Stolen Phone?

thegloriousend · 23-07-2006 12:44pm #1

Hi, bought a Nokia 5140i off buyandsell a month ago. It was working perfectly for about 2 weeks and then all signal disappeared completely (have tried different sims too). I'm in Germany for the summer and I doubt I'll ever be able to contact the guy who sold me it. So the plan is maybe to change the IMEI number (illegal but possible?). If not my dad works in Kazahkstan and he could have it, would it work there?
Thanks

skearon · 23-07-2006 1:18pm

thegloriousend wrote:

Hi, bought a Nokia 5140i off buyandsell a month ago. It was working perfectly for about 2 weeks and then all signal disappeared completely (have tried different sims too). I'm in Germany for the summer and I doubt I'll ever be able to contact the guy who sold me it. So the plan is maybe to change the IMEI number (illegal but possible?). If not my dad works in Kazahkstan and he could have it, would it work there?
Thanks

As you bought the phone in Ireland, I'm surprised it has stopped working in Germany, or is the phone still in Ireland?

It is technically possilbe to change the IMEI, however it is illegal and should not be done, you would be better contacting the mobile operators in Ireland and return the phone to which ever one of them blocked it, they perhaps can return it to the rightful owner.

#Smokey# · 23-07-2006 1:20pm

changing IMEI will work but its illegal.anyway it sounds as if the original IMEI is on the network block list.

so basically it might work over in Kazahkstan.and if IMEI is changed it will work eveywhere

Here is IMEI changer.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

LINK Removed by ME

Sam Vimes · 23-07-2006 1:45pm

you really shouldn't be posting that smokey. you'll probably get a ban for it

Ruu_Old · 23-07-2006 1:48pm

You'd do well to remove that link, smokey. OP, learn a lesson from the purchase.

#Smokey# · 23-07-2006 1:51pm

i removed it.

thegloriousend · 23-07-2006 5:39pm

As you bought the phone in Ireland, I'm surprised it has stopped working in Germany, or is the phone still in Ireland?

I have tried the phone in both Ireland, Germany and England. no signal

it sounds as if the original IMEI is on the network block list.

yeah, however I think the network block list only applies to Europe

If I was to change the IMEI how would anyone find out? And would it in theory be safer to do it in Germany as I'm only here on holiday and the 'irish authoities' wouldn't be to get me.

Doctor DooM · 23-07-2006 7:01pm

This will probably get closed

Cannot stress how illegal imei changing is.

Doctor DooM · 23-07-2006 7:05pm

IMEI lists are Europe wide. Every single time you use a phone, the imei is registered with the network.

There is no legal way to get your phone working without the consent of the original owner, and no illegal way I'd recommend.

thegloriousend · 23-07-2006 7:45pm

ok, i will give it to my dad. But what would happen if suddenly a new IMEI was registered onto a european network? Are IMEI's ever changed in legal circumstances? And finally are IMEI's specific to countries, in theory could it be given a Kazakhstani IMEI and then come back to europe as a 'new' phone?

Random · 23-07-2006 10:48pm

Ring up O2 / Vodafone / Meteor and ask them. Hell, pop into a phone shop over in Germany and ask if they can ring their operator to see if it's barred on any European blacklist (which I didn't think they'd even got around to setting up yet?).

Are you sure it's not just a dodgy simcard? Or a dodgy phone?

Stolen Phone?

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