HOW TO CHECK ONLINE IF A CELL PHONE IS STOLEN?

The idea is to be able to control the IMEI of a device in real time using a web tool.

Cell phone theft in Argentina is a significant problem, with an average of 6,500 units stolen daily. The country is among those that register the highest number of daily robberies in the region, surpassing countries such as Colombia, which does not reach 3,000, and Brazil, which registers around 2,500.

In response to this problem, the telephone companies Movistar, Personal and Claro have signed a work agreement in collaboration with ENACOM (National Communications Agency) and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

This agreement consists of a web tool, available on the site. ENACOM website, which allows users to verify if the IMEI number of a cell phone is registered as stolen in any of the databases of the three service providers.

How do you know if your cell phone is stolen?

To verify if a cell phone is stolen, you must access the following link: http://www.enacom.gob.ar/imei. It is necessary to have the IMEI number of the device.

How does it work?

Internationally, the GSMA is the only association that registers complaints of stolen or compromised equipment in order to alert companies and official entities about the condition of these devices. Since 2013, Argentine operators have informed this entity every time they receive a theft report. However, there was no accessible regional method for users themselves to make these queries.

Once the ENACOM tool is available, users will be able to register and verify any IMEI number before purchasing a device, or if they need to verify its origin for any reason. If a device appears in the so-called "negative band" (that is, it has been reported stolen), telephone companies can deny service to the device and it will not be able to make phone calls.

Involvement of Apple and Google

For some time now, companies such as Apple and Google have implemented protection measures integrated into the operating systems of their devices so that they are unusable in the event of theft. In the case of Apple, this feature is called Activation Lock and is available from iOS 7 onwards. If an iPhone is stolen, even if the system is reinstalled, the original owner's credentials will be requested. This measure has reduced the interest in stealing these devices in California, United States by 60%.

For its part, Google's Android operating system has had similar protection since version 5.0 Lollipop. Those with older versions can use existing third-party applications that offer similar functionality.