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catgirlishere t1_j4r1ux1 wrote

Reply to comment by meruxiao in iphone 13 got stolen does an imei black list work? by meruxiao

As I said, previously, rogue employees at AT&T and other cellular providers, go into the database and remove the stolen flag, as well as any equipment installment plans. Using the services is funding organized crime. However, this is why you should purchase AppleCare or similar so your stolen device can be replaced without paying another thousand dollars.

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meruxiao OP t1_j4xutub wrote

Ok but does the imei get swapped or does it just get marked stolen again

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catgirlishere t1_j4xv2y7 wrote

The IMEI does not get changed. The carrier removes the stolen flag from from the cross-carrier database.

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meruxiao OP t1_j4xv9sk wrote

Ok so I could just request a relook then right

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catgirlishere t1_j4xvkp9 wrote

You can request it but there are no guarantees it’ll go through. Often it gets removed from your account and EIPs removed. You could try to mark it as stolen again, but it will just get unlocked again. The device is lost, this is why insurance exists, file a claim and buy a new device.

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meruxiao OP t1_j4xvymp wrote

It expired 2 weeks ago. The insurance was like 20 dollars a month

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catgirlishere t1_j4y07jz wrote

Sorry to hear that. I wish there was more I could do to help. Complaining on Reddit won’t change the reality of smart device theft. You’re in general shit out of luck. Next step if you haven’t already is purchasing a new phone. You’re not “punishing anyone” by locking the phone as in a worst case the screen and other parts can be sold second hand to small repair shops.

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