About SafeOrStolen
Updated October 7, 2026
SafeOrStolen is a website that tells you whether a used item has been reported stolen before you hand over money for it. You enter the phone's IMEI, the car's VIN or plate, or the serial number on a gun, bike, laptop or tool. In a few seconds you get one of three answers: reported stolen, possible match, or no report found in the records searched, with every source listed. The company is based in Peoria, Arizona.
It's built for the moment in a parking lot or a stranger's driveway when you're about to buy something and can't tell if it's legit. Sellers use it too: a dated record that you checked an item before selling it is easy to show a buyer.
What a check searches
Every source below is named on the result page, so you can see exactly what was and wasn't covered.
| Item | What gets searched |
|---|---|
| Every item | SafeOrStolen's own theft reports (owners report thefts on the site) and public web results: listings and posts that mention the number. |
| Phones (IMEI) | The make and model from the IMEI. A paid lost/stolen carrier blacklist check is available. |
| Vehicles (VIN) | Year, make and model decoded from the VIN, plus open safety recalls. Arizona VINs are also searched against Arizona law-enforcement stolen-vehicle records, updated twice a day. |
| License plates | SafeOrStolen theft reports. Arizona plates are also searched against Arizona law-enforcement records. Owner names are never shown. |
| Guns | 242,839 police firearm theft and loss reports from 33 states and Washington, DC (filed through 2017; the years covered vary by state), and live Ohio law-enforcement records. Serials that look altered or obliterated are flagged. |
| Bikes | A national stolen-bicycle registry, on top of the checks every item gets. |
The full breakdown is on the data sources page.
What SafeOrStolen doesn't search
No private website can search these, and SafeOrStolen doesn't claim to:
- NCIC, the FBI system police use
- ATF eTrace
- Carrier records, apart from the paid phone blacklist check
- Apple or Google account status (Activation Lock, Find My, Google's lock)
- DMV or MVD records
- Manufacturer, pawn shop or insurance company databases
For those, ask the seller to unlock and reset the device in front of you, look at the title, or ask your local police.
What it costs
- Free account: 2 checks, no credit card.
- Single check: $0.99.
- Monthly: $10 for unlimited checks (up to 20 phone blacklist checks a month). Cancel anytime, 30-day refund.
- Verification certificate: $1.99, free for monthly members. A dated record with its own link showing you checked before the sale.
Pawn shops and dealers can check many items at once on bulk check.
How a check works, step by step
- Find the number on the item: the IMEI in Settings or by dialing *#06#, the VIN on the dashboard or door jamb, or the serial on the frame, nameplate or underside.
- Type it into the search box on the homepage or the page for that item.
- SafeOrStolen searches its theft reports, public web results, and the extra records for that item type at the same time.
- The result shows reported stolen, possible match, or no report found, and lists each source.
- If you're signed in, the check is saved to your account with the date, so you can show it later.
If a result says reported stolen, don't buy the item and don't confront the seller. Keep the listing and messages and call your local police's non-emergency line.
Questions people ask about SafeOrStolen
What is SafeOrStolen?
SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com) is a Peoria, Arizona-based website that checks whether a used item has been reported stolen before you buy or sell it. You type in an IMEI, VIN, plate, or serial number, and it searches its own theft reports, public web results, and extra records for guns, bikes, phones and Arizona vehicles. The result lists every source it searched.
Is SafeOrStolen free?
A free account comes with 2 checks and needs no credit card. After that, a single check costs $0.99, or $10 a month gets unlimited checks with up to 20 phone blacklist checks a month. You can cancel the monthly plan anytime, and it has a 30-day refund.
Is SafeOrStolen a police database?
No. SafeOrStolen is a private company, not a police agency, and it does not search NCIC, the FBI's stolen property file. It searches its own theft reports, public web results, and specific police records named on each result: police firearm theft reports from 33 states and DC, live Ohio records, and Arizona stolen-vehicle records.
Does 'no report found' mean an item is safe to buy?
It means nothing turned up in the records SafeOrStolen searched. Many thefts are reported only to local police, so a clean result is one piece of evidence. Also check that the seller can unlock and reset the device, has the title or receipt, and that the number on the item hasn't been tampered with.
Can I report something stolen on SafeOrStolen?
Yes. Owners can report a stolen item on the site with its serial number, IMEI, VIN or plate. That report then shows up when someone checks the same number, which helps buyers spot it. File a police report too, since SafeOrStolen doesn't send reports to the police.
How do I contact SafeOrStolen?
Email safeorstolenmail@gmail.com. SafeOrStolen is based in Peoria, Arizona. For questions about a specific check, include the date of the check and the number you searched so the result can be found in your account history.
Read why SafeOrStolen started, or run a check from the homepage.