[olly666]

Is there is a website you can use to check out a device's IMEI, or is calling the provider the only option for a background check on a used phone?

[ezrunner]

generally the carrier is it

[Cory Scheuer]

why would you need to? i dont believe any provider registers IMEIs, are you just wanting to know if your device was report lost/stolen?

[olly666]

Yeah pretty much

[Cory Scheuer]

well even if it was, i dont believe any carrier record IMEIs as lost or stolen, what happens is they just block the SIM card and thats about it

someone correct me if i am wrong here

[jtdarden]

Wirelessly posted (8xxx)

That is not completely correct. Not all carriers have SIM cards. They can and do (depending on the carrier) log the ESN/IMEI/MSN as lost/stolen/fraud. Typically.

[ezrunner]

ESN based services VZW,sprint and alltel can block device from ever being used again

TMO and ATT not so much SIM cards are what is activated

[olly666]

Yeah I was gonna quote: Buying a BlackBerry off eBay - BlackBerryFAQ

"Call the company that the device is branded to and have them check the IMEI to make sure it is not stolen or lost"

[Sith_Apprentice]

the IMEI can be checked. But it doesnt matter in the long run. An unlocked device (or one locked on a carrier network) will be able to be used either way. just pop a SIM in and go.

[ja600v]

Carriers won't give any information out short of court order, etc. As for a lost or stolen phone all they will do is disable the sim card.

[wabbit]

the uk uses something like http://www.met.police.uk/mobilephone/ceir.htm
nothing in the usa that i could find.

edit also a global site

GSM World - Using GSM - IMEI Database

but the usa has yet to even deploy something like this.

[coldconfession13]

The only reason USA doesn't have it is cause of privacy laws.