What "blacklisted" actually means
Every phone has an IMEI, a 15-digit number the network sees each time the phone connects. When an owner reports a phone lost or stolen, their carrier can add that IMEI to a block list. Carriers share these lists, so the block usually follows the phone to other carriers too, not just the one that sold it. Many carriers outside the US check shared lists as well.
The block is on the hardware, not the SIM. Putting in a new SIM doesn't help. The phone either won't register on the network or shows "No service" or "SIM not supported" even with a working SIM.
Why a phone gets blacklisted
| Reason | What happened | Can the block be lifted? |
|---|---|---|
| Reported stolen | The owner told their carrier (and usually the police) the phone was stolen | Only if the owner gets it back and asks the carrier |
| Reported lost | The owner reported it lost, often to claim insurance or get a replacement | Only by the owner, through their carrier |
| Unpaid balance | The phone was on a payment plan or account that went unpaid | When the balance is paid, by the carrier |
From the buyer's side these all look the same: the phone works on Wi-Fi and never gets a signal on your SIM.
Blacklisted vs stolen vs locked
- Blacklisted: carriers block the IMEI. The phone won't get cellular service.
- Reported stolen: there's a theft report on the IMEI. A stolen phone isn't always blacklisted, because some owners call the police but never the carrier.
- Carrier-locked: the phone only works on the carrier that sold it, usually until it's paid off. That's normal and not a blacklist.
- Account-locked: the phone is still tied to the owner's Apple Account or Google account. See what an iCloud-locked phone means.
How to check if an IMEI is blacklisted
Ask the seller to dial *#06# and send a screenshot. Then run the IMEI through a blacklist check before you meet. On SafeOrStolen the blacklist check is a paid check, and the free IMEI check separately shows the model and searches theft reports and public web results. In the US, CTIA's free Stolen Phone Checker is another place to look; SafeOrStolen doesn't query it for you.
At the meetup, dial *#06# yourself to make sure the IMEI on the phone is the one you checked, then put your SIM in and make a call. A phone that was clean when you checked it can still be blacklisted later if it's reported afterward, so keep a record of your check and the payment.
Can a blacklisted phone be tracked?
The blacklist itself doesn't track anything. It only stops the phone using the network. But a stolen phone is often still signed in to the owner's account, and the owner can see its location in Apple's Find My or Google's Find Hub whenever it connects to Wi-Fi. Police can also ask carriers for records about a device as part of an investigation.
Can you unblacklist a phone?
Only the person or carrier who caused the block can remove it. If the original owner pays off the balance, or gets a lost phone back and tells the carrier, the carrier can lift it. Nobody else can.
Websites that offer to "clean" or unblacklist an IMEI for a fee can't edit carrier lists. At best they take your money. At worst they change the phone's IMEI, which is illegal in many countries, including the UK, and can get you into far more trouble than a dead phone.
Already bought a blacklisted phone?
Contact the seller and ask for a refund, and open a dispute if you paid through a platform or card. If the phone was reported stolen, stop using it and follow our steps for what to do if you bought a stolen phone.