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How to Check If a Phone Is Stolen Using IMEI

7 min readUpdated 6/25/2026

How to Check If a Phone Is Stolen

Buying a stolen phone is a serious risk in every country. The phone can be remotely bricked, confiscated by police, or blacklisted so it can't connect to any mobile network. The most reliable way to check if a phone is stolen is to run an IMEI blacklist check before purchase.

What Happens When a Phone Is Reported Stolen

  1. The owner reports the theft to their carrier and/or police
  2. The carrier submits the IMEI to the national blacklist database
  3. The IMEI is shared with GSMA's CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register)
  4. All carriers in participating countries block the IMEI from connecting to their networks

Databases That Track Stolen Phones

  • GSMA CEIR — Global blacklist shared across 100+ countries
  • CTIA (US) — US carrier stolen device database (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon)
  • NCMEC (US) — National Center for Missing and Exploited Children database
  • CEIR UK — UK's central blacklist fed by EE, O2, Vodafone, Three
  • National databases — Australia (AMTA), Canada, EU countries

How to Check If a Phone Is Stolen by IMEI

  1. Find the phone's IMEI by dialing *#06#
  2. Visit IMEI Check Pro's free tool to verify the device model is legitimate (not a clone)
  3. Get the premium IMEI report to check GSMA blacklist, US Blacklist, and carrier stolen databases

Signs a Phone May Be Stolen

  • Price is significantly below market value
  • Seller is unwilling to let you check the IMEI before payment
  • No original box, charger, or documentation
  • iPhone has iCloud "Find My" still enabled
  • Seller is rushing the transaction

What to Do If You Bought a Stolen Phone

If an IMEI check reveals your device is blacklisted after purchase: stop using it, contact the seller immediately, report to your local police, and contact your payment platform (PayPal, credit card) for a chargeback. Do not attempt to bypass the blacklist — this is illegal in most countries.

Guide reader • Try once

Check the GSMA blacklist before you trust the listing.

Verify that the IMEI is clean and not reported lost, stolen, or blocked by mobile operators.

Check Blacklist Status

GSMA Blacklist

Clean status check

Verify the IMEI is not reported lost or stolen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to check if a phone is stolen?
Obtain the 15-digit IMEI (*#06#) and run a check against GSMA and national police/carrier databases. A clean result confirms no theft reports on file.
What happens if you buy a stolen phone without knowing?
If the true owner reports it, the carrier will blacklist the IMEI, leaving you with an unusable phone. Police can also confiscate stolen property without compensation.
Can a stolen phone be unlocked with a factory reset?
No. Factory resetting does not remove carrier network blacklists or account activation locks (iCloud / Google FRP).
What are warning signs that a phone might be stolen?
Price far below market value, seller rushing the sale, meeting in obscure locations, refusal to provide the IMEI in advance, or the phone asking for a passcode/iCloud.