Fortunately or unfortunately mobile devices They have evolved so positively in recent years that they have become real treasures, especially for all those who are lucky enough to have one belonging to the high range. This has led to more and more made ideal targets for thieves, that on many occasions you find great facilities to take them without arousing suspicion and also to sell them.
The network of networks is full of web pages where we can buy smartphones of any type and value, and on many occasions it is very interesting to be able to know if it is stolen or not, since many undesirables make their living stealing mobile phones and selling them shortly after with the anonymity that the Internet offers. Today and so that no one deceives you and scam you, we are going to tell you in detail how to know if a mobile is stolen, so as not to buy it and avoid the consequent problems.
IMEI and CEIR, two fundamental concepts that you should know
When it comes to acquiring a smartphone, we must know two basic concepts to be able to quickly draw conclusions and know, for example, if the terminal that we have bought has been stolen or its origin is doubtful. The IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity in English) It is the first of these concepts and in a simple way we could say that it is the identification number that each mobile has.
This number is unique for a mobile device and is generated automatically without the user being able to change or modify it, at least in a simple way. Based on these identification numbers, the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register), which is a database of IMEI numbers that correspond to stolen terminals.
This database, which could be really useful, since as soon as one of these devices incorporated thanks to the IMEI to this list connects to the network of networks, the operator that gives you service will block access to this, It is not so since there is no global database and there are a lot of different databases that only complicate things a lot.
This means that many operators do not use any list, blocking very few terminals for use, despite being fully aware that they are of a doubtful origin.
In the event that you can access the IMEI of the mobile before buying it, you can check if it is included in some of these lists. One of the most important in the world is the one created by the GSMA, known by almost everyone for being the organizers of the Mobile World Congress that is held every year in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
The importance of reporting the theft of a smartphone
Many users who have to go through the unpleasant moment of having their smartphone stolen, prefer not to report the incident, to avoid paperwork and waste time, resigning themselves to having to buy a new terminal. However, this option, which is undoubtedly the most comfortable, is to give thieves even more facilities.
And is that reporting it, the IMEI associated with that mobile device will enter the CEIR databases and giving mobile phone operators the option to block the device and render it unusable. In this way, the thief will have more difficulties when it comes to selling the stolen device, although unfortunately blocked terminals and apparently without any use continue to have a large market.
Whenever our mobile device is stolen it is important that you go to the Police or the Civil Gurdia to report the incident, clearly specifying the IMEI of the terminal, so that law enforcement can investigate in depth. It is also essential that you notify your operator to block the terminal, since although it will enter the CEIR databases, in this way the block will be practically immediate.
Also do not forget to lock the SIM card to avoid more troubles, because the thief can dedicate himself to making calls abroad or sending text messages that result in a high bill.
If the smartphone reappears or you manage to recover it, don't worry because you can always unlock the IMEI again by contacting your operator. In addition, with this notification it will also disappear from the CEIR databases.
If you don't know the IMEI of the terminal
The IMEI of any mobile device can be known by dialing a specific number on it, although if they have not stolen this will be difficult, but it never hurts to be cautious and write it down somewhere. In addition, it is always possible to see it in the box of the device where the smartphone came when you purchased it.
In case you cannot obtain it by either of these two methods, you can always recover it through your Google account.
How to know if a mobile is stolen
After knowing exactly what the IMEI and CEIR concepts are and some other things, we can now begin to explain how we can know in a more or less undoubted way if a mobile is stolen or its origin is totally legal.
Check it with a SIM card
The first way to know if the mobile you have just bought or are thinking of buying is by inserting a SIM card in it and see if it allows you to make a call. In the event that you communicate and a locution indicates us the outgoing calls are restricted, put yourself in the worst.
To confirm this information, you just have to call your mobile operator and ask if the IMEI is blocked because it is a stolen mobile device or that a user has lost it.
Check the data associated with the IMEI
An interesting option is to check through this site the technical data associated with the IMEI number of the terminal you have bought or are planning to buy. If when you enter the identification number it appears as the brand of the Samsung terminal and you are buying an LG, be very suspicious.
Although the IMEI number should not be able to be changed or modified, this does not happen and many mobile phone experts are able to change their identification number, making it part of a new terminal that does not bear the associated stolen stamp.
Unfortunately all this is not infallible
Unfortunately for all of us everything we have told you in this article is not infallible and is that for example and as we have told you with certain advanced techniques you can change the IMEI of the mobile. This simply makes all the history of this terminal disappear, and if it is a stolen terminal, it becomes clean of any criminal event.
In addition, the databases of stolen devices are not usually too up-to-date, so it is quite likely that if a thief wants to deceive us, he can do so very easily without us finding out at any time.
For all this, every time you want to buy a new mobile phone, always do it through secure websites or applications that inspire confidence. Also, if you are going to make a purchase in one of the many forums on the network of networks for this purpose, make sure a lot of who you buy your new smartphone from and how you buy it, to avoid future problems.
Opinion freely
Buying a second-hand mobile device on many occasions can be a really interesting option, although with this we expose ourselves to the fact that it may be a stolen mobile, which sooner or later will end up giving us some displeasure. As advice I can only tell you to run away from too low prices, from sellers who do not offer you all the information you ask for about the device for sale and in strange ways to deliver your new terminal.
Sometimes acquiring a mobile device for an incredible price can be fine, but if you do not check if it is stolen or lost by another user it can bring you more of a displeasure that nobody wants.
Do you already know how to check in a more or less simple way if the mobile you want to buy is stolen?.