Free IMEI Check: Is This Phone Stolen?

Enter any 15-digit IMEI to check a phone before you buy it. The free IMEI check shows the make and model and searches theft reports and public web results. It works for iPhone, Samsung, Pixel and every other phone with an IMEI. Need the number first? See how to find the IMEI on any phone.

1 free check · No credit card · Updated October 7, 2026

Secure
Results in seconds
Sources listed
Free web app
Before you buy
Every source listed
Results in seconds
Owner details never shown
1 free check, no card

Quick answer

How do I check an IMEI for free?

Dial *#06# on the phone to show its 15-digit IMEI, then enter it on SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/imei-checker). The free check shows the phone's make and model and searches SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results for that IMEI. Your first check is free, with no account or credit card needed. If you also need to know whether carriers have blacklisted the phone as lost or stolen, run the paid blacklist check.

What this IMEI check covers, and what it does not

QuestionDoes SafeOrStolen answer it?How
What make and model is this IMEI?Yes, freeShown with every IMEI check, so you can compare it to the phone in the listing
Has an owner reported this phone stolen on SafeOrStolen?Yes, freeSearches SafeOrStolen's own theft reports
Does the IMEI show up in listings or posts online?Yes, freeSearches public web results that mention the number
Is it on the carrier lost/stolen blacklist?Yes, paidThe blacklist check. Monthly members get up to 20 a month
Is it still on someone's Apple Account or Google account?NoCheck on the phone: the seller erases it and you start setup
Is there money owed on it, or is it carrier-locked?NoAsk the original carrier, and check the lock status in the phone's settings

What your result means

Every result lists the sources it searched and is saved to your account with the date, so you have a record that you checked before you paid.

ResultWhat it meansWhat to do
Reported stolenThe IMEI matches a theft report in the sources searchedDon't buy it. Keep the listing and messages and pass them to local police
Possible matchSomething close to this IMEI turned up, such as a listing or post that mentions itOpen each source listed and compare the details before you go further
No report found in the records searchedNothing matched in the sources listed on the resultGood sign, not a guarantee. Still check the account lock and test the phone in person

Stolen vs blacklisted: why there are two checks

A theft report and a blacklist entry are different things. A theft report says someone lost this phone to a thief. A blacklist entry means a carrier blocked the IMEI, which can happen after a theft or loss report, and a blocked phone won't make calls or use mobile data on participating networks.

A phone can have a theft report and no blacklist entry if the owner never called their carrier, or a blacklist entry with no police report. That's why the free check searches theft reports and the web, and the paid check looks at the blacklist. Our guide to what a blacklisted IMEI means explains the blacklist in more detail.

Why check a phone with SafeOrStolen

SafeOrStolen puts everything in one check: it confirms the IMEI is real, looks up the make and model, searches SafeOrStolen's own theft reports and public web results, and the full check searches the lost and stolen phone blacklist. You also get a dated record of your check to keep with your receipt.

What a Phone check looks for

An IMEI is the 15-digit number that identifies a phone on cellular networks. Owners give it to police and carriers when a phone is stolen, so it is the number that ties a phone to a theft report. For a full walkthrough of a used-phone purchase, read how to check if a phone is stolen, or how to check if an iPhone is stolen for Activation Lock.

What a check searches
SafeOrStolen theft reports
Public web results
Police gun theft reports
Stolen-bicycle registry
Vehicle records
Phone blacklist

Step by step

1

Ask the seller to dial *#06# and send you a screenshot of the IMEI before you agree to meet.

2

Enter the IMEI here and check that the make and model match the listing.

3

If the phone is expensive or the price looks too good, run the paid blacklist check too.

4

At the meetup, dial *#06# yourself and make sure the number matches the one you checked.

5

Have the seller sign out of their Apple Account or Google account and erase the phone, then start setup yourself before you pay.

Type the IMEI into the search box. SafeOrStolen reads the make and model from the number, then searches its own theft reports and public web results. You get one of three results in a few seconds: reported stolen, possible match, or no report found in the records searched, with every source listed. The paid blacklist check adds the carrier lost/stolen blacklist.

Why check before you buy

If you buy a stolen phone, police can return it to the owner and you lose what you paid. A blacklisted phone may stop working on your carrier days after you buy it. Checking the IMEI before you meet, and matching it on the phone when you do, catches the most common problems: a stolen phone, a blocked phone, or a seller who sent you the IMEI of a different phone.

Free check with a free account: 2 checks, no credit card
Shows the phone's make and model, so a mismatched IMEI stands out
Searches SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results
Paid lost/stolen blacklist check when you need it
Every check saved to your account with the date
Works on your phone at the meetup through the free web app at safeorstolen.com/app

Common questions

Yes. SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/imei-checker) gives you 1 free check, no account or credit card needed. The free check shows the phone's make and model and searches SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results. After that it's $0.99 for 2 checks or $10 a month for unlimited checks.

Get the IMEI by dialing *#06#, enter it in an IMEI checker such as SafeOrStolen, and read the result: reported stolen, possible match, or no report found. Then confirm the same number shows on the phone at the meetup, and make sure the seller can remove their account lock before you pay.

Run a blacklist check. On SafeOrStolen it's a paid check that looks at the carrier lost/stolen blacklist, and monthly members get up to 20 a month. A blacklisted phone generally won't get service on participating carriers.

No. Activation Lock (often called iCloud lock) is tied to an Apple Account, not the IMEI, and Apple doesn't offer a public lookup for it. To check it, have the seller turn off Find My and erase the iPhone, then start setup yourself. If it asks for someone else's Apple Account, don't buy it.

Yes. You don't need a carrier account or a store visit to check an IMEI on SafeOrStolen, and it works for phones from any carrier. The one thing only the original carrier can tell you is whether there's an unpaid balance or a carrier lock on the phone.

It's a good sign, not a guarantee. 'No report found' means nothing matched in the sources listed. A phone can be stolen and not reported yet, or still locked to the owner's account. Match the IMEI in person, watch the seller remove their account and erase the phone, and test calls before you pay.

Don't buy the phone. The IMEI doesn't reveal anything personal about the seller, and an honest seller can show it in a few seconds by dialing *#06#. Refusing to share it, or sending a screenshot that doesn't match the phone at the meetup, are two of the clearest warning signs of a stolen phone.

Other checks

IMEI Checker

Verify phones before buying

VIN Checker

Check a car or truck by VIN

Serial Number Checker

Check electronics & appliances

Firearm Check

Verify firearm serial numbers

License Plate Lookup

Check vehicles by plate

Plate Owner Lookup

What you can legally find from a plate

Free Web App

Install from your browser and scan barcodes

HTTPS
Sources listed
US-Based
1 Free Check
Any US item

Ready to Verify Your Phone?

Results in a few seconds, with every source listed. 1 free check, no credit card.