Iphone 4 No signal - How to get working?

jjr1

jjr1

jjr1

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I see a number of adverts on ebay and gumtree for these phones which have obviously been barred by the networks, either stolen or insurance claims.

How do the people who fix them (also advertising on ebay or gumtree) do it?

Are they changing the IMEI or replacing the IMEI (chip if there is such a thing) or something else?

I know this is not peculiar to the IPHONE 4 but that appears to be the most common phone for this practice.
 
Zack, with respect,did you fail your Verbal Comprehension exams?

I asked a question and never suggested I wanted to buy a stolen one. If you can not contribute anything, try jogging on.
 
The IMEI of a device can be reprogrammed, but it is a criminal offence, for which the person doing it can be fined and or imprisoned.

Due to the large number of handsets stolen throughout the world, most network operators who have an EIR which has a list of blacklisted IMEIs lost or stolen handsets.

So lets say the IEMI number is blacklisted in the UK it could work in other countries without any illegal tinkering.
 
Phatzy said:
The IMEI of a device can be reprogrammed, but it is a criminal offence, for which the person doing it can be fined and or imprisoned.

Due to the large number of handsets stolen throughout the world, most network operators who have an EIR which has a list of blacklisted IMEIs lost or stolen handsets.

So lets say the IEMI number is blacklisted in the UK it could work in other countries without any illegal tinkering.
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this

also they use the phone for parts. if your screen is broken you could buy a blocked phone then swap the screens over or any other part other than the mobo
 
Is the mobo the part that contains the imei number?

Also if they reprogramme the imei do they just need a currently valid one, in the same way that criminals make up false plates based on existing ones?
 
jjr1 said:
Is the mobo the part that contains the imei number?

Also if they reprogramme the imei do they just need a currently valid one, in the same way that criminals make up false plates based on existing ones?
Click to expand...
Yes, the motherboard usually contains the IMEI
As far as I know pretty much any number will work, I used to know a guy who did it and he'd copy the first few digits of the original number and then randomise the rest. Highly illegal though and definitely not worth the risk.
From what I've heard recently, most no signal phones get bought by immigrants and shipped abroad where they'll work fine. Often the phones sell for more out there anyway so it's possible to make some serious money. Not sure whether it counts as handling stolen goods though, so again, not something I'd be doing if I were you.
 
Cheers Geekman

I do have to love all the warnings about getting involved but shall we clear this up once and for all :)

Just because I watch Discovery programmes on murder it does not make me want to partake !

As for them shipping them out abroad, I would imagine that they are definitely complicit in handling stolen goods just because of suspicion. They don't actually have to know of the actual crime to be guilty.
 
jjr1 said:
Cheers Geekman

I do have to love all the warnings about getting involved but shall we clear this up once and for all :)

Just because I watch Discovery programmes on murder it does not make me want to partake !

As for them shipping them out abroad, I would imagine that they are definitely complicit in handling stolen goods just because of suspicion. They don't actually have to know of the actual crime to be guilty.
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I was pretty sure you weren't going to actually get involved, but I've found to my cost that explaining such things on forums often opens me to self-righteous people who try to suggest I'm encouraging people to commit illegal activity :rolleyes:

Personally, I think an understanding of "dodgy" practices is extremely useful as it means you're less likely to fall victim to them yourself and get ripped off.

Regarding the handling of stolen goods, that was my thoughts as well.
 
Geekman - Like you I find some of the replies condescending but there are some gems.

Yours being one. Thank you.
 
geekman said:
From what I've heard recently, most no signal phones get bought by immigrants and shipped abroad where they'll work fine. Often the phones sell for more out there anyway so it's possible to make some serious money. Not sure whether it counts as handling stolen goods though, so again, not something I'd be doing if I were you.
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This is exactly what they do. They mostly get their devices by fraud contract signup, getting the devices then shipping them out but any means to get the devices are used including door intercept, stealing etc...

For a brucy bonus they then start calling premium rate numbers setup by their chums before finally dumping the SIM when it expires / imei lockout happens, factory resetting and then offloading to (mostly) EMEA.
 
Very interesting.

It does make the second hand phone market a complete minefield and from what I have read over the past few days even legitimate companies like CEX are falling foul of selling dodgy phones.

The IMEI checks, simply tell you that a phone has a complete clean bill of health only at the time of the check. The fraudsters now appear to be selling on these phones but only declaring them lost/stolen some time later in the hope there is no trace/comeback.

Worryingly though unless some checks can be made to see if a phone is in contract etc it will undermine the value of all second hand phones. Many of which are potentially just 'bricks' waiting to happen.
 
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