What Is an IMEI Check and Why Does It Matter?
An IMEI check tells you whether a phone’s unique 15 digit serial number has ever been reported lost, stolen or still tied to unpaid finance. Run one before you hand over cash for a used or refurbished handset, and you’ll know in seconds whether you’re about to buy someone else’s headache. Skip it, and you might end up the proud owner of a phone that won’t connect to any UK network at all.
Used and refurbished phones fill a lot of shopping baskets every August. Add in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 (gov.uk, checked August 2026), which gave police fresh powers to tackle the resale of stolen electronics, and checking before you buy makes more sense than ever. The law doesn’t force private sellers to run an IMEI check themselves. It just makes getting caught with a phone that never should have changed hands a much riskier bet than it used to be.
How Do You Check a Phone’s IMEI Number?
Every handset has its own IMEI, and finding it takes about ten seconds. Dial *#06# and the number appears straight on screen, no apps or accounts required. It’s also listed under Settings, About Phone, printed inside the SIM tray, and on the original box if you’ve kept it.
Once you’ve got the number, put it to work. A quick IMEI check with the seller’s network, or with a dedicated checker site, tells you whether the device is blocked, financed or reported missing before you commit to buying it.
Do this before the money changes hands, not after. Ask the seller to run the check with you, or message them the number and wait for a reply before arranging to meet or pay. It costs nothing, takes a few minutes at most, and it’s the one step that turns a gamble into a checked purchase.
Key takeaways
- Dial *#06# to find any phone’s IMEI in seconds, no account needed.
- An IMEI check flags phones reported lost, stolen or still on finance.
- EE, O2, Vodafone and Three all check against the same shared blacklist, so a phone blocked on one stays blocked everywhere.
- A failed check is a red flag worth walking away from, not haggling over.
What Does an IMEI Blacklist Check Actually Show You?
UK networks share one blacklist between them, checked August 2026. Report a phone stolen on O2 and it won’t quietly start working on EE, Vodafone or Three instead. Worth remembering next time a seller insists the phone “just needs a new SIM” to spring back to life.
A basic IMEI check usually confirms blacklist status alone. Paid services such as CheckMEND go further, cross referencing outstanding finance and insurance claims too, which matters more when you’re buying from a private seller rather than a shop with its own returns policy.
The same rules apply whether the handset takes a physical SIM or runs on eSIM only. An IMEI check looks at the device itself, not whatever SIM or eSIM profile happens to be loaded on it, so a newer eSIM only iPhone or Pixel needs exactly the same check as an older model with a SIM tray.
IMEI Check Options at a Glance
| Check type | Typical cost | Shows blacklist status | Shows finance or insurance history |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network’s own check (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three) | Free | Yes | No |
| Basic online IMEI checker | Free or a couple of pounds | Yes | Sometimes |
| Paid history check (e.g. CheckMEND) | Small one off fee | Yes | Yes |
Buying Refurbished or Used for Back to School?
Refurbished phones can be a genuinely sensible way to sort a teenager out for September without paying flagship prices, and we’ve covered whether refurbished phones are worth it in more detail elsewhere. The saving only counts, though, if the phone actually works when you get it home.
Reputable refurbishers run their own IMEI check before anything goes on sale, and most back it up with a warranty. Buying from a mate, a classifieds app or a car boot sale is where the risk climbs, because nobody’s checked anything for you. If it’s your child’s first handset, our guide to choosing a child’s first phone covers the wider budget too.
Marketplace listings move fast in late August, and that’s exactly when corners get cut. A seller in a hurry to clear stock before term starts isn’t necessarily dodgy, but a five minute IMEI check costs you nothing next to the price of the phone itself. Treat it as routine, the same way you’d check a second hand car’s mileage before handing over a deposit.
What Should You Do If a Phone Fails the Check?
Walk away. A blocked or blacklisted result means the phone won’t reliably connect to a UK network, whatever the seller promises you. No discount makes that a good deal, and no amount of haggling fixes an IMEI check that’s come back red.
Already bought one that failed? Contact the seller first and ask for a refund. If that goes nowhere, Citizens Advice has a clear walkthrough for reporting a lost or stolen device, and Action Fraud is the right place for anything that looks like a scam.
Roo’s take: a phone that fails its IMEI check isn’t a bargain. It’s a very expensive paperweight with a nice screen.
Buying a new SIM to go with a phone that’s actually yours to use? Once your IMEI check comes back clean, it’s worth checking you’re not overpaying on the plan too. If you’re weighing up cover for the handset itself, our guide to phone insurance is a sensible next stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is an IMEI check free?
- Basic checks through your network or a checker site are usually free. Detailed reports covering finance and insurance history are typically a small paid add on.
- Can a blacklisted phone be unblocked?
- Only if the original report was made in error, and only the network that blacklisted it can reverse that. Any service promising to remove a genuine blacklist entry for a fee is one to avoid.
- Does an IMEI check work on eSIM only phones?
- Yes. The IMEI identifies the handset itself rather than the SIM, so it works the same way whether the phone takes a physical SIM or an eSIM.
- Do refurbished phones from big retailers need an IMEI check?
- It’s still worth doing, but reputable refurbishers already check stock before listing it and back it with a warranty, which lowers the risk considerably.
- What if the seller won’t share the IMEI before I buy?
- Treat that as a warning sign. A genuine seller has nothing to lose by sharing it, and you can always ask them to dial *#06# on a video call.
