An IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit code assigned to every mobile device. Carriers use it to identify your phone on their network, verify it’s genuine, and block it if it’s reported stolen. Knowing your IMEI is the first step to protecting your device.

The fastest method on any phone is dialling *#06# — the IMEI appears on screen immediately. You can also find it in Settings → About Phone, on the SIM tray, or on the original box. For iPhones, it’s also in iCloud under your device list.

Yes — and you absolutely should. Ask the seller for the IMEI and run it through your country’s official blacklist database (CTIA for the USA, CEIR for India, AMTA for Australia). A clean IMEI means the device hasn’t been reported stolen and isn’t network-locked.

A blacklisted phone cannot connect to any carrier network that participates in the shared blacklist database. It can’t make calls, send texts, or use mobile data. The block applies across all carriers in the country, and in many cases internationally through GSMA’s global registry.

Carriers and law enforcement can legally track devices by IMEI in most countries, but only under specific conditions — typically with a court order or official report of theft. Tracking someone else’s phone without consent is illegal. Our guide on IMEI tracking legality covers the rules for every major country.