Not everyone will know, since it is not something that is usually reviewed or known first when buying a new smartphone. But, the IMEI number can become of vital importance on certain occasions. This digit is the main manager used to identify one phone from another. In addition, at some point we will have to use it, so it will be essential to know exactly what it is.
One of those moments could be when our mobile device is lost or stolen, since with this number we could block any terminal. Therefore, we will explain how to locate this digit and how you have to act to make use of this unique identifier that each phone has inside.
How do I find the IMEI if I don’t have my mobile?
One of the scenarios that we can run into is the need to have this code when we do not have the phone with us, either due to theft or because we have accidentally lost it. To know the IMEI the easiest option will be to check the original box of the product. In it, there should be a label in which the barcode usually appears, and the IMEI of the terminal . If we still have the Android terminal, we must press the sequence * # 06 # on our keyboard. If the phone is an iPhone, we can find it in Settings> General> Device information.
In the event that we do not have the original box of the product, we can also resort to the purchase invoice, since in these cases the supplier himself places this identifier in the details of the invoice to avoid future warranty problems. Although, one of the best options before reaching this possibility will be to write down what this number is.
Although there are two more options, the first will be to contact the operator or store where we purchased the terminal to provide it to us. And as a second option we can visit the Google website: “Find my device”. In it, we will only have to identify ourselves with the email that we use on the smartphone itself. Once inside, we will have to click on the mobile device that we want to find out its identifier and access its information. Afterwards, a window will be displayed in which it will appear when the terminal and its IMEI were registered.
What happens when blocking a mobile by IMEI
With this way of blocking a device we are able to prevent anyone from using any SIM card in the terminal. That is, basically we will ensure that no one can call, receive calls or messages. In addition, that we will also prevent them from using it to connect to the Internet through mobile data. On the other hand, if the person who has found the phone or has stolen it from us manages to unlock and reset it, they can use it through Wi-Fi.
However, you will be using a phone that is not 100% working, since we will make basic functions such as those mentioned above cannot be used with that mobile device. In summary, performing this method on any smartphone is able to cover a part of its connectivity.
In addition, it is important to point out that doing this type of lock will not be able to erase all the data or multimedia files that we have on that phone. Therefore, for this we will always have to make sure we have one of the multiple options that we find in today’s terminals so that only we can unlock it, such as the use of a pattern, the fingerprint sensor, among others. However, it is always good to know how to carry it out so that no other user can use it completely, since it is an extra security measure that we can always take in case the terminal is stolen or we lose it inadvertently.
How to lock
Before attempting said blocking, we must know the identifier of our mobile device . Then, the second step that we must do is take the purchase invoice and file a complaint at the police station. Although not all operators will require this document from us, it is something important since we have true proof that the phone has been stolen from us.
After knowing the IMEI number and having made such a complaint, we will have to contact our operator in case we have bought it through one. Afterwards, they will have to request that they carry out said blocking of the phone with the identifier. However, the process may take more or less depending on how important it is.
In case of having acquired it free or having bought it in another company, you must call your current operator to register this identification number in their database. Once done, in the same call we can block the mobile with this digit so that no one else can use it for calls, messages or mobile data. But, remember that we will not be deleting everything we have in said terminal, since if they find out how to enter they will be able to access all of them.
In case you recover the stolen mobile and have already made it useless using this method, don’t worry, because you can remove this restriction without any problems. Next, we will explain what steps you should follow.
What if I find my terminal?
If this happens, we can unlock it in the same way that it has been restricted. That is, we will have to call the corresponding operator again. So it doesn’t change too much from the previous process. Of course, they will ask us to explain how said mobile device has been recovered and, surely, it will have to be identified. In order for this step to be carried out correctly. In addition, the process itself is almost uncomplicated. However, in some cases it is not usually done immediately, so it could be effective up to two months later. Although, the most normal situation is that it takes a maximum of two days.
The big problem with IMEI
After clarifying that IMEI blocking is an option that prevents anyone from using that mobile to make a phone call or use a data rate, the problem is that it does not work in all countries. For example, in Spain, if we contact our operator, it will allow us to block the mobile so that it does not work with any operator in Spain, in addition to invalidating the SIM card.
In other words, a mobile phone stolen in Spain will not be able to work in the United States or in other neighboring European Union countries, such as France or Germany. This is because operators in these territories use the GSMA’s international lockout system. The United States has the CTIA, where all operators in the country check their databases with that of the GSMA.
However, there are more than a hundred countries whose operators do not have these blacklists, making a mobile phone stolen in the United States work perfectly in a Latin American country. As can also be the fact that one stolen in the European Union can work well in African countries.
Basically because not all countries are part of the global agreements. The GSMA created the mobile phone standard in 1982, and they decided to form a common database after, in 2015, 10 billion lines were reached worldwide. Thanks to it, operators who want to can keep track of smartphones that are on their blacklist for having been stolen, even in countries other than those in which they operate. And this is where we find the big problem when using IMEI blocking , since not all operators in the world use this database to check stolen mobiles.
