Moved---- How do you tell if an ESN has been changed?

**testu** · 10-30-2010, 12:50 PM

If you find out if the esn is changed or not?? I mean if you change the esn for somebody and then he does some criminals acts and tells the police you flashed his phone and change the esn.

**thesmitty68521** · 10-30-2010, 01:44 PM

I split this from the thread you posted in because that is thread hijacking. If you have a question, start your own thread. Asking a question that has nothing to do with the original poster of the thread asked, that is thread hijaking.

The best way to tell if the ESN has been changed is to look at the sticker on the back of the phone. If that number matches what is read from the inside of the phone, then you are fine, more than likely. However, there are exceptions to this like everything else.

Your best bet is to just not change ESN's and you will stay out of trouble.

**Dex** · 10-30-2010, 02:19 PM

if ur changing esns other then to repair the one on the fone then ur are doin a crimial act and we here at gurus dont condone it sometimes when performing a repair the esn on the MOBO doesnt match the fone casse due to esn stickers not being switched out but most fones now the sticker is placed directly on the MOBO

**rich hathaway** · 10-30-2010, 02:47 PM

one exception that smitty was saying to this rule that is legal is if the main board of the phone has been changed out.the esn stays with the main board making the sticker on the phone wrong.but is perfectly legal because the esn stays with the phone (main board) it was assigned to.

**ten0rplaya04** · 10-30-2010, 03:48 PM

If you're replacing a board in a phone, it's the best practice to move the sticker with it as well. What I usually end up doing is taking out the old sticker and printing a new one up. I like the newer phones which have the removable plate/sticker on motherboard setup

**leadnerd** · 10-30-2010, 06:22 PM

The only for sure way to tell if the esn has been changed is most likely at the place of manufacture. That is simply because they would be the mostlikely to have access to the bluetooth mac address which does not change when one changes esn. In reality though why would you be changing some one's esn anyway? Unless it is because you yourself are perpetrating possible criminal activities? Cloning esn's is illegal.