*NEW* Cell phone security - anti-theft measures announced:

[Acura604]

CWTA and its partners launch GSM blacklist for stolen cellphones
protectyourdataNews

September 30, 2013 1:14 pm EDTDaniel Bader36

Thieves may be less inclined to swipe smartphones from Canadians’ pockets after today. The CWTA and its carrier partners, including Rogers, Bell, TELUS, EastLink, Videotron, SaskTel, and MTS, have launched a national cellphone blacklist to ensure lost or stolen devices are not used without authorization. The announcement is part of an overarching push to educate customers on smartphone security best practices, titled Protect Your Data.

In partnership with the GSMA, any device activated on a participating network provider in Canada will be subject to an IMEI verification process. The IMEI is a unique numerical identifier contained in all phones, used for things like SIM unlocking and network security.

Starting today, any device that has been reported as lost or stolen will no longer activate on any participating carrier. The CWTA has set up an online form where users can check the “cleanliness” of any used handset before purchasing, something that will positively affect the local secondhand smartphone market.

To find the IMEI number of a phone, open the dialler and enter *#06#. This works on BlackBerry, Android, iOS and Windows Phone and should work on most feature phones, as well.

Customers have the ability to register a handset they purchased from WIND as either lost or stolen. Devices that have been flagged as lost or stolen will be denied service on any network in Canada as well as many international networks.

The Lost & Stolen Handset Registry is a free service for Canadians, and is intended to reduce the black market for stolen handsets.
WIND’s Customer Care teams are able to assist customers in registering their handset as either lost or stolen. Once a device has been registered, it is considered “Blacklisted” and will be denied service on any network in North America regardless of the SIM Card or phone number being used. If a customer finds their device, they can have it “whitelisted” in order for the device to receive service once again.
Every carrier in North America is able to add devices they have sold to the Blacklist, and every carrier will deny service for any device registered on the Blacklist.

WIND POLICY ON ABOVE:

 WIND is only able to blacklist or whitelist devices that were sold by WIND.
 Any devices that have been blacklisted, from any carrier, will not function on the WIND network.
 For devices purchased on WINDtab, only the account holder can register/deregister their device as lost or stolen.
 For all other device purchases, a customer must be able to provide proof or purchase in order to register/deregister their device as lost or stolen.
 WIND Specialists are not to provide details about the status of a device to a customer; all conversations about a device’s status in the Lost and Stolen Handset Registry must be between Customer Care and the customer.

[nma]

so what happens when you buy a phone off craigslist and then denied service, even though you have no idea it was stolen? SOL i guess.

[StylinRed]

cant thieves just change the IMEI #? i remember this was possible at least back in the early 2000s even though its deemed illegal (but so is stealing)

[jeedee]

Originally Posted by nma

so what happens when you buy a phone off craigslist and then denied service, even though you have no idea it was stolen? SOL i guess.

This

Or if you buy the phone and all is well.

And scumbag seller goes home and registers the IMEI and you get the blacklisted phone...

GG

[wingies]

This will never work. Just a small thing for ppl to feel more at ease when they get their phone stolen instead of bitching.

[Neva]

Originally Posted by nma

so what happens when you buy a phone off craigslist and then denied service, even though you have no idea it was stolen? SOL i guess.

Working at Koodo I see people come in and meet the seller at our shop and we check the IMEI in store. If it's clean seller gets the cash and I get the activation. Not really that big of a deal. I'm sure you can find a rep that would do the same.