FAQs

This may be due to one of the following reasons:

• The wireless carrier is still verifying the device owner's lost/stolen report prior to blocking the device.
• The wireless carrier may have decided not to block the device because insufficient information is available or circumstances fall outside the requirements for blocking.
• The device was never reported as lost or stolen by the owner to the wireless carrier. If the owner wants a stolen phone crime reference number but does not want to block the device, they may still be in possession of the device and be attempting to commit fraud.

The device is not with its rightful owner.

Ask the owner to immediately contact their carrier to report the device lost or stolen and request that it is blocked.

Before you purchase a second-hand mobile device, you should use the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker, powered by the GSMA Device Check service, to see if the device has been reported lost or stolen. The rightful owner may have blocked the device from accessing wireless service provider networks or activated device protection features that prevent use of the device.

By using the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker, powered by the GSMA Device Check service. The CTIA Stolen Phone Checker is a public service designed to limit the resale of lost and stolen mobile devices in the United States. To protect themselves, consumers should acquire wireless devices from trusted, reputable sources.

Use the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker to enter the device's unique ID-IMEI, MEID, or ESN. If the device has been reported as lost or stolen, a red status will state: "Reported Lost or Stolen" If the device has not been reported as lost or stolen, the status will be green.

It means:

• the owner reported the device is no longer in his/her possession;
• the wireless carrier confirmed the device was stolen due to fraud; and/or
• the wireless carrier confirmed the owner is not in possession of the device.

When a wireless subscriber reports that the device has been lost or stolen, the wireless carrier can prevent that device from being used on its network. That's generally called "network blocking" or "cellular access blocking". Other wireless carriers participating in the CTIA Stolen Phone Checker and GSMA Device Check ecosystem may also block the device.

The IMEI, MEID, and ESN are device identifiers. Every cellular device has one of these unique identifiers unless it was tampered with or incorrectly manufactured.

• IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is the 15-digit electronic serial number of a GSM technology cellular device.
• MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) is the 14-digit electronic serial number of a CDMA technology cellular device.
• ESN (Electronic Serial Number) is the 8- or 11-digit electronic serial numbers for CDMA technology cellular phones.

You can obtain your device's IMEI/MEID/ESN by:

• Dialling *#06# on the device's keypad
• Checking the device settings
• Looking behind the back cover of the device or underneath the device's battery
• Examining the device packaging

Devices that can connect to cellular networks to make phone calls or transfer data contain an IMEI, MEID, or ESN. That includes feature phones, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wireless dongles, among others.

Devices that rely only on Wi-Fi for connectivity - in other words, devices that cannot connect to cellular networks - do not have an IMEI, MEID, or ESN.

It means that at the time the query was made, a wireless carrier has not reported the device to the GSMA Block List – a list, maintained by GSMA – of the mobile devices reported lost or stolen.

This device has been flagged on the GSMA Block List due to being lost or stolen, or otherwise unsuitable for use on cellular networks, and may be barred from sale or use.

You should exercise extra caution since the device status information we receive is provided by authorized wireless carriers and device owners.

The device description includes the make and model name of the device being queried. If the device description does not match the device, it may have been tampered with and/or may be a counterfeit.

To protect your device, use PINs, passwords and other features that can help protect mobile devices and personal information. There are also a number of apps that can locate, lock and/or erase your wireless device if it gets lost or stolen.

If your device is lost or stolen, your personal information is at risk. Contact your wireless carrier and local law enforcement and follow these steps.