Unfortunately, mobile phone theft statistics in Spain are skyrocketing. According to the data handled by the Secretary of State for Security, in our country there are no less than 280.000 complaints for mobile phone theft each year. That is why there are many users who choose to block their devices when they have been victims of a theft. It is the famous IMEI lock, but How to know if a mobile phone is blocked by IMEI?
The idea is that the thief cannot access the contents of the phone, where we often store sensitive information (access to online banking, our email, photos, documents, WhatsApp conversations, etc.). There is only one way to unlock your phone: using a specific code called IMEI.
This lock works like a padlock to which only we have the key. That means that, if we manage to recover the phone, we can easily unlock it in no time. However, it must be known that in order to make the mobile lock by IMEI It is necessary to file the corresponding theft report with the police and notify the operating company.
What is the IMEI of my phone?
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique registration number for each mobile device. It is usually written somewhere on the box that contains the phone when we buy it. It also features in the phone's removable battery. But the truth is that few people keep that box and almost everyone uses phones with integrated batteries. luckily there are others ways to find out this identification number.
On Android
This number can be consulted on the mobile itself, without having to install external applications and without the need for an internet connection. All you have to do is mark the key combination *#06# and the image with the IMEI will be displayed on the screen. Another way to do it is this:
- First we go to the menu Mobile settings and follow these steps:
- Then we will "About of the phone".
- Finally, click on the option «Phone information» (or "System", depending on the manufacturer). There is a section where you can check the IMEI.
On the iPhone
The method to find out the IMEI on an iPhone is as follows:
- First of all, we open the application "Settings".
- Then click on the tab "General".
- Finally, we will "Information". All the mobile identification data is stored there, including the IMEI.
What happens when the IMEI of the phone is blocked?
Getting the mobile phone blocked by IMEI will give us important advantages in case of loss or misplacement of the phone. This blocking, which is executed by the operating company at our request, as we have seen before, prevents the entry and exit of messages. As well blocks calls and data connections (not so with WiFi connections). Besides, it will be impossible to use that device with another carrier.*
So the first benefit we obtain by blocking the IMEI of our phone is the security that all our content and access are safe. The other great advantage of this lock is that can be undone at any time. This is very practical if we finally manage to recover the device. Of course, the recovery process is sometimes slow. It can be extended up to two months. You have to be patient.
It is important to know that when a mobile is blocked by IMEI our personal data is not deleted. If we are reckless enough not to protect access with a PIN code or an unlock pattern, the person who has our mobile phone will be able to see our photos, videos and files.
(*) There are some exceptions to this rule: IMEI blocking only works in those countries (currently 44, mainly in America and Europe) that subscribe to DeviceCheck. This means that, in the event of a stolen mobile that ends up in a country in Africa, Asia or Oceania, it could be used.
My mobile has been blocked by IMEI
Sometimes we find that our phone has been IMEI locked, but we haven't. That is, we have the smartphone in our hands, nobody has stolen it or we have lost it, but we cannot use it. How is it possible? There are a few explanations for that:
- Invalid code: The IMEI does not correspond to any registration. In other words: it is not on the global list of the GSMA (Global Mobile Telephony Association)
- altered code: The IMEI number does not match the number assigned by the manufacturer.
How to know if a mobile phone is blocked by IMEI?
Knowing if a mobile phone is blocked using IMEI is very simple, since this code guarantees the exclusivity of each of the devices. There are two basic ways to perform this check:
Changing the SIM card
To verify that our mobile is blocked by IMEI, a good way is Try using the device using another SIM card. If the mobile recognizes it and allows us to use the phone normally, we will know that our device is not blocked. If so, the mobile would not recognize any SIM card. Simple as that.
Consulting on the Internet
Perhaps it is easier to carry out this verification in one of the many web pages dedicated to it. In these Internet sites we can find out if a mobile is blocked by IMEI code. We are not going to mention all of them, just one of the most popular and best working: IMEI check. This is how we can use their services:
- First of all, we access the website and look for the option «Check the IMEI for free.
- After we write our IMEI code in the search box.
- We click on "Check".
- Before the result is displayed, we must overcome the captcha test to prove to the web that you are not a robot.
- Finally, they will appear on the screen all the informative data from our mobile.
Obviously, we will be able to use this verification method only if we have previously been able to find out what the IMEI of our device is, as we explained above.