What Can Someone Do With My IMEI Number if he has it?
I have some questions regarding IMEI numbers and data and identity theft. While searching online I have found many conflicting answers regarding this topic and would like some clarification if possible.
Hypothetically, an enemy of mine gets a hold of the IMEI number and only the IMEI number of my smartphone. Can he steal or view my data with it?
As far as I know, with an IMEI number, you can report a phone stolen and it will get blocked. Or you can clone the IMEI on another device. What are the implications and consequences if someone clones my IMEI on another device other than the risk of getting the IMEI blocked? What Can Someone Do With My IMEI Number if he has it?
I have also read that if a person has your IMEI number they can easily hack into your WhatsApp account, if they also have your phone number, since the IMEI is viewed as the password for WhatsApp. This makes me little paranoid.
My biggest concern is not that my phone would get blocked, it is that someone that has my IMEI number can view my personal data on my smartphone.
Emails, pictures, texts, social media, eavesdropping etc... Can someone do that with just the IMEI number? And if so, why is this number so easily obtainable by anyone?
You can find it on the box of the smartphone and numerous other ways to obtain it on the phone. Including some apps that make use of it.
I also see people posting their IMEI on forums sending it somewhere in messages. How safe is that?
IMHO the IMEI is a device identifier (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity). You can retrieve it from any device by dialling *#06#. So technically it´s not a real secret, and anyone borrowing your phone for a short moment can crack it of it. The IMEI is bound to the device, not your phone number or account. It could be used to track stolen phones, and to lock them out from networks (done in a few countries, but not across borders or carriers normally, they could not agree on a global DB). However, some phones apparently allow changing the IMEI, which is of course a bad idea (why hardware vendors allow such things BTW, is it too hard to burn in a number of bytes and then make them read-only?) and people could overwrite it easily.
If WhatsApp would use the IMEI for personal identity I could not change my phone anymore, if my old one breaks. The entire idea of GSM was and is that you are not bound to the phone, rather you are just bound to the SIM card, and SIM is what required to be protected. The SIM is your key to your telephone number, that´s the reason why you got a PIN code and why it locks you out after 3 failed attempts...
I don´t believe there is any identity theft possible by knowing telephone number and IMEI. You need to protect your SIM card, somehow hack it and retrieve the IMSI. This is what identifies you against the mobile provider. Read this: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-ICCID-IMSI-and-IMEI-numbers Even your telephone number does not need to be stored on the SIM. For example, my private datacard-only SIM displays an invalid phone number when asked, but on my invoice I can see a real one, which even accepts SMS. What Can Someone Do With My IMEI Number?
There is some information that it holds. The primary reason that IMEI numbers are important is their ability to help track down and secure lost or stolen phones. With every connection your phone makes, your IMEI number is shared with the provider. This serves a few vital purposes. Firstly, it helps locate the phone and guide it to the local connections so that you connect to a nearby tower. This provides a secondary benefit that in the event of a lost or stolen phone, it’s easy to locate where the last connection was. This is often used to locate missing people and understand the calls that were made from their devices to track their movements.
Finally, if the location isn’t enough to find your lost phone, every IMEI number in the UK is connected to a nationwide database that allows providers to see if it has been marked as lost or stolen. When you report your phone, it will then be blacklisted so that if it’s brought to be unlocked or sold, it will be flagged. Mobicode base their extensive MobiCHECK device checkup on an IMEI lookup that allows us to then apply this information to a wide range of datasets for a fully comprehensive analysis of a phone’s history.
Answer (1)
If someone obtains your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, they could potentially perform several actions, including:
Device Tracking: With the IMEI number, someone might attempt to track the location of your device. While it's not possible to track a device solely by its IMEI number in most cases, some authorities and mobile carriers can use it to track stolen devices.
Blacklisting: In some cases, malicious individuals might attempt to report your device as stolen to your mobile carrier. This could result in your device being blacklisted, preventing it from connecting to cellular networks.
Identity Theft: Although less common, there's a risk that someone could attempt to use your IMEI number for identity theft purposes. They might try to impersonate you or gain unauthorized access to your accounts and services.
Cloning: While more difficult due to advancements in mobile technology and security measures, cloning a device using its IMEI number was once a concern. Cloning allows someone to create a duplicate of your device, potentially enabling them to make calls or access services using your identity.
It's important to keep your IMEI number private and only share it with trusted parties when necessary. If you suspect that your IMEI number has been compromised or your device has been stolen, you should report it to your mobile carrier and local authorities immediately. Additionally, consider enabling security features such as device encryption and remote locking to protect your personal data in case of theft or loss.