smartphone. Ask why the person is selling the phone and see his reaction.
2. Take a magnifying glass. Before you buy a phone, you need to check whether it has been repaired, because many service centers can clean a smartphone in such a way that it will not be clear that it was stolen. Carefully inspect the screws at the charging connector; there should be no marks from screwdrivers or chips on them.
3. Go to meet friends in a crowded place. If you decide to buy a phone second-hand, meet the seller in a public place and take witnesses with you who, in case of unpleasant situations, will confirm the fact of sale and payment. Be sure to tell the seller that you will come with a friend; if he is a scammer, he may reschedule the meeting, which should alert you. When buying a phone secondhand, arrange to meet at a cafe or shopping center, where you can check the product and make sure it is not stolen.
4. Find out some information about the seller. If you find an advertisement for the sale of a mobile phone on social networks, look at the seller’s profile. If a person has a photo, many friends, real data and an ad is posted on the page, most likely this is not a scammer and the person is selling his favorite phone. If the seller is from a fake page, then you need to protect yourself from such a purchase.
5. Listen to the sale story. You need to ask why the person is selling a mobile phone. If he says that he wants a more modern gadget and has hardly used this phone, you need to inspect the smartphone. Take a close look at the screen and case; there should be no chips or scratches on it if the phone is really new. If the seller always changes his words, then you should think about buying such a product, perhaps it is stolen and then you will have problems.
6. Ask for documents on your phone. In the modern world, many people throw away boxes, receipts and instructions after purchasing gadgets. But if the seller has them, then all suspicions should be nullified, unless of course the phone was stolen from the store. Many people who sell smartphones provide receipts for their purchase and warranty cards if they have not yet expired. Ask your seller when he bought the phone and if this period is less than a year, then ask for a warranty card.

Table of contents

Searches using a cellular operator

A cellular operator can track the location of a mobile phone, but only if a SIM card is installed and active inside the device. Finding a device that was lost while picking mushrooms in the forest, or snatching it from the hands of criminals are completely different situations. In the first case, there is still a chance of even independent tracking through applications, iCloud, etc. And in the second, it is almost impossible, since any thief immediately removes the SIM card and gets rid of it.

The operator’s office will definitely require permission from law enforcement agencies. And the search report will also be sent to the police.

Checking IMEI on a smartphone

If you decide to buy a smartphone secondhand, it is important to find out whether the current owner has stolen it. To do this, you will need an IMEI code, which should be entered into one of the services available on the Internet. This procedure is an important step for the buyer.

The check is not difficult; there are several simple ways to find out whether you can safely use your smartphone:

• You can see the IMEI by entering *#06#. There is no need to press the call button; the required data will appear on the device screen.

• Another simple method to find out the code is to disassemble the smartphone. Remove the back cover of the case, and then remove the battery located in the phone. When you do this, you will find an IMEI code exactly the same as what is shown after entering the above combination. We recommend that you immediately check whether these numbers match.

• The corresponding data is indicated on the device box. It’s good if the seller brought the smartphone packaged. There is one significant point - sometimes you cannot remove the battery to find out what numbers are hidden under it. If you are in such a situation, then it is better not to take a gadget without a box at all.

• In any case, we recommend running the phone through the databases. There are several of them on the Internet; if the IMEI of a smartphone is found in at least one, then you should refuse to cooperate with its seller. In this case, you should write a statement to the police indicating the information of the fraudster. We do not recommend using services that offer to pay for their services using SMS messages, as this does not solve the problem and you will lose funds.

When purchasing, request documents for a used device from its owner. Ideally, it should have the packaging and papers received upon purchase. Buying mobile phones second-hand should be done with the utmost caution, because there are many stolen devices among those offered, and not all codes can be found in the databases.

If the seller cannot provide you with documentation, then it is better to refuse the purchase. If you have the documents, then such a smartphone has its advantages: low price and no need to wait for delivery. We hope that now you can definitely distinguish a stolen smartphone from a “clean” one.

To check if a device is in the database, just enter its IMEI or serial number on the main page. If the device being checked is present in the database, a warning will be displayed as a result of the scan:

Moscow. Center. From here it’s a stone’s throw to Red Square, next to it is the Children’s World building. In the arch leading to the Kuznetsky Most metro station, there are many tents, some selling souvenirs, others selling CDs, and there is also a tent with used phones. Behind these letters lies a real second hand, that is, used phones. On the display case there are a dozen devices from different manufacturers with price tags neatly glued on, they hang on pieces of paper. There are also random players in several rows of telephones. The tent is closed, but the seller appears out of nowhere:

Both devices are removed from the display case, they are fully charged, SIM cards magically appear from behind the glass and are installed in the phones. I pick up the Sony Ericsson W660i, its price is listed at 6,000 rubles.

I begin to study the menu in search of traces of the previous owner or owner. It should be noted that we went through the menu thoroughly, there are almost no traces, only the name of the card, a few downloaded files, mp3s, pictures. There are no personal photographs or recordings. In the messages section, however, I find the “Elena” account, inside are all the settings for accessing mail.ru mail and the address, I instantly remember it. I'm taking the second device. In it the situation is similar, but all the data is erased, only greetings from Vitalik remain, in the form of the same name of the memory card. I return to the conversation with the seller, hesitate in choosing, but return to Sony Ericsson.

The conversation is over. For several months, this is the last “interview” incognito with a used equipment seller; before that there were two dozen others. It makes no sense to present all the interviews and conversations in one material, they differ in minor details, the outline of this business remains the same. Therefore, we go to visit Uncle Alik, who runs his business near the University metro station. Here and further, at the request of the characters, we have changed both the places and the names of the people, but they are all real, and the situation described is accurate, there are no other changes in the narrative.

I will buy a phone, gold, equipment. I buy everything

Uncle Alik has several points around the metro where they sell used phones and other used rubbish. To diversify his business, this man also began selling payment cards from various operators. Middle-aged, tanned, came to Moscow more than ten years ago and somehow got used to it, found his business in trade. He has know-how, which he talks about with pride. Uncle Alik doesn’t know the newfangled words “know-how”; in his vocabulary it sounds like an “invention”. The scheme is amazingly simple and uncomplicated. To ensure the flow of telephones, Uncle Alik parked a car near the metro station, with the inscription “I will buy a telephone, gold, equipment” stretching across the entire windshield. About a year ago the inscription was “I will buy everything,” but it confused potential sellers, they were afraid to approach, so Uncle Alik returned to specifics. In the tinted 99th sits a hired worker who buys from the population. Mostly they carry phones, both new and not so new. Uncle Alik is irritated by human dishonesty, and he is sincerely indignant: “Such a rogue comes, cunning and gives my boyfriend a phone, an expensive phone. Buy it for little money, you'll get rich, but I need a drink, the pipes are on fire. So it’s not just that he gives you the phone, but it’s turned off. The battery is dead, there is no charge, take it this way. They took it a couple of times, and then the phone was locked or broken. Carrying it to repair it is a separate hassle and headache. We are repairing it, but it costs time and money. You have to pay less for such mobile phones, but they deceive. We had to buy all the chargers for the car, now we check ourselves whether everything is in order, and we set the price based on the check, we don’t take anything blindly.”

I’m curious as to why there is such a problem with a car, if there are tents where people obviously also come with used phones, because this is an extra overhead. Uncle Alik has his own point of view on this: “You Russians don’t understand trade. What does the word “trade” mean? Dispute, bargaining. How are you going to bargain in one tent? Maybe you’ll make a deal, or maybe your client will move on to seek happiness. You can not do it this way. We need to intercept him. There's a car parked near the metro. We couldn’t agree on the price in our tents, where is it going? To the metro. His car is mine and waiting. We'll call the car and tell you the price. Our phones rarely leave our side. There are more people near the metro, many don’t make it to the tents, and there’s a lot of traffic. It’s profitable.”

Let me make a remark. Uncle Alik is so talkative not because of his love for words, but because of the hearty lunch that I feed him in the restaurant next to the metro. He prefers to speak in short, choppy phrases, which betrays him as a newcomer. Many of our compatriots speak in much the same way when they first arrived in America; it’s easier to pass as one of our own, maintain the pronunciation, and not show off as an emigrant. To simplify perception, I combine some phrases and omit my leading questions and clarifications. Uncle Alik's accent is a bizarre mixture of Russian dialect from the outback, the softness of southern dialects and a bazaar style. A hellish mixture that can be found so often in the markets today. Moving on to the second course, I allow myself to move on to questions about legality and clashes with people in uniform. Uncle Alik glances sideways at the recorder and decisively shows that the conversation is over if this thing works. I have to turn off the recorder and take out my notepad.

“You see, we sell used phones, not stolen ones. We know that they were stolen, but we did not steal or kill anyone. When a person comes to me, you will understand whether he is a thief or giving away his phone. You will check your passport, we are not a commission agency, like in the Union, to process everything. We take phones at our own risk, the risk is great. So we buy cheap. We look at people. We will refuse someone, we don’t need problems, it’s clear from them that he stole it around the corner and straight to me. There are a lot of drug addicts, they need to be imprisoned, it wasn’t like this before, now there is no order. We’ll buy a phone, clean it, remove everything unnecessary, add a charger, headphones included, and put it on display. Sometimes they come and say “this is my phone.” I’m ready to return it, believe me, I really am. Prove that your phone is yours, show me the box with the number, I’ll return it. I’ll give it back for as much as I bought it for, I have everything written down in my notebook. They don't return. They intimidate with the police, but do not return. One tried to break the glass with a bottle, but they calmed him down. Everyone is nervous. The police don't bother us, why bother us? We don't steal from anyone, we help people buy an inexpensive phone. Those who hand over phones are probably stealing, but they are definitely stealing. But I’m not the police, it’s not my business. We always help the police; if they say, “We shouldn’t take such phones,” we won’t take them. Everything is on display, we don’t hide anything. We fill out our documents for the phones, give a three-day guarantee, buy additional headphones and chargers at our own expense. Just like everyone else, we pay whoever we need, no more, no less, everything is like everyone else. They have their own affairs, we have ours. We don’t sell drugs, we don’t sell homemade alcohol, why bother us? We pay everyone properly.”

I am most interested in the economics of what is happening, how many phones are sold, how many are bought, how much are paid to those who have to check the tent for the legality of the goods. Uncle Alik begins to lie with inspiration and at times looks away, he clearly does not want to tell the truth about his business. I use various leading questions to extract bits of information.

“One day is good, one day is bad. What do you think? Yesterday we sold two phones - a good day, today we sold none. Maybe it will be better in the evening. We sell little per month, about 40 phones per tent. It doesn't give much money. From the phone, at most 1000-1200 rubles. We sell some phones to the market; they bring in more than we can sell ourselves. We earn 700-800 rubles from them. There are about thirty phones on display, we won’t put them on anymore. Trading through a car is better. There there are up to a hundred telephones a month, more profit. People don’t trust tents that much, they don’t believe in a good price. My expenses are small. Rent, salary for two sellers in the tent, about 10,000 rubles, so as not to disturb the tent, I give it away. Everything else is left to me. That’s up to $2,000 a month, which isn’t even enough to live on.”

I tell Uncle Alik about the former light heavyweight boxing champion, Tatar Rashid. Already at the age of 65, he remained a strong man with huge broken fists. Married three times, many offspring, but not averse to wooing the weaker sex. During the courtship process, he inadvertently dropped the phrase that he was 50 years old. But I could never restrain myself from talking about my misadventures with my second or third wife. The story usually ended with the fact that just before the anniversary, his 60th birthday, she packed her things and left. “Imagine what a vile snake she was,” added Rashid. He himself declassified his age and did it inadvertently. In much the same way, those familiar with mathematics at the elementary school level can easily calculate how many phones Uncle Alik sells per month in order to receive an income of about $2,000 minus overhead expenses. The figure will fluctuate from 120 to 150 devices, which is quite comparable to sales of ordinary communication stores (there are above 200, but this is not important). Uncle Alik, after listening to the story, grins, but says nothing.

Savelov's stories

Dear guests of the capital, when going to the Savelovsky market on weekends, watch your pockets. This also applies to Muscovites, however. The flow of people in the underground passage is so compressed that it seems that the whole of Moscow has gone crazy and went shopping here. If you don’t watch your pockets, then you risk ending up in the position of my friend Alexey. On the weekend, he went to buy some computer trifles, and at the same time hunt for rarities, of which there are plenty on the market, although not at bargain prices. Having abandoned the car somewhere in the square, he proceeded to the market along with the crowd, which was walking briskly. It must be said that Alexey often visits markets in different countries; in Japan, he took a fancy to Akihabara, where he frolics to his heart’s content and brings all sorts of things here. He brought his current Sony Ericsson phone from there, and most importantly, he regretted that he did not buy several of them as gifts for friends and relatives. It turned out to be a good model, and an exclusive one at that; he was pleased to explain where the device came from, what it could do, and demonstrate it. The social role of exclusive phones, as well as similar things in general, is a separate topic for a detailed discussion.

That day, at the market, Lesha was able to buy a couple of disks with all sorts of things, a Siemens SL10 for a couple of thousand, but with a working battery, and also bought a video card. When he returned towards the crossing, his gaze came across a phone, the same model as his, the same color. They sold it without charging, but for some 10,000 rubles. He bought it. Good condition, brand new, the charger can be ordered in Japan, no problem. I checked it inside with the seller’s SIM card - everything is fine, fresh software. I agreed that if something was wrong, I would return the money within a couple of days. Happy Lesha walked home. Just as happy, he taxied home. At home, taking his phone out of his bag, he began to look for his personal device. I called it, and the eternal answer was: “The subscriber is not available.” Unlike us, so smart, sitting behind the monitors, Lesha did not immediately realize what had happened. As he later said, the situation was so surreal that it is almost impossible to believe in it even now. For those who are slow to understand, let us decipher: Alexey perfectly acquired his own phone, which was stolen from him an hour earlier. The sellers first cleared the memory, took out the 4 GB card, and carried out pre-sale preparation, in a word.

An attempt to download the license later encountered the disappearance of “that same guy” from the tent, the disappearance of similar sales receipts (show me where our tent is indicated, but the receipt you have is not ours), the topic died out by itself. Lesha never sets foot on Savelovsky again and is conducting active propaganda against this place.

Money is counted out, phones go behind the counter. One of the sellers begins to quickly insert the SIM card and clear the memory. After 10 minutes, new models begin to appear on the display. Price tags are approximately 4-5 thousand, new devices cost about 7-9 thousand. One of the guys lectures me: “You see, we’ve taken them now, if we have time to sell something before the owner arrives, that means we’ll put the money in our pocket; if we don’t have time, we’ll report to him. You can’t let everything go past the cash register, he deals with problems, if you go past the cash register, then all the problems will be yours personally, and this is oh oh oh.”

According to the inhabitants of the tent, there are not many sellers like our visitor. More often they bring one, or at most two phones. But stable and constant. Not a day goes by without a phone being brought. There are a lot of tents at the market, but no one is left without a device.

How does this scheme work?

Tents, cars near the metro, as well as individuals are buying phones in huge quantities. According to the most conservative estimates, about 4 million used phones were sold on the market in 2007. Of this number, three quarters are of criminal origin. In most places, the seller of such phones is not asked for any documents, with the exception of pawnshops, where any items are accepted using a passport. Those who are called upon to control the sale of goods turn a blind eye to the origin of such phones, since there is no campaign to combat this phenomenon. On the other hand, they get their share in the form of a fixed fee from each sales place, be it a tent or a car. Surprisingly, a vicious circle arises: theft of phones is almost unpunished, selling them is not a problem, and stolen phones are on every corner, even in the center of Moscow. Many devices lying on the counters of tents are registered in the IMEI database of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, where they are listed as criminal. But no one checks these devices, because you can buy or sell such a phone with impunity.

For those who do not encourage theft and do not suffer from a tendency to buy and use stolen goods, there is a simple recommendation. Do not buy phones from such stalls, they are almost certainly stolen. If for some reason you need a used one. phone, take advantage of online flea markets, advertisements in newspapers, the chances of buying a phone from an ordinary person are higher here.

During the preparation of this material, we found a huge number of different facts, for example, about how phones in original packaging appear in tents, and who sells them from communication stores and, most importantly, for how much. Funny cases, stories about how information from phones that were stolen went for a walk. Enough for more than one article or essay, the topic turned out to be inexhaustible. Therefore, we did not abuse your attention and shortened this article as much as possible to reasonable limits, but the topic is not closed, we will write about it. In the next article we will talk about the other side of the coin, how to protect yourself from theft of your mobile phone, and what to do if it happens. In the meantime, we will be glad to see your stories, opinions, and reviews in the forum.

Today you can buy a cell phone not only from the official representative of the manufacturer, but also at any retail point of sale. However, not all goods reach stores legally. In addition to high-quality products, there is a possibility of purchasing a stolen gadget, which will subsequently be seized by law enforcement officials without a refund of the money paid. How to avoid becoming hostage to circumstances and promptly check your device for theft, we will learn from our article.

FAQ

Is it possible to find a device by IMEI via the Internet?

You can find it, but within the same cell tower, and then only knowing the digital codes that the smartphone itself can generate. Learn more about the method in the video.

Information is being spread on various forums and social networks that you can find the phone yourself using IMEI online. Like, just pay. Unfortunately, this is a scam. At the very least, it will be a waste of time. But the saddest thing is that some gullible citizens agree to transfer funds to false detectives. Don't fall for it

Is the help of special sites and services real?

Websites and services supposedly designed to detect lost items are traps for owners of lost smartphones. Enter the number, transfer the money, and the problem is solved - there is no such scheme and cannot exist.

Is it true that the gadget can be found through the satellite system?

It is possible that the intelligence services have similar methods of searching for any devices in their arsenal. But it is unlikely that anyone will use them to determine the location of a private person's cell phone.

Therefore, searching through satellites is a MYTH for mere mortals.

However, if you install the “Track by phone number” application from Family Locator Inc. on Android immediately after purchase, you will find it via GPS in case of loss. And completely free.

Signs of fraud

Sometimes scammers behave in such a disguised manner that it is difficult to understand that they want to deceive you. The buyer needs to carefully examine the product, the seller, and his behavior. Signs that indicate that you are dealing with a thief are the following:

1. Rush. Even if a person agrees to check the phone, when you start looking for Imei to make sure the smartphone is “clean,” the scammer will use all sorts of ways to prevent this from happening, talking about how busy he is, that he’s in a hurry to get to work. Don’t give in to his persuasion; the best way is to leave the meeting and not buy such a gadget.
2. Low battery. If your phone won't turn on because it's dead, refrain from making such a purchase. After turning on the smartphone, it may be blocked, not turn on at all, or constantly slow down. To be on the safe side, when going to a meeting with the seller, take a charger to check the gadget. But the buyer should be wary if he was not warned about the absence of a charger. If the seller claims that he forgot it at home, offer to go and pick it up, and at the same time check the equipment there.
3. Lack of charger and documents for the smartphone. If the seller says that he has lost the charger or it is broken, and therefore the gadget is being sold without it, you need to be wary.

If you don’t like something about the seller, he seems strange to you, refuse to buy a mobile phone. After all, there are many advertisements for the sale of smartphones on the Internet, and therefore you will find a good phone.

Don't be fooled by too low a price - there are reasons why a person wants to part with equipment so cheaply. And if you bought a stolen phone, do not regret the money spent; contact the nearest police station with a statement and search for the seller.

Tags:iphone