Is it possible to track a phone if it is turned on? Finding a turned off Android smartphone after theft: actions to suppress and protect personal data

As practice shows, most often a phone is stolen through a primitive robbery in a dark alley, quiet park, underground passage. Such actions are usually aimed at people who cannot defend themselves and fight back against attackers. Young women and teenagers become victims of criminals most often. Unnoticed theft occurs mainly in a crowded place, where, amid the rush and crowd, it is difficult to notice how the thief snuck into a pocket or bag.

The theft or loss of a mobile phone always brings a lot of worry to its owner. The difficulty of returning a found phone is due to the peculiarities of the Russian mentality. People, having found the phone, do not want to return it and take it for themselves. One of the most effective ways is to search for a mobile phone by IMEI.

What is IMEI?

IMEI is a 15-digit code (International Mobile Equipment Identity). It is unique for each device and is assigned to the phone by the manufacturer. This code is issued to each cellular device operating in the GSM, IDEN, WCDMA networks. IMEI is stored in the phone's factory firmware. Its main task is authorization and identification in the cellular network. Therefore the search cell phone by IMEI can be effective if it is stolen or lost.

When a smartphone is stolen, the owner submits an official report and blacklists the IMEI. In the EU countries and the USA, such a phone will not work in any cellular network, since it is subject to call barring, with the exception of emergency services, and when you try to register, a signal is sent to the service, which allows you to transmit the relevant information about the place and time of access to the network to the police. Therefore, in foreign countries, thanks to this system of work, it is possible to successfully track a phone by IMEI and prevent theft, since when it is blacklisted, it becomes a useless thing. In Russia, unfortunately, such a mechanism for combating intruders has not yet been developed.

How to find out the IMEI of a phone?

First of all, to answer the question of how to find a phone by IMEI, it is important to find this code. In order to find out the IMEI, just dial a simple command *#06# - and the 15-digit code will appear on the screen. The information is also located under the battery in a table along with the serial number, on the original packaging or sticker and in the warranty card. Thus, this code is a kind of “fingerprint”, since every time you register in the GSM network, the operator cellular communication sees the location using the phone's IMEI.

Is it possible to change IMEI?

On some phone models, a way to change IMEI has been found; as a rule, these are Chinese devices. On new ones mobile devices oh there is no such possibility. Since manufacturers are interested in providing their users maximum level protection and security, so they are constantly looking for solutions to combat theft. However, along with manufacturers, scammers are also looking for ways and loopholes to hack the device’s software and resell the stolen phone. It is worth noting that in some countries, for example in Kazakhstan, there is an article for unauthorized access to protected information, which threatens with imprisonment for up to 3 years. In Russia, Articles 273 and 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provide for changing IMEI. And in judicial practice There are known cases of imprisonment under these articles for a period of 3 years.

How to find a phone by IMEI

In Russia, people have access to information about the location of phones mobile operators. However, they do not have the right to disclose this information to ordinary citizens and provide it only at the request of law enforcement agencies.

To search for a phone by IMEI, you need to contact the police with a statement free form, indicating your last name, first name and patronymic, passport details and IMEI of the stolen phone. It is also necessary to provide copies of documents confirming ownership of the device. After this, police officers make a request to cellular communication companies in Russia, which check whether the subscriber with the specified IMEI is registered on the network, and give an official response to law enforcement agencies. The intelligence services, in turn, having learned the location of the attacker, search for him and take appropriate measures.

However, in practice, due to the bureaucratic structure of our state, requests to the police are processed quite slowly, and by the time things get underway, the attacker will already have time to resell the phone on the secondary market or change the IMEI. And cellular operators, in turn, do not turn off a cell phone until it is proven that it is indeed stolen. Therefore a revision is required legislative framework to simplify the system for dealing with thefts of mobile devices.

Is it possible to return a stolen phone by identifying it using IMEI yourself?

Despite the fact that it is posted on the Internet whole line web services that offer to search for a phone by IMEI code, they do not provide any guarantee about the accuracy of the information. Since officially only cellular operators have information, they do not have the right to provide information to anyone except law enforcement agencies. Therefore, these methods are questioned, and it is worth remaining vigilant when using them. It will be possible to identify a stolen phone only if it is not turned off and any actions are performed from it - calls, checking the balance, sending messages.

How intelligence agencies determine the location of a stolen phone

Mobile phone can only be detected via cellular standard GSM communications. The signal from the mobile device is analyzed by software, which allows you to determine the sector and the nearest station base in which the subscriber is registered. This search system allows you to find a phone by IMEI and find out its location with an accuracy of 100-200 meters, which is sufficient for an attacker to be caught by law enforcement officers.

What to do if your phone is stolen?

For those who want by IMEI, just follow the following steps.

1. To find a stolen phone, you should not immediately block the SIM card. If calls are made from it, there is a possibility of detecting the location of the intruder, which will help police officers in investigating the case. It is advisable to block only if the account large sum money and a tariff with a postpaid payment system is used, since all calls on the attacker’s cell phone will have to be paid by the owner.
2. Find out IMEI. If the IMEI is unknown, it can be found on the original packaging in which the device was sold. Using the identifier, it is possible to find a stolen phone even if the SIM card is replaced with another mobile operator. However, the factory code of the phone does not always coincide with the code indicated on the packaging, so it is worth checking it at the stage of purchasing the phone.
3. Contact your operator's mobile phone store to obtain a printout of calls from the date the phone was lost.
4. With your passport, documents for purchasing the phone that confirm ownership (warranty card, receipt, box), printout of calls, you must contact the police to report the loss of your mobile device. In the application, you must indicate your contact information, as well as the IMEI number, and insist that law enforcement officers contact the cellular operator to search for the loss using the identification number.
5. You can enter your phone into one of the databases of stolen phones on such Internet resources as imeis.ru, trackerplus.ru, tech-touch.ru and others. If you enter your details, you can protect buyers from purchasing a stolen phone. And also if an attacker tries to sell the phone on the secondary market, other participants in this service will notify you about this.

Methods for finding a stolen phone

Android Device Manager is a service that is provided for mobile devices running on Android. When registering in the service, you have the opportunity to use the “Search for a phone by IMEI satellite” service. The option also offers to make a free call to lost phone at maximum volume, which allows you to find the phone if it was not stolen, but lost on the street or at home.

How to find a phone by IMEI made by Apple

iPhones are popular all over the world and most often they become a tasty prey for attackers. These devices are characterized by high demand, price and good liquidity. Manufacturers of Apple products have taken care of the safety of their users by providing the ability to track the location of the device thanks to the geolocation system. To do this, you need to use the iCloud option, in which you can enable the “Find My iPhone” function. After your device is lost, just go to icloud.com and enter your password and Apple ID. If this function was not activated before the theft, the system will not track the phone, and it will not be possible to find it this way. In this case, the only correct decision is to file a corresponding application with law enforcement agencies.

Alternative options for finding a stolen phone

1. It is recommended to create a business card on the phone about the owner with contact information in case the phone turns out to be not stolen, but lost, and the people who found it want to return the lost item to the rightful owner.
2. Many mobile device manufacturers offer various services that involve sending SMS messages when changing the SIM card to the number specified during registration.
3. You can use the LoSToleN service, which is a database of stolen phones and allows you to place information about the IMEI of the missing gadget for a reward if found.

Searching for data on the Internet

With development information technologies Many services on the Internet offer a program to find a phone by IMEI. However, it is worth remembering that in most cases such companies are fraudulent and operate illegally. They ask you to send a paid SMS message to gain access to the service, which ultimately does not provide any information. Therefore, when looking for a solution to the problem of how to find a phone by IMEI, you should not resort to methods of searching for information on the global network.

In order to find a phone, you must have access to equipment and software all mobile operators in the country. Therefore, such a service cannot be provided by ordinary web offices. Access to information is only available to law enforcement agencies, who receive information upon request from any operator mobile communications. Therefore, searching for a stolen phone on your own is a futile task that takes a lot of time and effort. The only correct solution that can help is to contact the special services.

How to prevent yourself from buying a stolen phone

When buying a phone on the secondary market, it is worth checking it in the database of stolen phones to avoid troubles in the future. Since if the owner has already filed a statement with the police, it will be quite difficult to prove that it was not you who stole the phone, and the device will have to be returned to the copyright holder. However, not all stolen mobile devices are included in the database. You should not purchase a mobile phone without documents from a private person, and if such a device is offered, this should immediately alert you. Also, when purchasing a device, it is recommended to check the IMEI of the phone with the one indicated on the package.

The cell phone boom is a thing of the past. Today even schoolchildren have pipes. A mobile phone not only serves as a means of communication, but also stores important data. This includes phone numbers, photographs, programs for managing bank accounts or electronic wallets. Therefore, if you lose your gadget, you can find big problem. However, in some situations it is possible to find the phone even when it is turned off.

If your phone is lost

There are two options for solving the problem of a lost phone: Buy a new one and forget about it after being sad for a couple of weeks (this is what they do most often), or pull yourself together and use possible ways find a mobile phone. After all, applications can be installed on it to log into various accounts. These are not only social networks, but also banks and electronic wallets. You need to act quickly. If search attempts were not made immediately, most likely you will not find your loss. According to statistics, the device can be found in the first 10–15 days. Then it is almost impossible to do this. No more than 30 percent of mobile devices are returned.

Ways to find a mobile phone

Losing a mobile device - unpleasant event. Therefore, try to prepare in advance for this incident. Install possible programs to help you find your device. Password protect your phone. Keep the data in cloud storage. Do not throw away the documents and the device box. They will be useful if you contact the police.

There are three ways to find a switched off phone:

• It’s good to search the place of the loss, walk along the route where you definitely were with the phone;
• search by SIM card subscriber number;
• if the phone is somewhere nearby, but the search did not help, and you know that you set the alarm clock. Just wait for the signal.

All other methods only work on devices that are turned on.

Search via computer

Telecom operators offer the Locator service to track phones with the consent of their owners. Since you are the owner, this will not be a problem for you.

Service mobile operator phone tracking

Search by IMEI

The method is suitable for phones with a GPS receiver on any operating system. Download the program for your device and install. Register on the website of this program. Now your phone will be constantly tracked by satellite, and the data will be recorded on the website. The IMEI code is a number that is located on the box and under the battery on the phone body. You can find it by dialing *#06#.

Satellite tracking

How to find a device by phone number

Mobile operators can send signals to a switched off device. If the attacker did not remove your SIM card, then you will know where the phone is. To do this, contact your telecom operator.

Looking for the address

At the address you will only find the subscriber number of the SIM card or landline phone, and not the mobile handset.

Built-in search function

In different operating systems It provides a device search using the built-in function and the Internet. The smartphone must be turned on.

How to determine location using Google account

This method is only suitable for smartphones running Android OS. Using your Google account, you can not only determine the location of your phone, but also lock the device and erase data. To do this, the following conditions must be met:

• the phone is connected to the Internet;
• Google app installed. In this case, the Find My Device feature is enabled by default;
• the gadget is displayed on Google Play;
• remote enabled Android control Device Manager. It is located in the security settings;
• geodata transmission is activated.

To find your phone, do the following:

Search function for iOS

iPhones are searched similarly to Androids.

Search feature for Windows Phone

Enable the Find My Phone function in the system settings and link your device to your account on the Microsoft website. Here you need to check both boxes: for accelerated connection and saving the phone's position at intervals.

You need to check both boxes

If the phone switches off, you will see its last location. Next, similar to previous devices, look at the map and select the necessary actions to call, block or clean the smartphone.

Search using apps

If you don’t want to use the Internet when searching for a phone, you can turn to programs that are controlled by messages or calls. These are antivirus and search applications:

• Avast! Mobile Security;
• Kaspersky Internet (Mobile) Security;
• WatchDroid;
• Pray Anti Theft;
• Where's My Droid;
• Plan B;
• Android Lost Free.

These programs flash, emit sound signals, track the location and show it on the map, allow you to remotely control the phone, take pictures from the camera, and broadcast the sound surrounding the lost device. As a last resort, you can lock and wipe the device.

Software from Lookout is very popular. It is designed for different operating systems. The Signal Flare program has received a new feature for Android, which, a few seconds before the battery is completely discharged, registers the coordinates of the device.

other methods

If your cell phone is missing, contact the police. But only if you are sure that the device was not lost at your home. Otherwise, if discovered, you will have to pay a fine. To contact law enforcement agencies, prepare documents for your phone number and personal passport.

When the phone cannot be found

A mobile phone cannot be found if the SIM card or battery has been removed from it and reflashed to change the IMEI code. If the device falls into unfavorable environment and fails, the owner will never find it again. For example, a telephone falling into a river or hot sand on the beach, will cease to function.

How to reduce the possibility of losing your cell phone

There is no way to completely protect yourself from losing your device. But you can reduce this probability by observing simple rules and recommendations:

• try to keep your phone in one place at all times. If you use a bag, then allocate a separate pocket for your mobile phone. At home or at work, place the device on permanent place. Then the loss can be immediately noticed;
• never put the gadget in your back pocket;
• In crowded places, try to use your phone only when necessary. The probability of snatching it is very high;
• Buy a headset that alerts you when there are more than five meters between you and the device. Such a signal will warn you about a phone left in a cafe or a thief running away;
• There are special keychains for finding things. They respond to different sounds;
• when in public transport There are many passengers standing close, you may not feel the attacker pulling out the phone. Carry headphones with you. Good music will make the trip not boring, and an unexpected cessation of sound will signal that the gadget has turned off;
• play Pokemon Go very carefully. This is not funny, because Pokemon are found in various gateways and precarious courtyards, where there is no lighting or people. Attackers can take advantage of this.

No one is immune from losing a cell phone. In order to find the gadget and avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to use suitable means. In cases where this is impossible, hurry to change the passwords for accounts that were accessed via a mobile phone.

If you have lost your Android somewhere, or it was stolen from you, do not lose heart. There is a chance to find your lost phone. In this article we will tell you how to do this.

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Lost phone - how to find it if it is turned off

If the phone was stolen and turned off, we advise you to contact law enforcement agencies, who will try to find the lost phone by IMEI. To do this, you will need to write an application indicating the IMEI of your gadget. The IMEI code can be found by removing the battery or on the phone box.

Those who have encountered this problem know that the results of searching for a stolen phone are not always successful. But this does not mean that you should not write a statement.

You can try to find your lost phone by satellite for free, but in most cases this does not bring the desired result. Because only law enforcement agencies can find a lost phone via satellite and submit a corresponding request to the cellular communication company.

How to find a lost phone using a Google account

Using your Google account, you can not only find your lost phone, but also delete all user information on it.

You can also determine when the device was last used.

This method is relevant if the phone was lost at home or on the street and was turned on at the time of loss. If it was stolen, the attacker may still have not turned off the power to the gadget. In order for this method to work, your device must be logged into your Google account and the Internet must be turned on.

If you return to the previous page, you will be offered several options for further actions:

• Ring the phone
• Lock your phone
• Log out of your device
• Contact your mobile operator
• Delete data from device

Very useful feature“Ring.” By clicking on it, your phone will ring continuously for 5 minutes, even if it is in silent mode. This will help you find your lost phone through your computer if you have lost it somewhere at home.

Attention! If your phone was stolen and you managed to determine its location, then under no circumstances try to return it yourself; contact law enforcement agencies.

If you have any questions about how to find your lost phone, write in the comments.

Answers on questions

I couldn’t find my lost phone, how to block it?

To do this, you need to enable the blocking function in advance. On the Android remote control page, click on the “Configure data blocking and deletion” button. You will be asked to send a PUSH notification to your phone, click “Send”. A notification will be sent to your phone, we will activate remote control there. After this, the “Block” and “Clear” functions will become available to you.

Using the “Lock” function, you can remotely set your password on the screen lock screen, and using the “Clear” function, you can remotely return your phone to factory settings.

How to find a stolen phone?

All methods described above are suitable for this case.

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. True, 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 for 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 typing the combination ✶ # 06 # on your phone, in the settings of the gadget itself, as well as on the box underneath it, or the iTunes application 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 the Google service to search for the device, absolutely free.

It's about service « Remote control Android", 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 get 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 the ringtone at maximum volume for 5 minutes. This will help you find a phone lost indoors or outdoors.
• "Block"— allows you to set a password for main 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 displayed on the main screen of the device, as well as indicate a contact 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 of mobile devices and space technology, in particular, satellite connection are not related to each other in any way. Information about the phone's IMEI is transmitted through the operator's mobile network 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 that offer to find a lost device by IMEI for a fee, 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 and Apple services!