Everything That You Need To Know About Your Phone IMEI Number

Everything you need to know about your phone’s IMEI number is described here in this post below. Here you will learn much important information that will help you use your phone with a lot of secondary benefits!

In many Internet circles, IMEI digits are a source of both mystery and dread. These enigmatic, hazy numbers are widely used to identify your phone, prompting some to wonder if they can be used for surveillance and other malicious activities. We’re here to help you understand what IMEI numbers are, how they function, and where you can find them.

What Is An IMEI Number And What Does It Mean

The International Mobile Station Equipment Identity number (IMEI) is a number that is used to identify a device that connects to a cellular network on the ground.

What is a lowland cellular network, by the way? This is the network you use when you use your cell phone to make a call. When you use your data plan also, to access an Internet connection supplied by your cellular carrier. It’s named “terrestrial” because it connects via planet-side antennas rather than satellites.

Because the IMEI standard applies to all terrestrial cellular network devices, this includes 3G/4G/5G tablets, computers with older PCMCIA or newer integrated PCIe 4G LTE/5G wireless cards, and other mobile devices. You’ll see two IMEI numbers, one for each SIM slot if you have a dual-SIM phone.

The main purpose of IMEI numbers is to identify mobile devices. They also serve as a deterrent to theft. A thief cannot swap the SIM card on a phone and expect to keep it if it can be widely recognized. Because IMEI numbers are hard-coded into device hardware, changing them can be difficult without compromising the device’s capacity to communicate.

When a carrier discovers that a device has been stolen, it can blacklist the IMEI code, change it, and prevent the device from connecting to the network. It might also instruct other cellular networks to follow suit. Each country has its policy regarding how this works. Whether it uses a blocklist (as the majority of countries do) or an “allow list” (as the majority of countries do), (a whitelist that carriers can add to, used in a few countries like Chile, Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan).

Can The Government Track Me Using My IMEI Number

It’s worth noting that this is most common when the phone was issued by the carrier. If you buy a phone online that isn’t connected to a mobile plan, you may be on your own because your carrier may not have the legal authority to block the IMEI number.

The long answer is that it depends. They won’t know who your phone belongs to unless they can connect a name or some other sort of personal information to it. This is a common issue with prepaid consumers. There’s no way to link an IMEI number to a face or ID card because they don’t sign contracts with their cellphone carriers. At the very least, the process is tiresome.

This is why certain European and Middle Eastern nations have approved legislation requiring prepaid SIM card purchasers to show picture identification. In fact, as of early 2021, there were 157 governments. The authorities could use a search warrant to acquire your IMEI information for number and location tracking if you have a contract with a mobile provider. So, even if you switch to a prepaid SIM card, you can still be tracked.

You should be concerned about more than just the government. Your IMEI number might potentially be used by hackers to track you down. However, because the effort necessary to organize such a surveillance operation is still enormous, these situations rarely occur to the common citizen.

Are IMEI Numbers Found On All Mobile Devices

Because counterfeit phones aren’t built to comply with regulations, they frequently lack IMEI numbers. India first had problems with these gadgets in 2010, and they’ve been trying to solve the problem for years. “No, certain gadgets do not have IMEI numbers, but they are all unlawful,” says the answer to the question.

Without an IMEI number, you won’t be able to connect to some carriers, therefore it’s usually not worth it to try to game the system.

Is the IMEI number on my phone still valid?

The IMEI numbers on some counterfeit phones are incorrect. The Luhn formula for verification of identifying codes is the simplest approach to manually examining the validity of an IMEI number (for Android phones, use the method listed here). There’s always the online IMEI checker at IMEI if you want an easier way to check your IMEI Info.

How To Find Out What Your IMEI Number Is

On an Android phone, look up the IMEI code. The quickest way to check your phone’s IMEI number is to open your keypad and type *#06#. Instantly, your IMEI number should appear on your screen. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to copy and paste the number, so you’ll have to write it down individually.

You can also go to “Settings -> About Phone -> Status -> IMEI Information” if the previous technique doesn’t work for whatever reason.

If you’re a hoarder, get ready to feel vindicated for keeping that box in which your smartphone arrived! A new phone’s IMEI number is normally printed on the box, sometimes on a sticker with a barcode.
If none of the previous techniques work, you might be able to find your IMEI number on your SIM card tray, or under the phone battery if your phone has a removable cover.

Check The IMEI Of Your iPhone

The procedure for checking the IMEI on your iPhone is similar. Simply dial *#06# on your phone’s keypad, then press the green “Call” button to see your IMEI displayed on the screen.

If this fails, simply follow Apple’s instructions to find the IMEI number for your specific iPhone/iPad model. This number is usually found beneath the iPhone logo or in the SIM tray on most phones.

Check The IMEI Of Your Android Phone

You need to do something with your IMEI now that you have it, right? There are several websites where you can enter your phone’s IMEI number and receive a list of accurate specs and information about your device, such as imei.info. Another website includes checking whether your phone has been blacklisted/reported as lost or stolen by entering your IMEI number. If you’re buying a used phone, it’s always a good idea to do this.

Most Commonly Asked Questions

Is it possible for someone to impersonate my IMEI number?

It’s theoretically feasible, even though it’s quite unlikely. The issue is that there’s no compelling reason to spoof someone’s IMEI number at random.

There are a few programs available that can help you recreate an IMEI number. The only time I’ve seen such a tool utilized in a major operation was when consumers who rooted their Android phones lost their IMEI numbers. They had to go through a special post-root procedure to get them back.

If you are the victim of an IMEI spoofing assault, there isn’t much you can do to protect yourself. You should contact your carrier right once.

Are there any IMEI substitutes?

No. Because the IMEI standard is so deeply embedded in how mobile networks work. Finding an alternative would just cause too many problems for individuals who utilize international roaming. Making a new standard would take a lot of money and resources. No country would gain from it right now.

What do I need to do in the event that my phone is stolen?

Request that your carrier blocks the IMEI number that they have on file for you right away. You’d be shocked at how quickly they can resolve this problem. You could even be able to find and reclaim your device, depending on what your carrier is legally allowed to do.

If the latter isn’t possible, the best you can do is wipe your phone’s data remotely if possible to prevent the device from being useful to the person who took it.