How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
A really wonderful tip sent in by Master MC. Now, if only everyone followed it.
To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:
*#06#
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. when your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code.They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.
You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.
Don said,
July 30, 2006 @ 11:35 pm
Well You can note it down but it will be of no use…..vurrently no service provider can block any phone with IMEI no. U can report it to them and if somebody tries to register that ph on there a/c then only he can be caught….
techno said,
July 31, 2006 @ 3:14 am
true, cos i can get anbody’s IME numer and say its lost, and get it blocked, so only if they try to register it on their name.
doesnt matter said,
July 31, 2006 @ 4:01 am
The IMEI number can be changed pretty easily. use the IMEI of an old dead phone’s onto this one, you are done.
wrongnumber said,
July 31, 2006 @ 5:03 am
absolutely right, we all know our imei numbers , only dumb people dont know it. i lost a 40k phone but could do nothing about it. i’ll give you the whole procedure–
first go the police station where you lost it.
get a copy of the FIR
then go to the service provider and ask them to block the sim, and thats all they can do.. a sim which by the way would already have been thrown out.
the fact is that we can surely block the phones, as a service provider has the imei number of a phone being used, but nobody does it. and that sucks big time..
doesnt matter said,
July 31, 2006 @ 5:23 am
I lost my nokia 6600… i had the IMEI no. with me but Airtel ppl said they can’t do anything regarding this. also some ppl envolved in unblocking business in delhi. so if u have a blocked/locked phone they unlock it for a very nominal cost.
doesnt matter said,
July 31, 2006 @ 5:24 am
Good advice.
That is actually called an IMEI code folks. The sequence to press to get those may differ from mobile to mobile. So find out from your manual on how to get those.
Thanks again for the good tip!
Raj said,
July 31, 2006 @ 5:56 am
Well,all service providers should come up and they must work together joint handly to catch the mobile thief with this code.So it is wise to buy mobile phone from genuine second hand seller or buy the new one.Good article list more about same.
Gaurav said,
July 31, 2006 @ 9:29 am
Yeah its true but it depends on the country e.g. when my mobile got stolen in delhi, i called airtel to get my mobile barred but they said i have to call Nokia coz its the actual handset company who does that. I called Nokia Singapore (who support Nokia India) n they said they cant do it as there is no law in india. Same happened in Australia. As far as I know i can do it in US n few countries in Europe coz they have these kind of laws supporting it.
Dude said,
July 31, 2006 @ 10:13 am
Yeah thats right, In India, giving IMEI number to mobile operators does not help, the technology is there to block mobiles, but they do not block it as there is no such directive from govt of India to telecom operators.
Rajesh Bidkikar said,
July 31, 2006 @ 11:02 am
THANKS !
EXCELLENT MAN !!
GOT ANY MORE TRICKS ?
Maddy said,
July 31, 2006 @ 11:33 am
Its a nice tip indeed… bt probably of no use in India, as the person who has stolen the mobile can get the handset unlocked by the local handset repairer just by spending 200-300 bugs.
‘Don’ i wld like to tell you, in case if you loose your handset definitely you can get it blocked, Handsets are not blocked by the service providers…it is blocked by the handset manufacturer after checking certain documents viz. FIR, Handset purchase Bill, etc.
teena said,
July 31, 2006 @ 11:44 am
thanks a lot i dint know abt it..its good if all cum to knw abt this..
raj said,
July 31, 2006 @ 2:17 pm
Well, even if you are lucky enough and make ur service provider lock ur phone using based on ur IMEI no….It can be unlocked for a mere Rs.50/-….with any mobile phone dealer….Try it!!
san said,
July 31, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
yeah don is right…
but useful in countries where there is only one provider… still operators don do it very easily… hv tons of formalities…
Bikramjeet said,
July 31, 2006 @ 4:58 pm
How can a service provider block the handset if the existing sim card in the handset is replaced with some other sim card (Different Service Provider)immidiately or switched off.
Karan said,
July 31, 2006 @ 7:56 pm
First of all I would like to tell that in US it is illegal to change the phone’s IMEI no. There is no such law in India that’s why it is useless to block the phone with specific IMEI. Evertime you use a sim card of a service provider the phone’s IMEI is stored in the service provider’s database. These all are useless methods to locate your mobile. The best solution is provided by samsung i.e. Mobile tracker. When you enable that feature and enter 2 mobile nos. of your choice the phone sends the sms to those people if someone changes the sim card. By doing this you can locate that person with the help of police and service provider. However, you all know about our police and service providers. This feature is supported by Samsung here(Tata) and D900(yet yo be released).
techno... said,
August 1, 2006 @ 12:29 am
even the phone is blocked, take it down to london, they will unblock it, i know its illegal, but im sure some will do it. Then you just clone another IME number. If only there was a way to make these ime reduntant once used or blocked.
amrikan d00d said,
August 1, 2006 @ 6:52 am
Yeah, that didn’t even work on my phone. Also, my phone came free with the plan. If I lose it, I get a free one in 2007 anyway, so whatever.
Anonymous said,
August 1, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
Well this is a solution, but for a casual theif !
The mushrooming unauthorised mobile service centers can reload the operating software, so the phone will work again on another operators network.
Unless the operators get together to share the lost phone info and ensure that all of them block the IME number thrroughout their n/w, this menice cannot stop
Jerry said,
October 28, 2006 @ 9:09 pm
Using an IMEI number to “block” the handset might have been useful a decade back when hacking a cell phone was a big deal! Nowadays, it is a simple matter of, for example, flashing (i.e. over-writing) the FLASH memory chip with a brand-new phone software image (for the same model, of course), or over-writing the IMEI number with that of a dead phone! You have complete workstations available online! Check it out on Google! The makers guarantee them!
The best way to prevent phone theft is to be vigilant and be aware about one’s surroundings! There is no other way!