Develop Bugs

IMEI and contracts

I have an O2 orbit.
I paid through the nose for it (on ebaY) and I'm getting a lot of hassle (its certainly stolen or contract blocked).
Is there any way to change the IMEI number so that I can use it again, using a different network sim? Or an unblock facility?
Also I dont know about this but as its a multi-use phone, could you still use the phone as a non-cell PDA once its blocked from the network? I know that some phones are completely dead once barred but then their only use is for a phone anyway. Is it the same for PDA phones? Like having it on flight mode? Or does it brick up as well?
Thanks.
edit: BTW Is there any way to check an IMEI number remotely to see if its blacklisted before buying on ebay?

deaddavey1 said:
Is there any way to change the IMEI number so that when I report the phone lost (Its insured of course), I can still use that phone as a backup later using a different network sim? Or an unblock facility?
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Are you trying to cheat the insurance? If the phone is to be 'broken', how do you reckon it will work on a different network sim?
Anyway, changing IMEI is possible but illegal, and theoritically, it can be traced if not done carefully. Search for the IMEI il-legal statement by VJ in this forum.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=276851&highlight=IMEI
Anyway, the PDA feature will still work as long as you don't stick in a SIM.

DeadDavy, whilst I realise your frustration what you are talking about is both insurance fraud and it is illegal to change the IMEI.
This is an open forum and not for that kind of talk. Please don't post anything more on the subject as it could bring this forum into disrepute.

i read that post and understand its illegal. But so is selling dodgy phones. I only want to change it to one of my old buggered phones imei's.
I alternatively could claim it lost soon on my insurance. Thats illegal as well. But with my first choice no one loses out. I just paid a lot of money for a paperweight.

ok thanks. no more posts on subject.

deaddavey1 said:
ok thanks. no more posts on subject.
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I presume you have exhausted all the "normal "channels to get your money back, e.g raised a dispute with eBay? Or did the scally close their account?
Edit:- just found this
http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/A-database-of-stolen-mobile-phones-CheckMEND_W0QQugidZ10000000004188075
Dunno how effective it is though.

Bad imei/esn on the new AT&T S3 I just bought! ???

Is there a way to unblock these back to the original carrier yet?

paulmagglios said:
Is there a way to unblock these back to the original carrier yet?
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Unblock what? Does the imei read 0? Is the phone rooted or modified in any way?

paulmagglios said:
Is there a way to unblock these back to the original carrier yet?
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Where did you buy it?

Sounds to me like you are black listed. If so then you can probably do it if your name was the first attached to that phone and reported the ESN. Upon that failing, you can try to bribe someone to clear your ESN. What I have noticed is that there are a lot of bad ESN phones being sold to Canada, as it seems the checks are not compatible and could work up here. Aside from those options, it seems you have a bad phone.

BCSC said:
Sounds to me like you are black listed. If so then you can probably do it if your name was the first attached to that phone and reported the ESN. Upon that failing, you can try to bribe someone to clear your ESN. What I have noticed is that there are a lot of bad ESN phones being sold to Canada, as it seems the checks are not compatible and could work up here. Aside from those options, it seems you have a bad phone.
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Yeah, it was a craigslist buy
Also I've heard about the options to sell overseas and to canadians, but would like to use the phone here in the States if at all possible.
So these craigslist and ebay ads about being able to 'fix' the imei back to the original carrier are false?

paulmagglios said:
Yeah, it was a craigslist buy
Also I've heard about the options to sell overseas and to canadians, but would like to use the phone here in the States if at all possible.
So these craigslist and ebay ads about being able to 'fix' the imei back to the original carrier are false?
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My understanding is that bad IMEI or ESN is due to the phone being reported lost or stolen. I'm assuming here, but i'd be pretty confident in saying that the original owner would have to contact the original carrier to clear the block. Otherwise anyone could steal and un block ESN. On the other hand, the people offering this service may work for whatever agency or carrier deals with blocking ESNs. Here is an Ebay ad I've found for ATT. Seems kind of legit, but is definitely risky to give someone remote control of your phone in order to swap the IMEI number. Up to you entirely though. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bad-IMEI-ES...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd6ca26e9.

Thread closed before imei swapping ideas are presented as that is illegal in some countries and not allowed on XDA.

[Q] htc one blacklisted imei

Hello all
I am brought here because of some1 who sold me the blacklisted imei of htc one when I bought this phone was working and never thought of this issue untill it happened after few days it stopped working then I checked with different simcards but it was same problem so the person in the mall told me it could be a blocked imei so I checked online he was right now I am screwed lost my.money wondering if some 1 can help me here to fix this issue please help.

Depending on why it was blacklisted you may or may not be out of luck... you're going to have to contact Verizon and ask to have it restored. Odds aren't very good on that though.

Crawshayi said:
Depending on why it was blacklisted you may or may not be out of luck... you're going to have to contact Verizon and ask to have it restored. Odds aren't very good on that though.
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Thanks for reply reason it is blacklisted coz it was reported as stolen

More than likley yes. So your saying when you got the phone it already had service? If that was the case, its either stolen, or cloned.

So is there anything can be done to work or its useless now?

Yeah pretty much. Verizon is never going to unblacklist a stolen phone, unless you were the one it was stolen from and you got it back, and you can proove it. You pretty much got your self a wifi only device now.

Blocked phone

Hi
A friend in work gave me his HTC one X to practice on as he damaged it and claimed on the insurance, because of this, the phone was blocked. Is there a way of unblocking this? Not concerned if it has to be rooted, as I can read up from here and do that.
If not, then I'll just use it for spares .
It's a UK phone (if that makes a difference)
Thanks

Thought id give this a bump and see if anyone has an idea about this?
Thanks

Dibbley247 said:
Thought id give this a bump and see if anyone has an idea about this?
Thanks
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Sounds like the imei has been blocked by the carrier. The only way to get it unblocked is if your friend contacts the carrier, which he probably won't because he would most likely be done for insurance fraud as he has claimed a new phone.

paulh1978 said:
Sounds like the imei has been blocked by the carrier. The only way to get it unblocked is if your friend contacts the carrier, which he probably won't because he would most likely be done for insurance fraud as he has claimed a new phone.
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Ah ok, it was faulty, but i managed to revive it again, oh well, something ican practice seperating the glass on then i suppose!
Thanks

Question IMEI Repair

I paid for an IMEI repair and I believe it messed up my phone. I was told it was not rooted, but I can not get Samsung Wallet to work at all. Is there a way I can restore the original IMEI without having to root the phone? The phone was originally Branded to AT&T. Can anyone help me please? I had to repair the screen myself because the IMEI shows up as a S21 Ultra so I couldn't even file an Insurance claim when I broke my screen to get a new phone. Any help will be appreciated.

I am just trying to restore my phone to the original IMEI it had before I did this. I am not trying to get anyone in trouble just would like to fix my phone.

thebizerker2010 said:
I paid for an IMEI repair and I believe it messed up my phone.
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Who originally changed the IMEI that you paid for?

thebizerker2010 said:
**Link removed by moderator** I paid 250 for the service.
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You do know that it is an offence in most countries for a 3rd party to change an IMEI number don't you...
Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 - Explanatory Notes
www.legislation.gov.uk
Thieves use this method to try to get around blocked stolen phones. I suggest that you contact the company that did this for you.

thebizerker2010 said:
I paid for an IMEI repair and I believe it messed up my phone. I was told it was not rooted, but I can not get Samsung Wallet to work at all. Is there a way I can restore the original IMEI without having to root the phone? The phone was originally Branded to AT&T. Can anyone help me please? I had to repair the screen myself because the IMEI shows up as a S21 Ultra so I couldn't even file an Insurance claim when I broke my screen to get a new phone. Any help will be appreciated.
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thebizerker2010 said:
I am just trying to restore my phone to the original IMEI it had before I did this. I am not trying to get anyone in trouble just would like to fix my phone.
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Click to collapse
[email protected] said:
You do know that it is an offence in most countries for a 3rd party to change an IMEI number don't you...
Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 - Explanatory Notes
www.legislation.gov.uk
Thieves use this method to try to get around blocked stolen phones. I suggest that you contact the company that did this for you.
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Click to collapse
This ^^^^^^^