verify-used

How to check if a used iPhone is stolen, blacklisted, or unlocked

Decode the IMEI (free, keyless), validate it, and get the seller-claim-vs-record contradiction — plus the one thing most "free IMEI checkers" hide: a clean free result does NOT mean the phone is clean.

Find the IMEI: dial *#06#, or Settings > General > About (iPhone) / Settings > About phone (Android). MacBooks with cellular: About This Mac > System Report > Hardware.

Why a "clean" free IMEI check is NOT proof a phone is clean

No free or keyless IMEI blacklist check is complete. Public/free checks query only the major shared databases and MISS roughly 30-50% of reports — blacklist status is carrier-specific and country-specific, and a device clean in one country can be blacklisted in another. A "not found" result here therefore means UNKNOWN, NOT clean and NOT safe. The only authoritative check is the full GSMA blacklist (e.g. CheckMEND), which is a paid lookup. Always run it before paying for a used phone.

What you CAN confirm for free: the IMEI is structurally valid (Luhn), the TAC matches the claimed make/model, the device boots to setup with no Apple-ID / Google-account lock, and a different-carrier SIM is accepted. What you CANNOT confirm for free: that it was never reported lost/stolen/blacklisted — that needs the full GSMA check.

Informational only — not a safety, ownership, or legal determination. We decode the IMEI/TAC structurally (keyless) and validate the Luhn check digit; we do NOT have access to a live blacklist/stolen feed, so we never report a phone as "clean". A "not found" or unchecked blacklist status is UNKNOWN, not safe — free blacklist checks miss 30-50% of carrier- and country-specific reports. Confirm the exact IMEI on the device (dial *#06# or Settings > General > About), verify activation/iCloud lock is OFF and the device boots to setup with no Apple-ID prompt, check carrier lock with a different SIM, and run the full GSMA blacklist check (CheckMEND) before buying.