How to Check if an IMEI Is Blacklisted or Stolen (for Free)

When a phone is reported lost or stolen, or a contract goes unpaid, the carrier can add its IMEI to a block list. Participating networks then refuse to connect that IMEI. Many carriers share these reports through the GSMA Device Registry, and some countries run a national register (often called a CEIR — Central Equipment Identity Register).

A blocked phone usually still powers on and works on Wi-Fi, which is why stolen phones are sold online. It simply won't make calls or use mobile data on networks that honour the block — sometimes not even in other countries.

Our free IMEI checker validates the format and Luhn checksum and shows you the TAC. It runs entirely in your browser and never sends your IMEI anywhere. It does not query any blacklist, carrier or ownership database, and we will never display a made-up "clean" or "blocked" result.

Use it first to make sure the number you were given is genuine and typed correctly — then use one of the official routes below.

• Ask a carrier. Any mobile network store or support line can tell you whether an IMEI is blocked on their network, and often across shared lists. This is the most reliable free check almost everywhere.
• Use your country's official register where one exists. For example, India runs the government CEIR portal (Sanchar Saathi) with an IMEI verification service; several other countries (e.g. Pakistan's DIRBS, Turkey, and various Latin American regulators) operate national IMEI registers. Search for your telecom regulator's website — official portals are on government domains.
• Carrier-backed checkers in the US. The CTIA-supported Stolen Phone Checker (stolenphonechecker.org) uses GSMA Device Registry data from participating US carriers and is free.
• UK buyers. Ask any UK network, or use a reputable paid check that names GSMA as its data source. Report thefts to the police and your network; the police can record the IMEI with the crime report.
• Police lost-property and stolen-goods services. Some police forces and national property registers let the public check serial numbers or IMEIs. Use only services linked from an official police website.
• Manufacturer locks. A phone can be clean on carrier lists but still locked to its previous owner (Apple Activation Lock / Find My, Google Factory Reset Protection, Samsung Find My Mobile). Ask the seller to remove their account in front of you and reset the phone.

• If a site returns a detailed status instantly, for free, with no named data source, assume it's guessing.
• Never pay an "unblock" or "IMEI repair" service — removing a legitimate block is illegal and usually a scam.
• Don't post your IMEI publicly; leaked IMEIs get cloned onto stolen handsets.
• Prefer checks that name their source (carrier, regulator, or GSMA Device Registry).

• Dial *#06# and compare the IMEI with Settings, the SIM tray and the box.
• Paste it into our IMEI checker to confirm it's well-formed, and note the TAC.
• Check the TAC matches the model you're being sold (see our TAC lookup guide).
• Ask a carrier or your national register whether the IMEI is blocked.
• Make sure the seller signs out of Find My / Google / Samsung accounts and factory-resets the phone in front of you.
• Insert your own SIM and make a test call before handing over money.