If you have a blacklisted iPhone, you will need to unblacklist your iPhone first in order to use it without any problems. In this article, you will learn how to unblock a blacklisted iPhone.
How iPhones get blacklisted
Back in 2003, Australia decided that something should be done about cell phone thieves. The first Blacklist was created so if someone reported that his mobile was stolen to a Wireless Network, that mobile could not be used any longer.
Since then, everything changed for the better so let me tell you how Blacklist works.
Every iPhone has a unique IMEI number which contains all the info about the device. As long as the iPhone is not Blacklisted we say that it has a CLEAN IMEI number,
As soon as an iPhone:
- is reported as stolen or lost to a Carrier by the original owner
- is flagged as replaced due to an insurance claim or hardware replacement
- is marked as Fraud due to illegal activities
- is linked with unpaid contract bills
the IMEI of this device is entering a national Blacklist and the iPhone becomes Blacklisted.
Every country has its own IMEI Blacklist and some of them even share them together. A good example is the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Puerto Rico which all of them go in with the same Blacklist database.
This means that you will not be able to use this Bad IMEI iPhone inside the country it was blacklisted and use your mobile network or change to any other carrier. The same applies to any other country which shares this Blacklist.
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Most people who buy a blacklisted iPhone don’t even know that the iPhone is blacklisted because it’s a hidden issue. How would you know if a device is blacklisted when you buy it on eBay, Craigslist or on other online marketplaces?
A typical case that happens buying an iPhone from a stranger in the street is out of the question. The vast majority is not only blacklisted but also iCloud Locked.
If it doesn’t get any signal from networks the minute you have turned it on or a couple of days after you have purchased the device, then this is a good indication that your iPhone has an issue (either a SIM-Lock or a Blacklist).
The main problem is that right now you can’t use the iPhone you bought but do not rush into a desperate and reckless decision. Let’s look into the matter more closely and find out the best ways to identify and unlock or even unblacklist a blacklisted iPhone.
One way to identify if an iPhone is blacklisted: No Service
How to identify how your iPhone got blacklisted
If you didn’t check a used iPhone before buying, then there is a very good chance that you bought a blacklisted iPhone. For example, a lot of blacklisted AT&T iPhones are sold on online marketplaces, so checking them before purchasing them is essential.
Of course, I assume that you already have a blacklisted iPhone but even now IMEI Blacklist Check is crucial before proceeding with unlocking or Blacklist Removal.
So, the IMEI Blacklist Check will verify:
- If your iPhone has a CLEAN IMEI or not (maybe it’s not blacklisted)
- Which carrier blacklisted the iPhone
- Why this iPhone was blacklisted
- Inside which national Blacklist Database (to put it simpler, in which county)
Without the IMEI info of an iPhone Checker, it will be impossible to unlock a blacklisted iPhone successfully, after all, because the options you will see below are only applicable to specific mobile networks for definite blacklist reasons.
How to fix a Blacklisted iPhone
At last, we are ready to unlock a blacklisted iPhone since we have all the necessary info thanks to the IMEI Blacklist Check. There are 2 different ways to deal with a Blacklisted iPhone and you might need both of them depending on your situation.
How to unblacklist / unblock your iPhone
You can SIM-Free a blacklisted iPhone only with a Premium Factory Unlock (otherwise known as Premium IMEI Unlock) but you will only be able to use it outside the country where it was initially blocked. This is happening because your iPhone remains Blacklisted.
So, you really need to learn in which network your iPhone is Locked and Blocked, and then select an available solution for your device.
For example, if you are the owner of a blacklisted iPhone locked to AT&T, Vodafone, KT Freetel SK, Netcom, and Movistar, you can get a Premium IMEI Unlock that will remove the SIM-Lock from your device.
This service will remove the Network Lock of your device.
How to unblacklist a iPhone for free
Officially, an iPhone will be removed from the Blacklist only if the reason it was blacklisted no longer applies. In almost all cases, only the original owner can do that.
Unofficially, iPhone Blacklist Removal is possible but only for 2 USA Mobile Networks.
- T-Mobile Unblacklist for LOST/STOLEN/FRAUD devices
- Verizon IMEI Blacklist Removal (all devices)
So, if you live in the USA and your iDevice is Blocked by T-Mobile or Verizon, then you will be able to use it again inside the USA thanks to iPhone Blacklist Removal Services.
The Unblacklist service removes the Blacklisted status (basically cleans the IMEI number of your iPhone)
What to do when your iPhone does not have a CLEAN IMEI
Summary on how to unblock a blacklisted iPhone:
- IMEI Blacklist Check is decisive before buying a used mobile or trying to unlock a Blacklisted iPhone
- You can IMEI Unlock a Blacklisted iPhone but you won't be able to use it inside the country it was blocked unless you remove the Blacklist Status
- iPhone Blacklist Removal is possible only with original owner's help or when you are dealing with a Verizon or T-Mobile Blacklisted iPhone
For example, if you have a blacklisted iPhone by AT&T and it is factory unlocked but you are based in the United States, resell your device. There are a lot of people out there who are willing to purchase it because foreign customers can use the blacklisted AT&T iPhone in their own countries because it is blocked only inside the States. The best thing to do is to tell the buyer the truth about your phone (of course, he can find out the truth with an IMEI Blacklist Check).
On the other hand, you can keep this Blacklisted iPhone and use it with local SIM Cards when you travel abroad, avoiding roaming fees.
Finally, avoid any Free Blacklist Checker, Free Blacklisted iPhone Unlock Service or any kind of IMEI Blacklist Removal besides the 2 US Networks mentioned because you will be scammed 100%.
Leave a comment below if you have questions or you need our help.
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59 comments
I have a LOST/STOLEN blacklisted iPhone 6, bought on E-bay, locked to T-Mobile USA.
I´m in Brazil. If I insert a CLARO or VIVO SIM it does read it but does not make calls or send SMS, neither 3G/4G.
I´m using it in Wifi for games and Apps.
Can this be unblacklisted so I can make calls on CLARO or VIVO?
Hello,
My suggestion is to first remove the Blacklist status from your T-Mobile USA iPhone and then try requesting a Lock removal from T-Mobile USA network.
If your iPhone is Network Unlocked, then you can use it with any network you want OUTSIDE from the country that it is Blacklisted. If you Unblacklist it, you will be able to use it with any network you want WORLDWIDE. You can check a solution to the following link: Unbar/Unblacklist Services