Track your phone using imei. How to find a lost phone. The best phone search program

Like any other communication device, a cell phone has its own unique identifier - a fifteen-digit IMEI code set by the manufacturer. When making a call, the mobile operator receives the mobile device data in the form of an IMEI - SIM pair, which allows you to identify the source of the signal. Unfortunately mobile operators may only share device geolocation data with law enforcement agencies upon a court order. Most often, if a phone is stolen or lost, this is not a good reason to go to court. But don't despair, in this case You have every chance to successfully search for a device by IMEI, even if it is turned off and SIM card was deleted.

Try calling your number

This point is quite obvious, but as it turns out, it is not always the case. Often, a person who has lost his phone, being in a state of shock, does not even try to call it. But we should not forget that there are many people who will return the device free of charge or for a nominal fee.

Contact law enforcement

If the previous method does not produce results, immediately contact the law enforcement authorities at your place of registration. But do not forget that you will be required to indicate a fifteen-digit IMEI code and provide documents confirming that the device belongs to you. If the phone was purchased second-hand and there are no documents for it, you can safely skip this point.

Use the built-in search function

Majority modern smartphones equipped with a factory search function. For devices from the manufacturer Apple based on the operating system iOS systems it's called Find iPhone. On devices on Android based a similar function is called Remote Control Android - Google. Find out more about methods of searching for a smartphone by IMEI (link to the bottom of this page)

Leave a request in the LoSToleN service

LoSToleN is a unified database of IMEI and serial numbers of stolen phones, smartphones, cameras and other devices. After you leave a request indicating the amount of compensation for returning the device, you will have a chance that it will be more expedient for the seller to return the device rather than deal with an expensive changing IMEI ID.

So, you have lost your beloved gadget, in which practically your entire life is hidden. What to do in this situation? There is only one answer: look. And of course, according to IMEI, we will look into the details in the process. All that remains is to understand what this same IMEI is. WITH this issue and let's begin.

What is IMEI

Each mobile phone is assigned its own identification number, by which it registers on the network. This number must be assigned to the device at production and, in theory, changing it is, if not impossible, then very labor-intensive. It is precisely to ensure security - so that, having stolen a smartphone, an attacker cannot change its IMEI - the algorithm for assigning it is constantly changing. At the very beginning, when mobile phones were just starting to be made, the code had 14 characters, and in 2004 there were 15. This code consists of an identifier, designation of the place and date of assembly, and so on, which the user does not need to know.

IMEI can be seen if you look carefully look at the box, in which your device was packaged when purchased. It can also be find it on the phone itself, if you lift the battery, but this method is not suitable for devices with a fixed battery. Finally, you can type a specific keyboard shortcut so that the identification code appears on the screen.

Important: the code for checking IMEI is *#06# and call.

The phone was stolen. What to do?

If your phone is stolen, the first thing you need to do is write statement to the police. Well, or say goodbye to your device, because - and this is important to remember - only this authority can search for a phone by IMEI. The fact is that, according to our legislation, only the police can send a request to the operator to track the phone.

When a phone goes online, it does so using an identification code, and base station“knows” that a particular phone has entered the network using two factors: the SIM card signal and the IMEI of a specific device. However locate your smartphone only by IMEI provider mobile communications can't.

Only the operator can tell where the lost phone is, and he can do this only at the request of the competent authorities.

In order to write a statement to the police In connection with the theft of a smartphone, you need to indicate your passport details, provide documents for the purchase of the smartphone (receipt, warranty card, etc.), as well as the IMEI of the device. The district police department transfers the case to the unit that deals with such issues, and it, in turn, forwards the request to the operator. As you can see, this is not a quick matter, since the police are not a lost property office, and criminal intent still needs to be proven.

In fact, they will actually search for your gadget only if its loss occurred as a result of a criminal offense, for example, robbery, etc.

That's why any other suggestions find phone by IMEI- via satellite, online, free or otherwise, firstly, are doomed to failure, and secondly, by default they are fraudulent. Also, there are no programs for searching a phone by IMEI, unless it is a database of stolen devices created in order, for example, not to buy such a device second-hand.

Why can’t you find a phone by IMEI online?

Imagine: your phone was stolen. What do thieves do in this case? That's right: put the SIM card in the nearest trash can, turn off the device itself. It would seem, how to track a phone in IMEI? But the myths that this is possible are very persistent, and for good reason.

The fact is that even when the gadget is turned off, they remain running processes: Battery consumption control, a network processor that periodically supplies low frequency signals radio frequency module, but does not access the network, but waits for the alarm to go off or to be connected to the USB port, and static memory. Everything else is asleep, including the radio module itself. Hence, no satellite, no base station - no one at all- this phone does not “see” and cannot find it.

On the other hand, as soon as the stolen phone is inserted new SIM card and she will try to register on the network, it is thanks to the IMEI that the system will display that the stolen phone appeared somewhere. In Europe and the USA, such a device is immediately blocked, so a pickpocket or someone who likes to save money will not get much joy from theft. But in the Russian Federation there is no such system yet, but perhaps.

However, it is possible to protect your phone from thieves, or at least make their life less sweet, and in subsequent articles we will tell you how to do this.

To find a phone by IMEI, you need to contact law enforcement. It is impossible to do this yourself, using some super services on the Internet. Now let's talk about everything in order.

1. The only way to find a stolen phone

Remember: The only effective way to find equipment by IMEI is to go to the police and write a statement.

Yes, it's true that there are special means, software products to determine the location of the device using its IMEI code. But only they have special people in the operator's staff cellular communication. Access to them is strictly limited.

That is, it is impossible for someone to go to their friend at MTS, Kyivstar or another mobile operator and, out of friendship, ask to find a person. The friend will simply be fired after this. Don't believe anyone if they scare you with such tales!

There is a special procedure by which you can use this program.

It consists of the following:

• From law enforcement agencies an official request arrives.
• First of all, the company management is notified about this.
• After this, the request is sent to the employee responsible for the search program.
• If the phone is indeed found, the company management will be officially notified, then the police and, finally, the complainant.

The program, by the way, is also not easy. She doesn't look like simple map with a field for entering IMEI. It’s only in movies that you can enter an IP address into some console and then see the location of the device on the map. In reality this does not happen!

Rice. 1. The only way to find the phone is to write a police report

Therefore, if you are sure that your smartphone was stolen and you know the IMEI, go to the police, write a statement and wait for an answer.

It is advisable to attach the following documents to the application:

• purchase receipt;
• warranty card (even if it is already expired and the warranty has expired);
• box from the device with instructions.

This will prove that you really are the owner of the device. It is advisable to make copies of the receipt and warranty card and attach them to the case. Keep the originals with you.

Of course, law enforcement agencies in the countries of the former USSR do not work very well, to put it mildly. Therefore, you will have to make some effort to go to the police constantly and bother employees, senior management and everyone else. But that's a completely different story.

2. What else can you do?

In addition to reporting to the police, you can do something else, namely:

• Register your device in the LoSToleN database. This is the base lost smartphones. There, people themselves are looking for these devices through some of their own channels and in their own ways. You write a reward that you are willing to give to the person who finds the phone. Here is the link. Please indicate manufacturer, name, address email, reward and click “Register”. A response will be sent by e-mail if any information appears.

Rice. 2. LoSToleN service

• Go to resellers, a local flea market, or contact people you know in this area. Again, for a fee they may well give you some information or simply give you the device. In any case, such people know each other very well, and it is simply impossible to sell a phone, except for spare parts. Otherwise, law enforcement agencies may get caught. Of course, no one wants this.
• You can also submit an ad to social media and on bulletin boards. Write that you just lost your phone. Perhaps, if it was stolen from you by some person who is not particularly gifted with mental abilities (and in that area almost everyone is like that), he will contact you and decide to give the device back. This way he can earn more than if he sells it for spare parts.

So what are these miraculous services that supposedly find phones by IMEI in real time? Let's look at them in more detail.

3. Divorce

You can often find information on the Internet that you can determine your location using IMEI or other data yourself via the Internet. Sometimes it is even described that the search occurs via satellite for free. In fact, this is a very blatant deception.

The situation is very similar to searching for a location by phone number. In this article, we described in detail how people are deceived.

There, in particular, it was written that the user enters a number into such services, then sees information that can be determined without any additional services, and then they demand money from him.

The situation here is exactly the same. The maximum you will get to is the moment when they demand money from you. Of course, no search will be carried out.

The same applies to things like:

• Android programs to search by IMEI or serial number;
• computer programs that supposedly perform the same task;
• simple announcements that someone can perform such an unusual task (using unique programs familiar to the police or mobile operators, or spells of ancient peoples) and so on.

These services have nothing to do with reality. They don't provide any services. After payment they may ask for more or simply disappear.

For example, you download a program, enter a number, then they demand money from you. You pay, then it is written, for example, that it was only starter pack, all services need an optimal one or something like that. And so you can pay endlessly.

The same applies to private individuals. You give the person an IMEI. He writes that this service worth the money. You pay, but instead of coordinates you receive another unsubscribe.

For example, it may be written there that the task turned out to be more difficult than expected and you need to pay more. And so they will, excuse the expression, “milk” you until you yourself refuse. As a mockery, at the end they may write to you that the task is completed, but the data will be given to you after another payment.

Do not fall for such deceptive services under any circumstances. Above is written the only way to complete the task of finding a stolen phone. Apart from law enforcement agencies, no one can implement it. Don't waste your money.

Below you can see one of the promo videos of the program, which is a sham. She finds nothing and cannot find anything. The video is edited and you cannot get any services from it. Laugh!

Mobile phone for modern man- something more than just a means of communication. As a rule, it stores contacts, correspondence, passwords and account data for various Internet services, banking applications, personal photos and much more. That is why the loss or theft of a mobile phone is a real disaster for any owner. At the same time, there are not many opportunities to find a phone, but effective ways- even less. One of them is searching for a phone by IMEI. In this article I want to talk about how to independently find a phone by IMEI for free using the Google service. However, this method will only work if you have an Android gadget.

What is IMEI

In the previous article I already talked about how to recognize it, so I will not dwell on this in detail. Let me just remind you that IMEI is a unique 15-digit identifier mobile devices. It allows you to determine the location of the gadget, as well as remotely block its operation, but only if the device is turned on and connected to the operator’s network.

You can view the IMEI by dialing the combination ✶ # 06 # on your phone, in the settings of the gadget itself, as well as on the box under it, or iTunes app for PC (for Apple devices).

Looking for a phone by IMEI using Google

It's no secret that Google has been monitoring all Internet users for a long time. This can be approached in different ways, but in the case when the phone is stolen or lost, we can turn this fact to our advantage and use Google service to search for a device, and absolutely free.

It's about service "Android Remote Control", with which you can determine the location of your phone or tablet, lock it and delete all data by resetting the settings to factory settings. Remote control of Android is carried out through the IMEI of the device. But don’t rush to be upset if you don’t know him - he’s been well known to Google for a long time. So let's get started!

We use the “Android Remote Control” service

Description of the main functions of the Android Remote Control service

• "Ring"- the phone will play a ringtone for 5 minutes maximum volume. This will help you find a phone lost indoors or outdoors.
• "Block"— allows you to set a password for home screen and thus block the attacker’s access to the phone’s functions and all data stored on it.

  In addition, here you can leave a message that will be shown on the main screen of the device, and also specify contact number phone number to contact you. For example, you can write: “If you found this phone, please contact its owner at the number...”. Such treatment will greatly increase the likelihood that the person who found or stole your phone will return it back, because not only will he not be able to use or sell it, but he will also know how to contact you.

  Be extremely careful when setting a lock password through Android Remote Control. It cannot be changed or disabled through this service. Therefore, enter a combination that you remember well, or even better, write it down somewhere.

  After the phone is returned to you, set password can be disabled through the device menu: "Settings" → "Safety" → "Screen lock".

• "Clear"— resets the phone settings to factory settings. Use this feature only as a last resort because wiping will remove all your apps, photos, music, and other information from your device. After this, the Android remote control feature will stop working and you will no longer be able to find out the location of the phone or lock it. It is also important to know that the data wipe feature only applies to files stored in the phone's memory, but does not delete information from the SD card.

Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite?

Every now and then the question pops up on the Internet: “How to find a phone by its IMEI via satellite?” But you need to understand that IMEI numbers mobile devices and space technology, in particular, satellite communications are in no way connected with each other. Information about Phone IMEI transmitted through mobile network operator and nothing else.

Perhaps someday, searching for phones using satellites will become a reality, but today such technology does not exist. That's why It is impossible to find a phone by IMEI via satellite.

How to find a phone by IMEI via the Internet?

At the beginning of this article, I told you about Google's Android Remote Control service, which allows you to independently locate your phone and lock it. There is a similar service called “Find iPhone” Apple. In both services, searching for a device by IMEI and managing it is carried out via the Internet, and this service is provided free of charge.

All other sites offering to find for a fee lost device using IMEI, serial number or SIM card number online or installing a phone search program on a PC is nothing more than scamming users out of money.

Be vigilant and don't lose your phones! And if this happens, under no circumstances transfer money to unknown persons who promise to find the phone by IMEI. You can easily find this information yourself and for free using Google services and Apple!

In this case, such applications come to the rescue to locate, block, obtain information about the use of programs, obtain photos remotely and provide evidence for a possible police investigation.

We have prepared this list of five free applications determine the location of the smartphone and each contains links to obtain additional information and possible download from Google Play.

1. Lost Android:

This is a very valuable application in case of theft or loss mobile phone, which allows you to accurately determine your location through the AndroidLost.com network. We recommend first!

Some of his most interesting features are:

Send a pop-up message to your device so the finder can contact you
-Lock your device with a password
-View calls and messages sent and received
-Send location message using another mobile phone

2. Prey Anti-Theft:

Prey is small program, which will help you find your phone, laptop or tablet if it ever disappears. Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and also comes with open source code 100% free.

Once the emergency protocol is activated, you receive reports every twenty minutes from the missing device.

Once you log into Prey you can do the following:

— Find your phone on the map via geolocation using GPS and WiFi triangulation
- Take a photo using the built-in front and rear camera
— Block device
— Trigger a loud alarm remotely, even if the phone is on silent
— Display a warning message on the screen
-Get network information as soon as the device connects (for precise definition location)
- Detect change in active SIM card
— Protect the application from deletion
— Activate the application with via SMS from any phone and get a report instantly

3. Find My Phone:

There is another application for mobile search. Find My Phone takes advantage of modern GPS technologies to pinpoint the phone's location.
Note: For this feature to work, Find app My Phone must be installed on the phone and on the phone of the person you want to track or find, so add Find My Phone app on cell phones for all members of your family.

Where is the phone?

Maybe you've heard of "triangulation" in TV shows like CSI. And this is how the app on the phone actually works. Mobile companies know the cell location because they know the distance from the phone to the cell tower. Find My Phone receives this data from cellular operators and displays its location on a map.

4.Where's My Droid:

Wheres My Droid was created as a simple app so that when you lose your phone in your home, you can signal to find it, but every month the developer adds new features.

How this app works:

For example, you have a device in silent mode and you don't know where you left it. You just find another computer and send text message With keyword, which you have chosen in advance, you have chosen and just wait, it will automatically activate the sound and begin to report where it is.

The application can also receive GPS coordinates phone number with a link to Google maps, if you are not close enough to your phone and do not hear the ringing.

Features of application:
~ Find your phone by turning on sound/vibration
~ Find your phone using GPS locations
~ Sending test commands
~ Password protection to prevent unauthorized changes to the application
~Notification about changed SIM card or phone number
~ Stealth Mode hides incoming text with command words
~ White/Blacklist allows you to control who cannot use the application via text commands
~ Does not affect battery charge

Additional features in Pro versions:
~ Take pictures from your device's camera
~ Remotely lock your device
~ Remotely erase memory card
~Remotely erase phone data
~Use landlines to activate the application
~ Set up a ringtone if lost (Pro or with registration)

Standard application from Google. Are you afraid of losing your phone? Thanks to Remote Android control you can be calm about your device and the data on it. This feature allows you to:

• determine the location of the Android device associated with your Google account
• reset screen lock PIN
• delete all data from the device
• serve beep on the device

To clarify the location of your mobile phone, you must have access to account, created on the Google website.