IMEI Blacklist Database - Coming Soon!

[deathtrip]

We at CheckESNFree.com have been dedicated to supporting the mobile community for several years now, and while we've done everything we can to help the CDMA market, we are not pleased to announce that our request to access the IMEI Blacklist database has been granted.

We will be able to validate if a device associated with T-Mobile, AT&T and any other US company who is required to report into the new Blacklist database is flagged as blacklisted or not.

Since AT&T and T-Mobile now read and submit to the database, there will be no need to worry about checking the device at both carriers as if it's blacklisted on T-Mobile, it will be on AT&T also.

Things should be up and running within the next 10 days!

[Discodisco209]

And just to clarify, as a device is blacklisted it pertains to the same things as the cdma BAD ESN database right?

Lost/Stolen
Unpaid balance on account

anything else?

[rich hathaway]

its a bit different,since tmo and at&t "respect"each others blacklists,and its to the point now that when you put your sim into a blacklisted device almost every time it will disable your sim so you cant even put it your own "clean" device and use it without either a trip to your local carriers store or at a minumum a call to custy service to get it reactivated.

its wack...

[deathtrip]

Right now, T-Mobile and AT&T are required by law to submit blacklisted IMEIs (lost/stolen) to the IMEI Blacklist Database. Both carriers read and write to this same database and this helps prevent someone from using a stolen AT&T phone on T-Mobile and vise-versa.

Do note, MVNOs who operate on AT&T and T-Mobile are also affected by the IMEI Blacklist database, since the devices register to the actual carriers towers.

Sprint and Verizon will be required to use the same database, starting sometime close to the end of the year.

Also, the way I understand it, a device can only be put on the Blacklist Database if it has been reported lost or stolen. This should mean devices that have ETF or unpaid balances should not be on the Blacklist Database.

[lowg214]

I have a question; I bought a T-mobile Galaxy s3 of eBay but when I tried to activate it, at a T-mobile store, they told me the phone was "blocked for non-payment." However, if I put my sim card the phone works, why? Will T-mobile eventually block it completely? Should I return the phone back?

[rich hathaway]

I have a question; I bought a T-mobile Galaxy s3 of eBay but when I tried to activate it, at a T-mobile store, they told me the phone was "blocked for non-payment." However, if I put my sim card the phone works, why? Will T-mobile eventually block it completely? Should I return the phone back?
this is kinda of a hijack of deaths thread,so lets not get to far off topic here without you starting your own thread please.

gsm phones for the most part will act the same when blacklisted,which is they wont make a call but they will get signal fine.usually giving a "not registered on network" error or similar.if it is blacklisted i would def. return it while you still can.because while we have a way to "clean" meids for sprint and verizon (at about 70 bucks a pop) we do not have a way,yet, to clean at&t/tmo imei's.

[lowg214]

No body is trying to "hijack of deaths thread." I was just asking a question relevant to topic being discuss. In any case, you didn't really address the question.

[whitey10tc]

TMobile may or may not block it at anytime. Sometimes it happens immediately when you insert your SIM other times it can happen months later. I would return it to seller and get a refund.

[rich hathaway]

No body is trying to "hijack of deaths thread." I was just asking a question relevant to topic being discuss. In any case, you didn't really address the question.
calm down and yes friend i did answer your question.if the phone is blacklisted it WILL NOT make a call period.if it completes a call it is NOT blocked yet.and like whitey said,they can block it at any time.if your phone shows clean today,in an hour it may be blocked.at this point its not clear that when a phone is flagged for whatever reason and moved to the blocked list exactly how long it takes before the network actually takes action and blocks service on the unit.
but if tmo told you it was on the list,if you can get your money back you for sure should.

[deathtrip]

Can you PM me the IMEI? I don't have any known "blocked" IMEIs and would like to collect some for validating when the account goes active this week.

Also, the way I understand it, every device on the IMEI blocklist will eventually be banned from the network of all carriers, and the network is suppose to flag active, blacklisted IMEIs or kill the SIMs within a specific amount of days, but the system isn't complete yet so it will take a little time.

I've talked with quite a few people who use GoPhone SIMs to test AT&T phones to see if they're blacklisted and these people claim it usually happens within an hour of inserting the SIM if the IMEI is blacklisted.

[rich hathaway]

not really sure what of the point of killing sims is,i mean with craigslist,ebay,amazon,ect. selling thousands of phones per hour,how can they simply fail every sim from someone that just got taken advantage of and unknowingly bought a hot phone.makes no sence,because most peeps that steal phones,steal them to sell them,not use them. corporate genious's

[deathtrip]

I don't agree with the SIM killing either, to me it just seems like a precautionary measure, in the event the IMEI doesn't disconnect from the tower, the SIM dies and drops registration. I dunno, sounds silly, but that just might be it. :P

[lowg214]

My bad guys, I wasn't trying to sound rude, but here are two methods to check if a T-mobile Phone is blacklisted:

1. Go to a t-mobile store and ask them if they would check if the phone is blacklisted.
2. Buy a prepaid sim card (.99 cents on t-mobiles website). Activate the sim-card by calling, eventually a machine will ask you to enter your imei. If the imei is clean, it will let you proceed. However if the imei is bad, it will tell you the imei has been blocked. Once it tells you that your imei is blocked you can hang up and your sim card won't be activated. I think you can do this as many times as you want.

[deathtrip]

Yea, same can be done for AT&T, but the issue is, people in the "industry" want a fast, instant, secure method.

Our site aims to deliver that to the "industry", and with our API access, we can deliver the results in less than 5 seconds, where calling in and going through the hassle can take 5 minutes or more per device.

And, we can process 6 IMEIs on our MultiCheck Page which means you can check 6 phones at a single time, all in less than a minute.

Calling in and asking, or processing your request through the IVR might work for you, but for companies who process 50,000 - 500,000 phones a month, instant access is more desirable.

[Discodisco209]

Well if this law isn't overturned soon, i can guarantee you that imei spoofing will come back into play, kind of a dead art to most but with this national database and people unknowingly buying blacklisted imei devices, some people will be looking to capitalize, but thats a discussion for another time.

[Discodisco209]

And i figured the MVNO's would be tied into this, just never had anyone clarify that, thanks trip.

People really need to thank you for making this alot easier with your site, Your keeping the used smartphone buying market alive.

Just another tactic for carriers to drive customers into their stores with skepticism of purchasing a used phone on ebay or craigslist. Then this unlocking law hits and now they wanna govern whether or not you can actually unlock/flash your phone, its bs.

[deathtrip]

Just received word that our access to the IMEI Blacklist database will be active on Thursday (UK time). I have expressed deep concern with getting access up and going as we have had delay after delay and was told Thursday things will be live for us.

[deathtrip]

CheckESNFree.com can now validate against the new US IMEI/LTE Blacklist Database.

However, there are a few things that might not please most of you.

Per the requirements of the carriers and the global GSM association, only IMEIs registered as "lost/stolen" AFTER October 31st 2012 on T-Mobile and AT&T are listed in the US blacklist database.

This may change down the road to include all blacklisted devices, but currently it is as mentioned above.

With that said, any device blacklisted before October 31st 2012 on AT&T may still be used on T-Mobile, and vise-verse.

[deathtrip]

You can now check devices blacklisted prior to October 31 2012, however this only includes devices flagged as lost or stolen, and does NOT include devices flagged as fraudulent.

[discodisco19]

It can be cleaned as of now