PAYG Phone Stolen Sunday Night, Anything Else I Can Do?

LouLou

Sorry, that should say IMEI number, rather than SIM.

gjchester

LouLou wrote: »

On here http://www.amta.org.au/pages/amta/Check.the.Status.of.your.Handset it says "Your SIM is currently unblocked" (I blocked my SIM yesterday) though I'm not sure if it takes a while to register? I realise it's an Australian site so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Yes is does.

IMEI blocking outside the UK can be hit and miss, as far as I know there's no international list that all networks use, so it probably will work fine outside the UK, (and hence why it appears unblocked to Australian site)

LouLou

Okay, yes, I realise that IMEI blocking in the UK doesn't apply to worldwide use. That's what I suspected. It's a shame it doesn't...maybe that change will happen in the future.

The SIM is definitely blocked. Bit of an odd one that as I was in the lucky position of having £70 odd Payback in credit from GiffGaff and plenty of my Goodybag calls left. GiffGaff told me the phone was completely unused, apart from the mistaken answer machine message.

I do think the thieves were at a loss how to use it.

Thanks for replying.

grumbler

LouLou wrote: »

Okay, yes, I realise that IMEI blocking in the UK doesn't apply to worldwide use. That's what I suspected. It's a shame it doesn't...maybe that change will happen in the future.

IMHO, IMEI blocking is useless and serves no purpose except revenge. It doesn't benefit the owner, doesn't deter thieves, doesn't help to have the lost/stolen phones returned, but seriously complicates selling and buying genuine used phones.

LouLou

I did the IMEI and SIM blocking as I was being told by the police and my network to..I held out as long as I could. The phone was ringing but no-one would answer, so it was me banging my head against a brick wall.

If they were genuine they'd have answered, I suppose...I've listed the IMEI and the phone's serial number with the police and that immobilise site. Can't think what else to do.

I know some "phone unlocking" stores in towns can work around IMEI blocks, but not sure how all that works. I've seen online IMEI unblock programs listed on search engines, no idea about those either.

You think it's a better idea for people who have phones stolen should leave the IMEI unblocked? Maybe just block the SIM? And make sure a phone has the SIM PIN number enabled, for everyday use?

grumbler

LouLou wrote: »

You think it's a better idea for people who have phones stolen should leave the IMEI unblocked?

I don't see why mobile phones have to be treated differently from any other lost/stolen devices.

Maybe just block the SIM? And make sure a phone has the SIM PIN number enabled, for everyday use?

Blocking a sim is a necessity - the same as for a credit/debit card - to stop spending your balance or running up your bill. A PIN for a contact SIM is a must have too IMO, but many people don't realise this. For a PAYG sim it's less essential unless the balance is very high.

LouLou

It's just that I have no idea how effective IMEI blocking actually is..I had a vague idea that it can be overridden but at what cost, and what effort, I don't know.

That's why I'm looking at these anti-theft apps. But I suppose a determined criminal tends to be one step ahead of these safeguards.

Yeah, I'm lucky they didn't use up all my PAYG credit, at least that's something to be thankful for.

DavidF

Well I for one cant think of any reason why NOT to block the imei and the sim. It makes the resale value of the stolen phone lower and also makes the thief have to pay out to have the imei changed (which carries a prison sentence) or even better do it themselves (therefore committing two crimes instead of one and if caught then suffering double the consequences)
OP its all a little too late now I think you have done all you can. Next time register the bloody thing properly with gmail and get yourself some tracking security either fee or paid for. Im afraid you have just learned an expensive lesson. sorry that it hasnt worked out better for you.

grumbler

LouLou wrote: »

It's just that I have no idea how effective IMEI blocking actually is..I had a vague idea that it can be overridden but at what cost, and what effort, I don't know.

The main point is that for you IMEI blocking of your stolen phone makes absolutely no difference except moral satisfaction.

DavidF wrote: »

...It makes the resale value of the stolen phone lower and also makes the thief have to pay out to have the imei changed (which carries a prison sentence) or even better do it themselves (therefore committing two crimes instead of one and if caught then suffering double the consequences)

Has this ever stopped any thief? Any statistics proving this? Do you know a single case of anyone prosecuted for changing IMEI, let alone anyone prosecuted for paying for this? Why not start blocking stolen PCs, laptops, Xboxes etc then if it's really that effective?

However, without a mechanism in place for transferring the ownership of mobiles, IMEI blocking is a real problem undermining the entire market of second hand mobile phones.

LouLou

Surely if an IMEI is blocked, there's a good reason? The most common one I've heard of is the good old insurance scam/sell it on ebay..where the IMEI gets nuked eventually.

Are there reasons why an IMEI would be blocked by mistake?

As for Google, I've read so many dodgy things about what they do with data I avoid them as much as possible. But I WILL put some safeguarding apps on in future.