Smartphones are more innovative and expensive than ever before. Many people consider purchasing a used smartphone or selling their older phone to help pay for a new one. Before taking either of these steps, it’s important to do an IMEI check on the device. You can also utilize your current phone’s IMEI to find it if lost or stolen. Let’s take a deeper look at what an IMEI is, why an IMEI is important, and how to do an IMEI check on a smartphone.
The International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, is a unique number that identifies every mobile device. Think of it as a social security number, but for smartphones. An IMEI essentially sets your device apart from the over 7 billion in the world.To locate a mobile device’s IMEI, you first need to know what you’re looking for. A standard IMEI consists of a 14-digit string of numbers with a 15th check digit to verify the string in its entirety.
It’s not a bad idea to look up your IMEI number as soon as you get a new phone, and then write down this information in a physical location (such as a notebook). If your phone is ever stolen and you have done this, you will then be able to include the IMEI number with your police report and increase the chances of having your device recovered.
If you are considering buying a used phone, you can also check the IMEI and cross-reference it with a list of reported IMEI numbers from stolen phones. Services such as Phonecheck can assist you with this, as well as offer testing for the phone to ensure that it is virus-free and operating properly. On the opposite end of things, if you are planning to sell your phone, you’ll likely be able to give potential buyers more confidence by offering them a diagnostic report for your phone.
The blacklist is a database of all the IMEI or ESN numbers that have been reported lost or stolen. There are a number of ways to conduct an IMEI blacklist check. For instance, you can call your mobile provider, as well as check online IMEI blacklist databases. This, however, can be time consuming. For example, if you are planning to purchase a number of smartphones for your company, checking them all online can be challenging. This is another advantage of a mobile diagnostic report, like one offered by PhoneCheck, so you can run an IMEI check, even on multiple devices, quickly and easily.
Great news! It’s very simple to find your IMEI on any smartphone:
That’s it! You don’t even have to hit send. The information should pop right up. There are also a few alternatives for finding the IMEI. You can find the IMEI in the “About” section of the phone’s settings, on the phone’s original SIM card, on the original packaging, or via your Google dashboard or Apple ID.
Smartphone protection is an important responsibility for owners, and precautions should always be taken when setting out to purchase a new device. Checking a device’s IMEI prior to purchase gives you the information you need to buy a working smartphone, and not an expensive paperweight. Knowing your current phone’s IMEI can help if you plan to resell it, or if it is ever lost or stolen. Make sure to stay familiar with the methods listed above, and use them whenever you need to do an IMEI check on a smartphone.
