You are reading this article probably you and someone close to you have lost or misplaced the cell phone. You call or text your phone, retrace your steps, use phone finder apps, and all of that fails. Instead of wasting time and revealing personal information, you can resort to a more reliable option – IMEI number. It can be used to find a lost cell phone. If you find youself in similar situation, keep reading on learn how to track lost mobile with IMEI number.
What is IMEI number and how to find it?
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and typically consists of 15 to 17 digit number. It can be used to identify your phone in which phone manufacturer will need to assign it to all phone being manufactured. This unique number can be found in the phone packaging box and it should be clealry labeled on the box with a barcode. You also can open the phone dialer app and dial the *#06#, and the number will be displayed on the screen. Before you lose or misplace the phone, it’s important to note it down.
How to track lost phone using IMEI number?
As a valid identifier, IMEI number can be used to track a cell phone. If your smartphone gets lost or stolen, as long as the phone is switched on, it will continue to communicate with the nearest cell phone tower. Even if the SIM card is taken out, the cell tower can still identify your phone using the IMEI number through Equipment Identity Register. We’ve covered three reliable ways below to help you track lost mobile with IMEI number.
The first option you can try is report your lost phone to local police. They will be able to locate your lost or misplaced cell phone using IMEI number. Even with a different SIM card, the moment the call is made, the IMEI number helps police to track your phone to the exact or nearby cell phone tower. Make sure to include your IMEI number, phone model, brand and any other useful information.
Contact cell phone network provider
As we mentioned before, your IMEI number is the unique identifier for your cell phone service provider. Using the Equipment Identity Register, a network provider can blacklist the stolen phone from using their network. They also can help you to locate where your cell phone is if it does transmit an active signal to the nearest cell tower. Before you utilize this service, please make sure you have registered a complaint in the nearest police station.
It should be noted that not all countries and cell phone network operator will help you blacklist and track the phone using the IMEI method. It needs a clear government policy of allowing this to happen in certain countries.
Check national database registry
Another popular method you can consider is taking the hand of national database registry. If you submit your IMEI number there and report it as stolen or lost, the databse will keep your data as a record. In case someone buys your stolen phone from the thief and checked the IMEI number in databse, it will instantly alert the buyer that the phone was stolen property. For instance, the India government recently launched a new portal called CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) to block and find your lost phone. Here’s how you can do:
- Visit the official website of CEIR.
- Tap on the red-colored Block Stolen/Lost Mobile option.
- Enter the relevant information such as device information, lost information and personal information when prompted.
- Tap on the submit and it will generate the Request ID number.
- Open the IMEI Request Status page and type your unique Request ID
- Then you will see the current status of your lost cell phone.
Can I track a lost cell phone using IMEI tracker?
Yes, excellent tools are available for you to track a lost or stolen phone. Take IMEI tracker – Find My Device as a specific example. This app is running on Android 4.4 or higher. Simply install the application and grant all the permissions. Then enter the IMEI number of your lost Android phone, check your input and tap “Track”. A small window with a list of places will appear, showing the location and the close proximity of your phone.
You also can resort to phone retrieval technology built into your smartphone. Google’s Find My Device and Apple’s Find My iPhone allow you to locate, lock and even wipe the phone. And you should enable these options before your phone goes missing.
Benefits of using IMEI number to track lost phone
There are several reasons why people use IMEI number to track a lost or stolen phone. Above all, the IMEI number cannot be changed by anyone. The SIM card or the location can be disabled, but the IMEI number cannot get replaced easily. Also, the cell phone network provider can help to block the IMEI number so as to stop the usage of your lost mobile phone. In case your phone gets stolen, the first thing you can do is to contact the provider to block the IMEI number.
Final thoughts
There are countless ways you can use to track a lost cell phone. But if you have not enable the pre-installed apps such as Find My Device and Find My iPhone, try using your phone’s IMEI number. This unique number can be used by local authorities or cell phone network provider to track a mobile phone. I hope this guide can be helpful in finding your lost phone.