Worried a phone is stolen? Here’s how to find out

how to find your lost Android phone with Google — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A phone may be new to you but that doesn’t always mean it hasn’t had any previous owners. If you bought it from the likes of Facebook Marketplace or eBay or even face to face, for instance, then you’ll likely know that it’s been used before but sometimes there can be some uncertainty.

You may come across a phone advertised as new that doesn’t actually come in a sealed box or you may have been gifted a device only to suspect you’re not the first person to have handled it.

Before you get started

In this article, we explore the steps you need to take but it should be pointed out that a negative answer doesn’t necessarily mean a phone is clean. To be listed on the database of lost or stolen items, the device will need to be manually added and this is done by a service provider or police.

It entails the previous owner knowing and sharing a unique number associated with the device. For that reason, we’d advise everyone to at least follow the first two steps here, even if you’ve just picked up a brand new device. You just never know when that identifier will come in handy.

1. Find your phone’s IMEI

How to check if a phone may have been stolen

To discover if a phone has been lost or stolen, you need to find the device’s IMEI number. Standing for International Mobile Equipment Identify, this is a unique 15-digit serial number that identifies a specific device — vital when seeking information about an individual handset.

You can find it on an iPhone if you open the Settings app, tap General and select About. If you haven’t yet set up the device, you can select the Info button in the bottom-right of the Hello screen instead.

On an Android device, open the Settings app and tap About phone.

You can also dial #06#: in either iOS or Android and the IMEI number will be automatically displayed.

2. Use a blacklist-check tool

Write the number down on a piece of paper or copy and paste it from the screen to a note-taking app or into the body of an email — any method will do.

Now launch a blacklist-check tool such as IMEIcheck.com. If you use this particular service, only click the box that says Enter IMEI as the site has a lot of distracting ads.

Then type or copy your device’ IMEI and select Check.

3. Get the result

The service will trawl through the global IMEI database and let you know if there is a problem. Click OK once you've checked the status.

And there you go. You now know how to check if a phone has been lost or stolen. If it has, then you may want to contact the authorities. It’s also worth protecting yourself and your devices in other ways.

If you’re worried that your handset may one day go astray, for example, you should check out 3 simple tricks to protect your iPhone from thieves. You may also be interested to learn how to track an iPhone and discover more about Android’s anti-theft features.

David Crookes is a freelance writer, reporter, editor and author. He has written for technology and gaming magazines including Retro Gamer, Web User, Micro Mart, MagPi, Android, iCreate, Total PC Gaming, T3 and Macworld. He has also covered crime, history, politics, education, health, sport, film, music and more, and been a producer for BBC Radio 5 Live.

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