International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) - an international identification code for a mobile device, which is assigned at the factory, is flashed in a one-time chip, without the possibility of flashing. It does not depend on the inserted SIM card and identifies only the device itself.
As mobile device manufacturers and mobile network providers explain, this code allows them to track, locate and return stolen phones to their true owners, and block their work if necessary.
According to the second, more romantic espionage version, the code allows special services to control the movements of citizens, listen to them and, if necessary, selectively disconnect their mobile communications.
But practice has shown that not everything is as we are told. When in New York I was pulled out of a brand new Nokia for $ 800, then when I contacted the police they friendly clapped on the shoulder and said: “Welcome to New York”. And when I called MTC and asked to turn off the phone, for reasons of “don't get to anyone,” I was kindly informed that, unfortunately, despite the fact that I have a contract and know IMEI, they cannot turn off the phone, because that their equipment does not allow this.
In addition, skilled hackers, using special software, can change IMEI. Manufacturers fight with hackers, modernizing the protective properties of devices, and hackers improve their methods. But I must say that in many countries replacing the code on the phone is a criminal offense. For this you can sit on a bunk in Belarus, Great Britain, Latvia.
Universal way
The easiest and most universal way is to type on the keyboard *#06#
However, how can the IMEI code be useful for the average user of a mobile device?
- Allows you to find out the country of the manufacturer;
- Software version;
- The serial number of the device;
- Check the originality of the phone (if the number on the small sticker does not match the number indicated in the firmware, then this is not your option).
The old system, the so-called FAC, had a 15-digit code structure. For example, if the seventh and eighth digits were 80, then you came across a Chinese-made device, if 70, then Finnish. In the modern system, the cipher has changed slightly IMEISV and the country of the manufacturer is indicated by the first two digits, for example 49 - Germany, and 04 - Vietnam.
And how to find out IMEI phone? As simple as that, remove the back cover, disconnect the battery and read this number on a small sticker.
IMEI on Apple Mobile Devices
In a slightly different way, the IMEI code is defined on mobile devices with the iOS operating system. The code is always indicated on the package, but if you lost it, there are two ways left:
On an iPad, iPod or iPhone, go to settings.
Go to “Settings”, select “General” and then click “About this device”. You will see the IMEI code.
On some Internet services, for example, SNDeepInfo, you can check the IMEI of your iPhone and learn a lot about it. For example, find out the contract expiration date if the phone is not unlocked. Or find out on which operator the phone is locked, whether it is on the black list.
This will be important information if you decide to purchase a second-hand telephone.
There is also a method that you can use if you were left without a phone, without a box and without anything at all, but at least once used iTunes services. To do this, download and install the iBackupBot program. Use this application to launch any of the iPhone backups and get the IMEI code. By the way, you do not have to pay $ 35 for the program. In limited mode, she will cope with this problem.
Assign or change IMEI on Android phones
How to find out IMEI of a phone from devices with Android operating system? This is a separate song. Many devices do not have it at all. To do this, you need to get it. For example, for phones running on Mediatek chipsets, you need to enter a simple code * # * # 3646633 # * # *.
We go into the engineering menu and find the “Connectivity” tab there. Select the “CDS information” item and click. In the list we find "Radio Information". There, select Phone and after the inscription AT + and enter EGMR \u003d 1.7, ”IMEI”.
Can be made more difficult, but suitable for almost all models
First you need to get root rights. Then we find on the Internet and download the restore_imei archive. We find the run file in it. It must be opened with a text editor. Instead of the numbers after the abbreviation "exe" we prescribe our IMEI. The file needs to be saved. Run run.but and get the file MP0B_001. We copy it to the mobile device along the path / data / nvram / md / NVRAM / NVD_IMEI / MP0B_001.
Reboot and get a fresh and brand new IMEI.
In some cases, it is more convenient to use the Rockchip Repair Tool application.
In case of theft or loss of the phone, its IMEI can be recognized remotely. To do this, just use the Google service at https://www.google.com/settings/dashboard.
There is also a base of stolen and lost phones. A similar database is on the service http://trackerplus.ru/imei.
Well, if you know the IMEI of the phone and are an MTC subscriber, then send this 14-digit number to the free number 307. If the answer tells you that the code is not registered in the database, then you’d better refuse this purchase.
Posted Sat, 06/22/2013 - 11:22
If the phone is stolen, the owner makes an official statement of loss and blacklisting imei phone.
In developed countries: in Europe and America, a stolen phone, even if the SIM card is changed, will not work in any network of these countries.
In Russia, as a result of an imperfect system of prosecution and punishment, it is problematic to return the phone found on the network through imei. More on this later ...
What is IMI?
IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity - International Mobile Equipment Identifier - A 15-bit decimal number unique to each mobile device.
All cell phones of GSM, WCDMA and IDEN networks have imei.
The IMEI device is assigned at the factory during its manufacture and is stored in the firmware of the device. IMEI is broadcast during authorization on the network and serves to identify the device in the cellular network.
IMEI is used to search for stolen phones.
How to find, learn IMEI phone?
IMEI phones can be viewed in four places:
- - in the memory of the device. Display imei, you can set the command *#06# on the phone keyboard.
- - under the battery, on the plate with the serial number.
- - on the packaging, on a sticker or printout with a serial number.
- - in the warranty card.
IMEI is located in the phone’s flash memory, on the phone’s packing box, under the bar code, on the phone’s body and under the battery.
How to find it in the cellular settings in the Android OS and iOC.
Another easy way to find out the IMEY of an Android-based smartphone is to look at it in the operating system settings. You can do this in the following way: “Settings” - “About phone” - “Status” or “Status”. A list of system parameters will open, at the bottom of the list is the IMEI of the mobile device.
Similarly, for iPhone and iPad, the code for the device can be viewed in the iOC settings. It is located in the following way: “Settings” - “Basic” - “About this device”.
How to detect IMEI, ICCID and MEID on Apple iPhone 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 5C, 6, 6 plus, 7, 8, X and iPad
In order to determine IMEI, ICCID and MEID, you must do the following:
In the menu of the mobile device, open the "About device" tab, along the following path: on the "Home" screen, click Settings\u003e General\u003e About device and scroll down.
You can view this information in iTunes, on the back of the iPad, and on the iPhone packaging.
Punch IMEI Database.
Our site site has a database of stolen or lost phones. Here you can punch the phone’s IMEI in the database or save the NAME of your mobile device with the necessary data: name, comment, method of communication.
Punch IMEI:
Enter IMEI
For example: 123456789012345
Why should I check my iPhone by IMEI at the time of purchase?
When buying an Apple mobile device abroad or with your Avito, you need to check whether it is intended for use with any simfree or only with a specific service provider: Sprint, AT&T, etc. In the column, the status of the lock should be “Unlocked” / Unlocked .
It is also worth checking if it has been used before. Look in the column “Activation Status”, if the iPhone is packaged and when checked displays “Activated”, then this is not factory packaging - it has already been opened. Next, check if the IMEI code matches in the phone’s memory, on the back and on the packaging. And it is worth paying attention to whether the color and amount of memory corresponds to this device, in this configuration.
When buying a telephone, you must compare all four of these numbers. In case of discrepancy, it is not recommended to buy such a phone.
How to return a lost phone by imei?
How to find a phone on imei? The IMEI number of the mobile phone is similar to the number of the car engine, and the phone transmits it at each registration to the base station. It follows that upon entering the mobile network, a stolen phone can be calculated and found if desired.
If the phone is stolen in Europe or the USA, according to the owner, the emei of the stolen phone is blacklisted and then the phone is searched by imei. The base of stolen emei is located at all telecom operators and in case of trying to connect to the cellular network, a signal immediately arrives at the appropriate service for the subsequent transfer of time and place of access to the network to the police.
It is not possible to make a call from such a phone, the service provider puts a ban on making calls, only calls to 112 or 911 services are allowed.
The volume of theft of cell phones in foreign countries is low, because a stolen phone will not be able to go online and becomes a useless piece of plastic with electronic filling.
In countries where operators keep blacklists, stolen phones most often go for parts, or for reprogramming IMEI.
Is it possible to change IMEI? It is possible, but not on all devices. On obsolete models and on cheap phones of Asian-Chinese origin, they have already found ways to change IMEI, on new models of devices IMEI replacement is not always possible.
This situation can be compared with an arms race. Manufacturers come up with new ways to protect imei firmware, criminals are constantly looking for ways to bypass protection.
In addition, for the intentional change of IMEI, in some countries, may be prosecuted. This action is qualified as unauthorized access to computer-protected information by law and is punished with criminal prosecution.
For example, in Kazakhstan there is such an article according to which you can get up to three years in prison for imei flashing. In other countries, the maximum sentences can be up to 5-8 years in prison. In Russia, IMEI change actions are qualified under Articles 272 and 273 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In judicial practice, there were facts of indictment with sentencing in the form of three years of imprisonment conditionally.
How to protect yourself when buying a phone?
How to proceed when buying a phone? When buying a stolen phone, its location can be calculated by the stolen imei or by the fact that imei changed on a particular device, this should be remembered.
In order not to run into a stolen phone, the following rules must be observed. You need to buy a phone only in a complete set: a phone, a native charger, instructions with a warranty card, packaging.
Before payment, it is necessary to verify the IMEI on the box, on the sticker under the battery, in the warranty card, with the IMEI displayed on the phone screen. In order to display the IMEI phone, you must enter the code * # 06 #.
Suspicion when buying a phone should be caused: if the imei number under the battery is erased or this sticker is missing, or there are signs that it was re-glued.
If fraudsters used a sticker with a serial number from another mobile device, then this can be calculated. For example, on the site sndeep.info, you can calculate the name and model of a cell phone using the serial number and imei. Links to similar services are posted below.
Show more
How to check punch used iPhone when buying with hands
1. Check the performance of the telephone in the presence of the seller. Any information coming from the seller is mistrustful.
2. IMEI iPhon from the device’s memory, on the box and in the product passport should match. You can find EMEA Athos and the serial number from memory by following the path: “Settings” - “Basic” - “About this device”, the numbers are highlighted in red.
3. Using a paper clip, remove the SIM card carriage and check the serial number and imei on the carriage. Numbers must coincide with clause 2.
4. If the serial number starts at 5K, then this is a restored Refurbished device. That is, it was assembled at the factory from used spare parts and given for resale. Such phones are less reliable than brand new ones.
5. Go to iphoneimei.info or at www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html, enter the serial number and get the exact characteristics of the smartphone. If they differ from those declared by the seller, then he is deceiving you.
6. We check the communication operator on the smartphone in the following way: “Basic” - “About this device” item “Operator”. If Carrier is installed, then the phone is tied to a foreign telecom operator, there is a hevea on the device (there is a hardware unlock, which is not always stable). If the “Operator” column contains MTS, Beeline and other Russian operators, then everything is in order, there are no bindings and unlocks.
Assessment of the appearance and characteristics of the used iPhone when buying
1. Inspect visible damage on the body.
2. Geolocation: "Settings" - "Privacy" turn on geolocation, check the compass.
3. Test the unlock button (button power), Home, volume, vibration switch.
4. Check the camera and take a couple of shots. We look at the speed and quality of the photos received.
5. Slider unlock, should move smoothly, without jerking.
6. Turn on the battery charge percentage indicator: “Settings” - “Basic” - “Statistics” - “Charge in percent”. We memorize the percentages and control the drop in charge. The norm is considered to be the discharge of the device in 5 minutes about 1%.
7. Check the brightness of the screen: "Settings" - "Brightness and Wallpaper", the slider to the maximum.
8. Check the touch screen. Open the virtual keyboard and click on each button in landscape and portrait mode.
9. We call a friend from an iPhone and check the microphone and speaker, including testing the speakerphone mode.
10. Turn on Wi-Fi, try to connect to access points. Similarly, check the Bluetooth.
11. Do a cold reboot: hold down the power key and the Home button. When rebooting, we check for broken pixels on a black screen.
12. Turn off / on: hold down the unlock key, on the screen press turn off the phone. Important: the phone from this action should not reboot, it should turn off.
13. Connect the power to the iPhone and check if it is charging.
14. Connect to a laptop and see if it connects to iTunes.
15. If you need to do a jailbreak in the future, we check the firmware version and the modem version.
How to find a stolen phone by imei?
- In order to find a stolen phone, you must contact the Police. The application should write emei of the stolen device, as well as make copies of documents confirming your ownership of the cell phone specified in the application. Theoretically, you can find a stolen phone, the police must make an official request to the mobile phone company located in the Russian Federation, who must determine whether this phone with the specified emei is currently in the operator’s network. If so, then the phone was found and the operator reports the information about the new owner to the police. The police, knowing the location of the phone, finds it and returns it to the owner. It seems that everything should be solved simply: IMEI informed the phone code "where necessary" - took measures - calculated the offender - returned the phone. But, for a number of reasons, this scheme does not always work.
- The legislative base in our country is built in such a way that as long as the operator receives a request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a lot of time passes, the request can be processed for a month. The mobile operator, even having a request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will not disconnect the phone from its network until evidence is provided that the phone has been stolen. For most phone models, the IMEI code can be reflashed, replaced with a new one. After changing the IMEI phone, the probability of finding it is actually reduced to zero.
- In this situation, it is economically unprofitable for an operator to disconnect subscribers using the black list of stolen phones. Competition between mobile operators requires attracting customers to their network, rather than disconnecting. There is information that there are a large number of handsets with the same IMEI code, which are successfully served by operator networks. If the EMEI blacklist law is enacted, mobile operators will lose a lot of customers currently serving on their networks.
- Manufacturers and sellers of smartphones also do not lose, because after stealing the phone, a person goes to the store for a new handset, which, if it had not been for the theft, he might not have bought it. This increases the profit of all participants in the mobile market. It turns out that manufacturers are not even profitable to develop technical solutions aimed at countering thefts. Therefore, the will of the government should be manifested here, which can adopt laws that force operators and manufacturers to take measures to counter the theft of phones.
The approximate procedure for the loss - theft of a cell phone.
Appeal to the mobile operator.
Immediately after the loss of the smartphone, you should call the operator in order to: 1. Block the SIM card so as not to lose the money on the balance of the phone number. 2. Try to find out the current location of the phone if the phone is turned on and the SIM card is online.Contact the police.
If the phone is lost or stolen, you will need to write a statement. In order for it to be taken without problems, you must have and present to the police officer:
1. Passport of a citizen.
2. Original packaging with IMEI number or passport of a phone with an IMEI insert. Just say the number does not work, it is checked when filling out the application.
3. A check confirming that you own the phone.
It is recommended to write in a statement “Loss”, not “theft”. So you protect yourself from unnecessary red tape. You do not have to write additions to the application to explain the events that preceded the offense. And to prove that this is a “theft”, not a “loss”.
Search through the Android Remote Control service.
If a mobile phone based on the Android OS is lost, you can try to find it using the “Remote Control Android” service integrated in the system. This service allows you to lock your smartphone, remotely clear its memory, erase account data, reset to factory settings or determine its location.
To do this, you need to know the login (Email) and password from Google account tied to the phone.
Under this data, you need to go to the "My Account" Google on the page www.google.com At the very bottom of the page, open the "Android" tab. Here you can see the name of your phone, service provider, account activation date, date and time the device was last accessed to the network.
Press button "Management of active devices", if the mobile phone is turned on and is on the network, a map with the location of the device with an accuracy of 30 meters will appear.
The Call and Block buttons will be available here.
Button “Ring” Allows you to turn on the sound of the call, even if the smartphone is placed on a shake or in silent mode. This feature is useful for those who simply lost the phone at home or on the street.
Previously, as a precaution, a lost device makes sense to block. To do this, click "Block". In order for no one else to be able to unlock the phone, set a password to unlock the screen. And write a message on the locked screen for the person who found the phone. For example, "Please contact the owner of the phone you found by calling xxxxxxxxxx."
It is very important for you not to lose a new password from a locked device, because if you lose your screen unlock password, it will not be possible to recover it.
If the phone could not be found, then you can use the function to clear the main and flash memory of the mobile device, and reset to factory settings. To do this, click the "Clear" button. After cleaning and remotely reinstalling the Android system, it will not be possible to determine the location of the lost device.
Search for iPhone, iPad through iCloud.
Apple has the same service for searching and remote control of a lost mobile device, and this service is provided for free.
As in the case of Android and iOS, this function must be enabled in advance in the settings of the mobile device. You can do this in the iCloud section, function: "Find my iPhone".
In order to locate the iPhone, iPad, go to the official website iCloud and log in to your account.
If the iPhone, iPad is turned on and is on the Internet, then you will see its location on the map.
But if the smartphone or tablet is stolen, then with a high probability, the thief has already turned off the device and reinstalled the system, resetting all the settings, your logins and passwords. Thus blocking the ability to determine the smartphone via iCloud or Google maps.
In this case, it is possible to break through the location of a stolen phone only by IMEI through relatives and friends in telephone companies: MTS, Beeline, Tele2, Megafon and others. Or make a request for the theft to the police and pay them so that the matter is given a move, since no one wants to do anything for free.
Lost-Android - manage your lost smartphone via the Internet.
In addition to the search using regular means of Android or iOS, you can use other software. For example, you can download and install the well-known Lost-Android program, which allows you to remotely control your telephone.
What Lost-Android can do remotely via the Internet:
Turn on, turn off sound, vibration, display, GPS module;
Locating the device on the map;
Ability to block the phone via the Internet;
Sending pop-up messages with a request to return the device;
Copy and view photo files, messages, contacts;
Automatic notification of the owner by Email in the event of a change of SIM card.
Lost android - The official application, it is located on the Google Play Market. After installing the program, in order to conspire, you will have a new application called Personal Notes with admin rights to the device. In its settings, a Google account is entered, through which it will be possible to control a cell phone from a distance.
Find My Lost Phone - search and block Samsung phones by imei.
Modern Samsung smartphones have a built-in branded service Find My Lost Phone Samsung. In order to use this service, you must first configure the software and create a Samsung account, check (enable) the “Remote control” parameter.
In case of loss or theft of the Samsung smartphone, the owner visits the site findmymobile.samsung.com and may:
Locate your Samsung smartphone on a map;
Lock screen;
Turn on the maximum loud sound of the melody to search by ear;
Remotely view call logs and outgoing calls;
Delete all the contents of the device and restore the factory default settings;
If you forget the PIN code, reset it and unlock the screen;
Turn on SIM change notification on a lost device.
Disadvantages of Find My Lost Phone Samsung:
In order to remotely use the Find My Lost Phone Samsung service, it is necessary that the phone is on and on the network.
Your device must be signed in to your Samsung account. If the Samsung phone is Android version 4.3 Jelly Bean or lower, then it is enough to have an activated Google account when using the service.
Why is it almost impossible to find a stolen phone by IMEI.
Why is there a problem finding a missing phone by IMEI.
1. Reluctance of the telecom operator to search the phone via IMEI in its network at the request of the police or citizens. Everything is done formally, the search time is delayed, until the moment when all the deadlines stipulated by law are reached.
2. Software transmitting the coordinates of the smartphone and transmitting remote control to the owner is easily erased and deleted, by resetting the phone to the factory settings, formatting the memory or by flashing the device.
In order to effectively deal with the theft of mobile devices, the consumer of communication services should be able to independently find a smartphone by IMEI in the operator’s network.
In any condition of the firmware, the phone should always have special software that allows it to be found under any circumstances.
But at the moment, there is no such functionality, so we have problems that we have.
For the reasons described above, the question is: "How to find a phone by imei?", can answer: "Phones are returned to their rightful owners in isolated cases."
Can I check by IMEI before buying a phone, but is it a stolen phone?
It is possible, but in our country there is no official database of stolen IMEI - stolen devices. There are sites that provide IMEI verification services, but their databases are far from complete and are not connected with the databases of the competent authorities.
The addresses of sites that host the "Find an imei phone" service are listed below. This is the only possible way in our country to see the imei database of stolen phones.
Attention. On the Internet, you can meet the sentence "download the phone program by imei", but you can not trust such programs, because they contain malicious code. By installing such a program with a database of stolen imai on a PC, you can lose computer data or passwords, logins from your online accounts.
How to find a phone via IMEI via satellite?
Perhaps sometime in the future, a lost phone can be found via satellite, for example, through the Starlink Ilona Mask system. But at this point in time, this is not possible.
If you are offered to find a stolen phone via satellite by IMEI or download a special program for money, do not agree. There are many scammers on the Internet who use the credulity of non-sophisticated users, take money and trick them.
It is important to know that information about the IMEI code of the phone is transmitted through the landline network of the mobile operator and nothing else.
Identify the phone by imei, punch imai by base.
Identify a phone by imei
Good quality service, by imei or by serial number can determine the phone model. For the test, I entered my IMEI and received the following data: TAC, Device serial number, Check digit.
The capabilities of the service allow you to add a smartphone to the list: Stolen or Lost phones.
Check the phone by imei. Base imei stolen, lost phones.
Imei base of stolen, lost phones
Neat and easy to use imei service, with a database of stolen or lost phones. Allows you to find the data of the current owner if your phone is found.
When buying a phone “with hands”, a person will be able to find out the history of the phone, and perhaps even tell the owner where he saw his phone.
Search for a stolen phone, how to find a phone by imei.
Search for a stolen phone, how to find a phone by imei
A popular site has a large database of stolen imei - more than 65,000. When I entered my imei number of my phone, I correctly identified the manufacturer and model. After entering the IMEI of the phone, the service shows the following data: Full IMEI presentation, Manufacturer, model, Type Allocation Holder, Mobile Equipment Type, Reporting Body Identifier, Type Allocation Code, Type Approval Code - phone model code, Final Assembly Code - code manufacturer, Serial Number - serial number, Check Digit - checksum, Note.
LoSToleN is an international service for finding missing phones.
LoSToleN - A large database of stolen phones from around the world. This is the most popular site of this subject. On LoSToleN you can post information about a lost or stolen smartphone. Search for a mobile device is done via IMEI. When buying a used phone, be sure to look at this Internet resource and punch a mobile phone by IMEI, perhaps it is listed in the missing.
Imei.info is identified by the IMEY model and characteristics of the smartphone.
Search for a smartphone by imei on LoSToleN.
Imei.info - one of the best sites on the possibility of determining the manufacturer of the model of the mobile device and its characteristics. The site has the most up-to-date database of EMEY codes and unmistakably finds even the latest and latest smartphone models of any manufacturers, including from China.
It is recommended to use this service when buying a used phone. Perhaps the device you are bribing will reflash or re-stick IMEY on the back cover and packaging of the mobile device. By entering this have it, it is easy to find out which model and which manufacturer it belongs to, as well as whether the characteristics of iron declared by the seller correspond.
Check iPhone Phone Lock Status by imei.
Show moreAlternative search options for a stolen phone
Create a business card about the owner.
The phone does not always disappear due to theft, perhaps a person who finds a missing item will want to return it to its rightful owner. In this case, it is necessary to help him as much as possible. Namely, in the phone you should create a business card with the owner’s data: Name, Surname, additional phone number, Email. A business card can be placed on the lock screen (Settings - Lock Screen - Owner Information) or in the Contacts section, under the first number - 000 Phone Owner.
Some phone models can, when changing a SIM card, send an SMS message to a programmed number. If your smartphone supports this feature, then enable it.
On the Internet there are sites on which you can leave information about the missing phone. The most popular of these is LoSToleN. The link to which is located above.
Call your number.
This advice is obviously the simplest, but it can not be ignored: call your phone.
If the phone is in silent mode
If the phone is lost in the house or in the country and it is in silent mode, you need to remember whether the alarm is activated on it. If the alarm is set, it will work even when the phone is off, as well as in silent mode or in airplane mode. When the alarm sounds, the phone can be heard and retrieved.
If the phone has Bluetooth turned on.
If the mobile phone is turned on, it works and Bluetooth is activated on it, then it can be found by scanning the air. You can do this from another mobile device by installing one of the free programs on it. Under Android OS, these will be the following programs:.
Punch IMEI through a search engine.
Do not ignore this method of searching for MUs. Perhaps someone found your mobile phone and published it IMEI on one of the sites of missing and found phones. Just drive the IMEI of your lost smartphone into Yandex or Google and press Inter.
View sales announcements.
If the phone was stolen, then perhaps it has already been put up for sale. This option is also worth checking out. To sell this or that thing faster, people place an ad on the Avito.ru website. Or to another site better known in your city. It is worth looking at the latest ads for the sale of your phone model on the Internet site. Perhaps you are lucky and the phone will be found in this way.
Similarly, you can place an ad on the site about a lost or stolen smartphone. Social media ads are especially effective. If the device is found by a conscientious person, he will be able to return it for free or for a small fee.
How to decrypt IMEI code. Code structure.
The 2004 IMEI code assignment algorithm has changed. Until this year, mobile devices had a 14-digit code. After 2004, the IMAY code consists of 15 characters.
Today IMEI has the following structure:
“AA-BBBBBB-CC-D”, where: “AA” and “BBBBBB” are TAC codes. The manufacturer and model of the telephone are encrypted in the TAC code.
“SS” is a unique serial number.
“D” is a check digit for checking the entire line.
How to determine the country of the manufacturer of the phone?
Knowing the unique number of the smartphone, you can determine the country of the manufacturer of the phone and, accordingly, the quality of manufacture of the device. Phone manufacturers are trying not to divulge the codes of the producing countries. But still it can be calculated.
Below is information about codes found on the Internet from various sources. In this regard, the data may be erroneous and inconsistent. You can use them only as reference information.
To determine the country of manufacture by IMEI, you must do the following:
We dial * # 06 # on the phone. The code appears - IMEI.
- we write off the 15-digit IMEI of the phone of the form XXXXXXX-XX-XXXXXXX-X.
- we determine the seventh and eighth digits of the IMEI code - this is the so-called FAC (Final Assembly Code).
- on these two figures we determine the country of origin from the list of countries.
01 or 10 or 70 - Finland - good quality phones.
02 or 20 - United Arab Emirates - poor quality phones.
07 or 08 or 78 - Germany - good quality phones.
13 - Azerbaijan - phones of good quality.
03 or 80 - China
30 - Korea
67 - USA
19 or 40 - Great Britain
60 - Singapore
04 - Hungary
00 - means that your phone is outdated and was produced when there was no FAC decryption.
IMEI phone? Where can I find him? And finally, why be aware of such information? We will explain everything to you in detail! Let's start with a general analysis of the term.
What it is?
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is the unique 15-character number that each of the mobile devices has. In particular, these are smartphones, satellite phones and tablets.
It can only be assigned to the device by an authorized organization. An example would be the British Approvals Board for Telecommunications (BABT).
Back in 2002, it was found out that with the help of some types of software it is possible to replace the IMEI of any device with a different number. By the way, in some countries (Belarus, Great Britain, Latvia) such actions will be criminally punishable. Severe penalties have also been applied in Russia and Kazakhstan against “craftsmen” reprogramming IMEI.
In modern times, it is believed that without replacing or reprogramming chips, changing the identifier will not work. It is sewn into the device at the factory in the ROM chip.
What is it for?
This code is stored in the firmware of your smartphone. The main purpose of IMEI is the identification of the gadget in the cellular network. Serves as the serial number of the device when authorizing a device on the network. If your smartphone supports working with several SIM cards at once, then, accordingly, it will have several such identifiers.
Therefore, you can block access to the network of a lost or stolen phone by simply telling the support specialist of your operator IMEI. And even in the case when the attackers decide to use this device by replacing the SIM card, it will be useless for them. After all, the phone will be in the "black list" of all telecom operators (as you remember, the device is authorized on the network by this identifier), which will refuse him access to his services.
Note that the IMEI on the network is determined by the gadget itself (therefore, the phone is searched for on it), and not its owner. The owner of the device and SIM card helps to find out another number - the International Subscriber Identity (IMSI, International Mobile Subscriber Identity).
Another important task IMEI - help in tracking the location of the phone. This facilitates the work of law enforcement agencies: thanks to the identifier, the police will quickly find out where the stolen device is.
What is an IMEI phone yet? This is the same combination of numbers that will help you personally learn more about your gadget (its model and place of assembly).
Where to find IMEI?
Having understood what the IMEI of the phone is, it will not be superfluous to decide where to find it on your gadget. By default, it is indicated immediately in four places:
- In the device itself. Regardless of the model and manufacturer of the smartphone, you can find out the identifier by clicking on the symbols * # 06 # on the dialing screen.
- The second location is the place under the battery of the phone.
- You will also find IMEI next to the barcode on the corporate box of your gadget.
- The last location of the identifier is the warranty card. The sticker with IMEI should be stuck there by the seller.
What is the structure of IMEI?
We found out what an IMEI phone is. This is a combination of 15 characters. Consider its structure based on the classic example - 35-222200-333333-4:
The following identifier versions are also found:
- 35-222200-333333-44. The code is decrypted in the same way, with the exception of the last two digits (44). The latter is SVN. This is the number of software that is installed on your gadget.
- 11-222222-333333. The identifier of the new type. It differs from those presented in that it contains an 8-character TAC (11-222222).
Check Digit Verification
Finding a phone is not the only thing that can help the owner of an IMEI gadget. Using the identifier, you can also find out if the device is original or fake. To do this, use the Moon algorithm:
Take for example, “have” 35-209900-176148-2. So, according to the Moon algorithm:
- Add even characters: 5 + 0 + 9 + 0 + 7 + 1 + 8 \u003d 30.
- We convert the odd ones: 3 \u003d 6, 2 \u003d 4, 9 \u003d 9, 0 \u003d 0, 1 \u003d 2, 6 \u003d 3, 4 \u003d 8.
- Add up the numbers: 6 + 4 + 9 + 0 + 2 + 3 + 8 \u003d 32.
- Addition: 30 + 32 \u003d 62.
- The nearest round number is 60.
- We consider: 62-60 \u003d 2.
- The control number is also 2. That's right, the product is genuine!
How to track phone by IMEI?
Many people wonder if it is possible to independently find the missing or stolen gadget by IMEI. Unfortunately, this is not so simple:
How to track phone by IMEI? Alas, it is impossible for a private person to do this. But you can protect your device from intruders and help yourself in your searches by activating the “Find iPhone” or “Android Remote Control” option in advance.
Now you know what IMEI is. We also know how it can be useful to the user.
One of the unique numbers assigned to each Android device is called IMEI. It can be used for personal purposes, restored or exchanged for Android. It is also worth always remembering why it is needed and knowing when IMEI may be required.
What is IMEI smartphone or tablet
IMEI is the unique identifier that every Android phone and tablet has. He is needed so that you can make calls, send messages and use mobile Internet from your device. That is, with IMEI, you can use all the functions that a SIM card provides.
How to find the device identifier on Android
There are two ways in which you can recognize the IMEI of an Android phone or tablet: by entering a USSD code or using a sticker on the back of the device.
Via USSD code
Enter the code
Code for the first and second SIM cards
Look at the sticker inside the case
Remove the device cover and locate the sticker that may be on the case or under the battery. On it, find the line IMEI, which will be 15 digits.
We look at the IMEI code
How to change IMEI or restore if it has flown
After flashing the device, updating or resetting the data and settings, the IMEI may fail or disappear. If this happens, then you will not be able to use mobile communications, the Internet and messages. In this case, one thing remains - to restore a unique number by changing it to another code. This can be done using the built-in engineering menu or through third-party applications.
How to register code through the engineering menu
We take out a sim card
Open the Phone application
Open the engineering menu
Go to the Connectivity section.
Go to the CDS Information section.
Open the Radio Information section
We write a command
Confirm IMEI change
Reboot device
We insert a sim card into the device
We write a command
Insert a space after the + sign
How to change through a third-party application
To modify or restore the IMEI code, root privileges are required, as settings related to the system will be made.
Download and install the application
Press the button to get root rights
Open Play Market
Install the Chamelephon application
Generate IMEI
Click Apply new IMEI
Video: changing a unique code on Android
Search for stolen or lost phone by IMEI
Since the IMEI code is unique, you can find a purely theoretically lost device by contacting law enforcement agencies or your mobile operator. But this method of finding the device in most cases does not help, since it is rather difficult to get the operation started, and the fraudster who stole the phone most likely changed his IMEI long ago.
The only thing that remains to be done is to drive your IMEI into a single database (http://sndeep.info/ru/lostolen) and declare the device attached to this code as missing. If you add a message about the reward for finding and returning the phone, then perhaps it will be returned to you. Most often, sellers of stolen equipment check this base, so maybe you are lucky.
We drive in the IMEI of the lost device and the rest of the necessary data
In no case do you go to Internet sites that provide the ability to find a device via IMEI for a certain amount. Access to the search by code is available only to telecom operators and law enforcement agencies, since all other organizations simply do not have access to the necessary programs and equipment, which means they will not be able to find your device, while taking your money.
Is it possible to remove IMEI?
Some users mistakenly think that by deleting IMEI they will secret their device and it will not be possible to call it. But this is completely wrong, the more you can’t remove IMEI, you can only change it to a different combination of numbers. How to change the IMEI code is described above in the article.
Each Android device is initially assigned its own unique IMEI code, which you can view, restore or change. To do this, you need knowledge of special USSD codes, an engineering menu, or root rights. You can find a lost device via IMEI only with the help of a telecom operator or law enforcement agencies, but not through sites on the Internet that offer this service. IMEI cannot be deleted, you can only change the code digits.
Some people have the question " how to find imei phone?», « how to watch imei?" or " how to check imei phone? " In this short post I will tell you how to find out imei and how it is useful when stealing a phone.
How to identify imei cell phone?
So, in order to find out the IMEI of your mobile phone, dial “* # 06 #” - asterisk, pound, zero, six, pound - without quotes on the phone. After that, a 15-digit IMEI number is automatically displayed on the phone screen.
Why do I need a serial number if my phone is stolen?
If you steal your phone, you can contact your service provider with a request to block your phone. This is where IMEI is needed, i.e. they will be blocked by the number you specified imei. After blocking, even if the attacker changes the SIM card, the phone cannot be used. Therefore, just in case, write down the serial number of your phone somewhere.
True, I do not think that it will not be possible to use the phone. I believe that there are craftsmen who reflash mobile phones, after which they “come to life”.
And yet, in the list of popular queries, I saw the request "find a phone by imei for free." I must say that this is impossible! Only the police can track the location of the phone. I tried to drive the query into the search. I opened the first website that came across, on it, under various pretexts (download one of the programs), they put an archive with the virus. So, they stole the phone - to the police.
