How to find out where and when your iPhone was purchased by IMEI (serial number)?

How to check yourself using Imei

Any mobile phone has an Imei or international number, by which police officers can determine whether the gadget is stolen or not. It consists of 14-16 characters, but in some cases the number may be longer. You can find out your personal number in different ways, it is located:

• under the cover next to the barcode;
• on the SIM card slot;
• on the sticker or packaging of the product.

In order to find out Imei, dial the following combination on the screen: *#06# and press the call button. Your personal number will then appear on the phone display.

To find out whether a phone is stolen or not, you need to send an SMS to phone number 4443 with the following text: Ministry of Internal Affairs space Imei. After the request, information will be sent to your mobile phone whether the gadget is stolen or not. The cost for sending SMS is charged according to the tariffs of the cellular operator, on average it is 10 rubles.

How to find out where and when your iPhone was purchased by IMEI (serial number)?

Hi all! Finding out information about where your iPhone was purchased by serial number is useful for several reasons. Firstly, you always have the opportunity to compare this data with your memory and make sure that you are the first owner of the device. Secondly, when buying a device in person, check that the seller is not lying and that the phone was actually purchased where the person told you, for example, in America (although it is not particularly profitable to buy there). Well, thirdly, perhaps this information will help you when creating a receipt (which is necessary to unlock iCloud).

As you can see, there are a lot of serious reasons to determine the place where the iPhone purchase was made, and there are also plenty of frivolous ones - for example, just out of curiosity. This means we need to act quickly and decisively! :)

So, we will need:

• Find out the serial number of your iPhone or iPad.
• This checker site is imeidata.net

Updated! The checker site that is discussed in the article has successfully “laid down”. To what extent is unknown. However, perhaps at the very moment when you read this warning, it will start working again - this has already happened. If not, then you can temporarily use another service, which we met when we found out the iPhone activation date.

Follow the link and enter emei in the special field, then click check.

A couple of seconds pass and...

Preliminary information about the device opens:

• Manufacturer.
• Brand and model of the gadget.

Find the Simlock/Carrier line and click on Free Check Now.

After a short wait, much more detailed information about the iPhone opens, including:

1. Purchase Country (country where the phone was sold).
2. Purchase Date.
3. Sold To (place of purchase).
4. Carrier (supplier, but at the same time he is almost always the official seller in the country).

It’s a completely different matter - this is exactly the data about the place and date of sale that we needed!

As you can see, my iPhone was sold by a certain company Haskel LLC (which, frankly, confused me a little - because I absolutely know that I am the first owner and bought it with my own hands from ION). However, Haskel LLC is an official distributor that supplies Apple equipment to many chain stores in the Russian Federation, and in such cases there is no need to be alarmed.

However, if AT&T or some other foreign cellular operator is indicated in this field, and the seller tells you tales about the fact that this is a certified and official phone, for example, for Russia, then you should think about whether you should trust this person at all - after all, his words are a blatant deception.

PS Did you manage to find out where the iPhone was sold? Give it a “like”! :)

How to check whether an iPhone is stolen or not

An iPhone is an expensive piece of equipment, so it would be a shame to buy a stolen phone. No matter how much money you pay for a gadget, it will have to be returned to the owner (in case of theft). Therefore, before purchasing, be careful and check that the phone history is clean. Below we will tell you how to do this.

Special sites

Previously, Apple owners had the opportunity to check whether their phone was stolen or not through the Activation Lock service. On the portal it was necessary to enter a personal number to find out whether the phone was reactivated or not. It is currently unavailable, but may resume operations soon.

There are many similar services in Russia, one of the most common is SNDeepInfo. You must enter the serial number in the field, select the mobile manufacturer and wait for the results. Using this service, you can check other modern phones: Xiaomi, Samsung, tablets, cameras and any equipment.

Lock screen

Many modern iPhones have built-in services that allow you to quickly find out if your phone is legal. Their main advantage is that it is impossible to turn them off if stolen. If a mobile phone is stolen, the owner can remotely block it using the “Find iPhone” function.

When a thief tries to unlock the screen, a message from the owner of the smartphone will appear. The text may vary, but before purchasing, you need to turn on the phone and look at its screen.

Fraudsters can make excuses and say that the gadget is dead, and therefore there is no way to turn it on and check it. Do not believe such persuasion, because a person must present the product in order to sell it. Don't pay attention to the low price and big discount, supposedly because the phone is unnecessary.

If you don't see anything on the lock screen, go to the menu and check if this feature is enabled. Perform the following algorithm of actions:

• Go to the settings section.
• Click on the “Apple ID” button.
• Click on the "iCloud" button.
• If the feature is not active, ask the seller to enable it, this will require you to enter a password. If the phone is stolen, the person will not know the password and therefore will not be able to activate the function. If the function is active, reset the settings and disable it so that an unscrupulous seller cannot deceive you in the future.

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Full reset

All iPhones with an operating system higher than iOS 7 are linked to an Apple ID account, from which the former owner must sign out when selling his smartphone. When purchasing a phone, you must ask the seller to clean it. To do this, use simple instructions:

1. Enter the Settings menu.
2. Click on the “Basic” button.
3. Click the "Reset" button.
4. Click on the “Erase contact and settings” button.

After this, all information and accounts from the mobile phone will be deleted, but the system will ask you to enter a password for the current account, which can only be known to the account owner. If the seller refuses to do this, saying that he forgot the password or entered the wrong combination, you must refuse to purchase the phone.

If the password is entered correctly, the buyer will need to enter his ID data, if the system accepts them, the phone is “clean”, but if he asks to remember the old owner’s account, he must refrain from purchasing.

Phones with an operating system higher than iOS 11 have built-in protection against artisanal repairs. Often, when people steal phones, they remove the lock and replace the parts with genuine ones so that no one suspects about the past “life” of the smartphone. If there are problems with activation, errors appear on the screen, there may be third-party parts inside the phone and the reason for this is a stolen gadget.

How to find out IMEI

This number is indicated on the back cover, on the box and sometimes on the SIM card tray.

You can also find it out:

• in the phone menu in the “Settings” section (General -> About device -> IMEI)
• when you enter the combination *#06# (on dual-sim models, two numbers will be displayed at once, which will have to be checked separately)

It happens that the number on the cover and the box is the same, but the phone gives a different one. This means the seller worked hard and inserted the stuffing from one iPhone into the case and box of another

Naturally, all the numbers must match, otherwise you have a suspicious device in front of you, which is better not to buy.

So, you have found the numbers you need, now you need to check them . Services are both paid and free, but the quality and volume of information provided is higher in the former.

The most up-to-date information can be found here:

1. Apple official website
2. Official IMEI website
3. iPhoneox online service
4. Online service iUnlocker
5. Online service SNDeep

Below are detailed instructions for each method.

Check on the official Apple website

The first option that users usually turn to. Allows you to find out basic information: the legality of the device, model and services available for it.

Here's what to do:

1 Open the site using the Open link

2 Enter the previously discovered number, captcha and submit the request

3 The site will provide information on purchase, model, available services and warranty. The screenshot shows that the phone being checked is legal, is not listed as lost, but has not been supported by the manufacturer for a long time. You can buy it, but if it breaks down you will have to repair it at your own expense.

Data by phone

If the date of purchase is not marked with a green checkmark, then the device being tested has no relation to Apple. Unscrupulous sellers can also sell model 7 under the guise of 8, or 6 under the guise, which is why it is important to check the model by IMEI.

4 Sometimes, for unknown reasons, the site refuses to provide data on a particular phone number. In addition, the manufacturer has long stopped providing information on unlocking the lock. It has become impossible to check whether a phone is locked by IMEI, which is why many users got burned by buying stolen phones

To obtain the necessary data, you will have to use other services.

Checking on the IMEI.INFO portal

The official website of the system is no less popular than the Apple website. Here's what you can find out for free:

1. All technical specifications, including memory capacity
2. Color
3. Is the phone refurbished?
4. Availability of guarantee
5. Presence on the international blacklist
6. iCloud Lock

You can find out any information you need before purchasing, including 100% up-to-date information on blacklists

If you decide that you now have all the necessary information, then do not rush to close the article . To be sure, it is more reliable to check the information in several paid and free services at once, which will give you the most complete and comprehensive picture of the proposed smartphone.

Check IMEI

Check on iPhoneox

The service interface is as simple as possible, so even an elderly person can be taught to use this site. The data provided will be enough to make the right purchasing decision.

1 Follow the Go link, enter the IMEI of the phone you are checking, check the I’m not a robot checkbox and click Check

2 After 10 seconds, a summary table with data on the device will appear. In our example, you can see that the phone was purchased in Ireland in 2012, it is activated, the warranty has expired, there are no operator locks

3 Now it remains to check the activity of the “Find my iPhone” function and whether the phone is on the international blacklist. To do this, follow the corresponding link under the table (or this one - Go). On the English-language resource, also enter the number and click Check

4 The service shows the Clean status. This means the phone was not lost or stolen. Checking the Find my iPhone function is currently paid, but administrators periodically enable a free mode

So, thanks to the service, the model, all production and sales details, criminal status and the presence of blockings were clarified. You can buy a phone if it suits all other indicators (price, appearance, etc.).

Checking on Iunlocker

An important parameter that not all free verification services show is Replace. This marking is given to phones that were returned to the manufacturer due to a breakdown, then repaired and re-offered for sale at a reduced price. Unscrupulous sellers sometimes try to sell such revived drowned people under the guise of new phones (even large networks like M-Video do not shun this).

In order to check this parameter, you need to:

1 Follow link Go

2 Insert IMEI and request verification. If the phone has been replaced, the service will indicate this

The phone is in active mode, without warranty, has no criminal origin, has not been replaced, the Find my phone function is active. Before purchasing, you must ask the seller to log out of iCloud, otherwise he can block the smartphone at any time and report it lost, start demanding money for unlocking, etc.

Information from free services may not always be up to date, so it is recommended to check several databases at once. To be 100% confident in the information, use paid services.

Checking for SNDeep

This service is the leader among paid methods for checking phones. It allows you to determine not only the legality of the device, but also such data as:

• case color
• built-in memory capacity
• Firmware version as of the date of initial sale
• date of manufacture
• unlocking options and even jailbreak

The service also contains an up-to-date database of lost and stolen phones. Victims are asked to promptly enter information about lost devices to block their resale.

Here's how it works:

1 Open the website Open

2 Select the Apple tab, enter your IMEI and click on the check button

3 The phone card appears. The first thing you need to find out is whether the phone is listed as lost or stolen. In our example everything is fine

4 Scroll down the page and enter the last two letters of the model in the special window. This will allow you to find out which country the phone was originally intended for.

5 Now go to the offer to get extended data. Access to detailed information on the gadget is paid; an extended check will cost $2.45. It includes the following information: date of purchase, selling company, country of manufacture, warranty, model, activation, blacklist presence, Find My Phone, Replaced (phone restored at an Apple service center), SIM blocking, etc.

Although the service is not free, it is more profitable to spend 150 rubles. to check your phone than to buy a pig in a poke for tens of thousands of rubles. A detailed report will be delivered by email within 5 minutes after ordering. Even if you've already met with the seller and examined the phone, it's still not too late to do a pre-purchase test

Smartphone information

Thanks to the service, you can “get through” all the ins and outs of any phone and be sure that you are buying a legal device of the specified model and configuration, which is not wanted, refurbished or blocked by mobile operators.

Tips for buying a phone

In addition to checking the technical specifications, there are a number of other steps you need to follow that will help you identify whether the phone is stolen or not. Below are some recommendations:

1. Pay attention to buyer behavior. If he is cautious, anxious and wants to quickly complete a purchase and sale transaction, think before purchasing a smartphone. Ask why the person is selling the phone and see his reaction.
2. Take a magnifying glass. Before you buy a phone, you need to check whether it has been repaired, because many service centers can clean a smartphone in such a way that it will not be clear that it was stolen. Carefully inspect the screws at the charging connector; there should be no marks from screwdrivers or chips on them.
3. Go to meet friends in a crowded place. If you decide to buy a phone second-hand, meet the seller in a public place and take witnesses with you who, in case of unpleasant situations, will confirm the fact of sale and payment. Be sure to tell the seller that you will come with a friend; if he is a scammer, he may reschedule the meeting, which should alert you. When buying a phone secondhand, arrange to meet at a cafe or shopping center, where you can check the product and make sure it is not stolen.
4. Find out some information about the seller. If you find an advertisement for the sale of a mobile phone on social networks, look at the seller’s profile. If a person has a photo, many friends, real data and an ad is posted on the page, most likely this is not a scammer and the person is selling his favorite phone. If the seller is from a fake page, then you need to protect yourself from such a purchase.
5. Listen to the sale story. You need to ask why the person is selling a mobile phone. If he says that he wants a more modern gadget and has hardly used this phone, you need to inspect the smartphone. Take a close look at the screen and case; there should be no chips or scratches on it if the phone is really new. If the seller always changes his words, then you should think about buying such a product, perhaps it is stolen and then you will have problems.
6. Ask for documents on your phone. In the modern world, many people throw away boxes, receipts and instructions after purchasing gadgets. But if the seller has them, then all suspicions should be nullified, unless of course the phone was stolen from the store. Many people who sell smartphones provide receipts for their purchase and warranty cards if they have not yet expired. Ask your seller when he bought the phone and if this period is less than a year, then ask for a warranty card.

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Signs of fraud

Sometimes scammers behave in such a disguised manner that it is difficult to understand that they want to deceive you. The buyer needs to carefully examine the product, the seller, and his behavior. Signs that indicate that you are dealing with a thief are the following:

1. Rush. Even if a person agrees to check the phone, when you start looking for Imei to make sure the smartphone is “clean,” the scammer will use all sorts of ways to prevent this from happening, talking about how busy he is, that he’s in a hurry to get to work. Don’t give in to his persuasion; the best way is to leave the meeting and not buy such a gadget.
2. Low battery. If your phone won't turn on because it's dead, refrain from making such a purchase. After turning on the smartphone, it may be blocked, not turn on at all, or constantly slow down. To be on the safe side, when going to a meeting with the seller, take a charger to check the gadget. But the buyer should be wary if he was not warned about the absence of a charger. If the seller claims that he forgot it at home, offer to go and pick it up, and at the same time check the equipment there.
3. Lack of charger and documents for the smartphone. If the seller says that he has lost the charger or it is broken, and therefore the gadget is being sold without it, you need to be wary.

If you don’t like something about the seller, he seems strange to you, refuse to buy a mobile phone. After all, there are many advertisements for the sale of smartphones on the Internet, and therefore you will find a good phone.

Don't be fooled by too low a price - there are reasons why a person wants to part with equipment so cheaply. And if you bought a stolen phone, do not regret the money spent; contact the nearest police station with a statement and search for the seller.

Tags:iphone