It totally sucks to buy a used iPhone in order to save as much money as you can and end up with a blacklisted iPhone.
So let’s see how someone can unlock/unblacklist an iPhone and what to watch out before getting any service.
Updated on 05/07/2019
How iPhones get blacklisted
Back in the distant 2003, Australia decided that something had to be done to tackle the growing cell phone theft.
This is how the first Blacklist was created so if the original owner reported a phone was stolen on a mobile network, it could no longer be used in Australia.
Europe, Canada, the United States, and soon all the other countries not only followed this tactic but further developed it.
Today every iPhone (and Android phone) has a unique IMEI number that contains all device information.
But once an iPhone:
- is reported as stolen or lost to a Carrier by the original owner
- Is flagged as replaced by warranty or illegal hardware replacement
- Is involved in fraud or other illegal activities
the IMEI of this device becomes “bad” and enters a blacklist.
Each country has its own blacklist IMEI database and some of them even share them. A typical example of this is the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Puerto Rico.
This means that you cannot use this Bad IMEI iPhone inside the country that has been blacklisted with any mobile network unless it is cleaned (As long as the iPhone is not Blacklisted is considered to be CLEAN) The same applies to any other country if it shares this blacklist.
Thus, Blacklist databases prevent the use of any device whose IMEI is contained in them.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop the thief from selling a blacklisted iPhone to an unsuspecting buyer.
The problem gets even bigger when you think that most of us use online markets for our purchases (although there is a way to check any iPhone remotely)
So if there is no signal from the first time that you activated the used iPhone you bought or the issue came up a few days after the purchase, then this is a good indication that your iPhone has no clean IMEI.
One way to identify if an iPhone is blacklisted: No Service
But instead of rushing into a desperate and reckless decision, let’s look at the best ways to identify the problem and of course unlock or even unblacklist a blacklisted iPhone.
How to identify how your iPhone got blacklisted
It is extremely important to check any used device before you buy it and in the case of an iPhone, an IMEI Check service would have prevented you from this problematic purchase.
Of course, I presume you already have a blacklisted iPhone in your possession, but even now an IMEI Blacklist Check is vital before proceeding with the Unlock or Blacklist Removal.
An IMEI Blacklist Checker will confirm:
- If your iPhone has a CLEAN IMEI or not
- Which network blacklisted the iPhone
- For what reason
- Within which country
This information is necessary to successfully unlock/unblacklist a blacklisted iPhone, since the options shown below apply only to specific mobile networks for specific blacklist reasons.
How to fix a Blacklisted iPhone
At last, we are ready to fix a blacklisted iPhone, however, there are 2 different ways to deal with it. The one you will choose depends entirely on your situation. (as described by the IMEI Check Report)
How to unblock/unlock your Blacklisted iPhone
As I explained to you, a Blacklisted iPhone cannot be used in the country where the IMEI was turned bad.
This means that if we remove the SIM lock from a blacklisted iPhone then we can use it in all the rest without any problems.
This service is called Premium IMEI Unlock (otherwise known as Premium Factory Unlock) and is the ideal choice for someone who bought a blacklisted iPhone but lives in a different country than the one that creates the issue.
But you should be very careful since this service is only available for specific networks.
How to unblacklist a iPhone for free
Officially, an iPhone will be removed from the blacklist only in the case where the cause of Blacklisting is canceled. In almost all cases, the original owner is the only one who has this ability.
Also, this is the only way to unblacklist an iPhone free of charge
Unofficially, iPhone blacklist removal is possible with third-party services, but only for a handful of mobile networks.
However, you should be careful if the phone is also SIM locked in a network because that means it will be the only one you can use after a successful iPhone Unblacklist service.
Of course, it is extremely easier (and cheaper) to unlock a clean iPhone.
What to do when your iPhone does not have a CLEAN IMEI
As you have already understood, there is no simple solution for a Blacklisted iPhone.
Only the right combination of information can lead to the desired results.
You will have to know at all costs
- Which network has blacklisted the iPhone and why
- In which country
- If this country shares its blacklist with its neighbors
- If the iPhone is also simlocked or not
- If you need Blacklist Removal or SIM Unlock or maybe both
- If appropriate services are available
The only way to find out all the above instantly and essentially if there is a way to unlock/unblacklist a blacklisted iPhone is an iPhone Unlock Check.
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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