Buying a second-hand iPhone? Did you find out if an iPhone is stolen or not? Now it is easier to check if iPhone is stolen or not using serial number. Your mind is filled with all doubts about the ownership of this second hand iPhone, and therefore, you want to confirm that it is not a stolen piece you are given. No worries. CTIA offers a new tool that uses GSMA Device Check service and tells you whether an iPhone is stolen or not before buying it.
Earlier, Apple had offered a tool to know if an iOS device is stolen or legally purchased. In the process, users had to share the IMEI number of their iPhones, and Apple, in turn, would confirm that the device is not stolen or stolen. In many iPhones, IMEI number is printed on the back; if you don’t find your iPhone’s IMEI number, you can go to Settings→ General→ About→ IMEI.
Apart from finding the status of your iPhone or iPad, this CTIA offers suggestions on how to avoid device theft keeping your device secure. You can use Apple’s default ‘Find My iPhone’ feature to avoid device theft.
Note that CTIA tool works only in the United States, and hence, not all users can use this tool. If you are not in the USA, you cannot use this tool to confirm if an iPhone is stolen or not.
How to Check if iPhone is Stolen or Not Before Buying
Step #1: Open Stolen Phone Checker on your web browser.
Step #2: On the home page of this website, it is clearly mentioned that “This service is limited to 5 free queries per day by U.S. consumers only.”
Step #3: In the field below, users are supposed to enter IMEI number of their iPhones. (Jump to this post to find Model Number of iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus)
You can use this tool for up to five queries in a day.
Step #4: Next, you have to confirm that you are not a robot; simply click in the checkbox to tell this tool you are not a robot.
Step #5: Finally, hit the Submit button.
This will confirm if your second-hand iPhone is stolen or not. If you are not from the US, a message will appear: “This Service is limited solely to consumers in the United States”.
This tool is very useful for consumers living in the United States. So if you are from the US, you can use this website.
Also Read:
- Best iPhone and Android Apps for Selling Old Stuff
- Best Place to Sell Old iPhones
- How to Check Activation Lock Status of iPhone
- How to Bypass iCloud Activation Lock on iPhone and iPad
- How to Delete or Change iCloud Account on iPhone and iPad
- How to Delete or Remove Apple ID on iPhone and iPad
Is there any other way to check whether an iPhone is stolen or not before buying? Share your feedback with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.