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In this post, I am going to share how you can unblacklist or unlock a blacklisted iPhone or iPad (With SIM support). We will go through the whole process, from realizing the issue completely to finally solving it.
What exactly is a Blacklisted iPhone
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.
How did you end up with a Blacklisted iPhone
Let’s be honest here, most people who have a blacklisted iPhone don’t even know that their iPhone doesn’t have a CLEAN IMEI. How would you know if a device is blacklisted when you buy it on eBay, Craigslist or on other online marketplaces?
Of course, 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.
Always start with an IMEI Blacklist Check
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.
Blacklisted iPhone IMEI Unlock
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.
If you do not want to use this iPhone inside the country that it is blacklisted, then you only need to remove the SIM Lock. This can be done with a Premium iPhone IMEI Unlock service.
This service will remove the Network Lock of your device.
But happens when you want to operate the blacklisted iPhone inside the country it was blocked?
iPhone Blacklist Removal
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
So, what we've learned today:
- 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. Until next time, take care Blacklisted iPhone Unlockers.
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
Hi, I have a new iPhone 8+. I bought from someone as second handed but still unopened.
I factory unlocked it and it was working very good until 1 week after that I had no signal.
I checked my iPhone and it’s in blacklist
I am living in the UK.
Can I use this iPhone in a different country or I need to unblacklist it first?
Hi. I have an iPhone 6s+
I bought second handed but the iPhone is blacklisted.
How can I open the iPhone Lock?
Please advise.
I am in Madagascar.
Is there any possibility to unblacklist online.
Please send link…
Hi. I paid 100 USD to iPhoneIMEI to unlock my blacklisted iPhone 6 and they claimed my iPhone was unlocked.
Only the last month I learned (when I went to India and tried Airtel SIM) that it is still locked.
iPhoneIMEI is claiming the unlock didn’t work because the iPhone was blacklisted.
I lost 100 bucks and have a voucher. Can I trust your service? I understand now that there are so many scammers out there to grab your money. Please advise.
Hi, I bought an iPhone 7plus At&t from eBay.
The iPhone is blacklisted.
Is there any chance to unblacklist that iPhone?
I have a T-Mobile iPhone 6 that is blacklisted. How can I remove the Blacklist.
I used the iPhone for a while and then it just stopped working
I have purchased a used iPhone 7 plus in India and it is in the blacklist of united states and the iCloud is locked.
Is it possible to remove the iPhone from blacklist and use it with an Indian network without any problems?
Let me know so that I go for iPhone unlocking in that respected site and how much does it cost and how many days it takes to unlock?
iPhone 7 Plus Product Version: 10.3.3. Locked. Thank You.
I have an iPhone 7 which is locked by iCloud and obviously is blacklisted. Is there a possibility to unlock the blacklisted/iCloud Locked iPhone?
Thank You
Hi, I got an iPhone 7 from my friend who was in Australia with Vodafone Australia.
He sold it to me really cheap in India but now it’s not working.
His iPhone 7 was an insurance claim so he got a new iPhone 7 but it’s not working with me in India.
How can this be fixed?
I really don’t know much about what happened to my iPhone and I am willing to pay anything to get this iPhone to work.
Hi, I bought an iPhone 7 from someone online. I used it for a couple of days then the individual I bought it from called saying he lost it. Now it says no service cause the carrier blacklisted it as a lost iPhone.
I’m only using it for music and social media.
Is there any way to unblock it so I can use this iPhone in Europe?
The carrier is Rogers it is blacklisted in Canada.
Hi.
I got an iPhone 6 that I purchased about 3 months ago and it started beeping when I tried making calls but it got a signal and I can use 3G on it for internet access.
I have done some checks and found out it was blacklisted by t-mobile UK so, I went onto an eBay blacklisted remover and after a few weeks it happened to put my virgin SIM card in and it rang so I also tried to call out and it was spot on.
It worked for about a week but then stopped working again and I wrote back to the eBay seller who said they would look into it as it’s been removed from the blacklist and a couple months later still nothing.
So, I said I would rather have my refund which they gave me but can you let me know if I can still get this iPhone 6 working and where did I go wrong as I thought that I shouldn’t go back to the same network which blacklisted it.
T-mobile, Virgin, and EE are one and the same here in the UK but the eBayer who removed the blacklist said I could use whatever Wireless Network I want and it wouldn’t get blacklisted again.
So, my question is this:
Can I still get this iPhone 6 I’m using now as an iPod (as it won’t ring in or out but does have a signal and can FaceTime over wifi) unblacklisted or unbarred for the UK?
cheers
Can I use a blacklisted iphone 5s in the philippines outside phililppines?
I’ve got an iPhone 7 from Vodafone Netherlands. Is there any way, if it gets blocked by the provider to unblock it?
My brother in India got an iPhone from our relative who lives in the US.
That relative had an iPhone 6s and he also had an insurance and bought from AT&T.
The person sold the iPhone very cheap to my brother and then made an insurance claim as lost.
My brother unlocked the iPhone through a mobile shop and is using that phone now in India.
If he sends that iPhone to me back in the US can I use that phone without any complication?
They might track the iPhone since it was blocked here before.
Hi, I bought an iPhone 5s in the USA.
I’m from Canada. I bought a straight talk iPhone and they told me it was unlocked.
The phone was working fine until it just won’t let me in. It says SIM not supported.
I called Total Wireless and apparently, the iPhone is not activated and it will not work in Canada because their plans don’t do roaming.
The contract is supposed to be for 12 months and the carrier has blocked unlocking.
Am I still able to unlock it with this iPhone Unlock program?
Please help me.
Thanks
I have an iPhone 6s that is blacklisted in the US and I live in Greece. Can I use it safely with my sim without any problems?
Hi, I have an iPhone 5s and it is carrier locked to AT&T and it is also blacklisted.
If I network unlock the carrier then will I be able to use the iPhone in Europe with any sim?
Hi, Jose!
A Premium IMEI Unlock Service will SIM Unlock your blacklisted AT&T iPhone and as long as your iPhone was not blacklisted in Europe, you will have no problems in using your iPhone in Europe and everywhere else in the world (except the country it was blacklisted and maybe a few more neighboring countries)
Take care Jose!
I have a blacklisted AT&T iPhone 6 Plus which is blacklisted/Lost. I’m currently not in the USA but I want to get it unlocked to use it overseas. How can I do that? What services can provide fast and secure iPhone unlocking for me?
Hi, Kisma!
A Premium IMEI Unlock Service from iPhoneUnlock.Zone will SIM Unlock your iPhone without issues!
The iPhone will remain blacklisted at the USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico after the unlock due to the blacklisted/LOST state!
If you are not planning on living or visiting these countries, you will have no problems!
Take care Kisma!
Hello, I have iPhone 6s locked to T-mobile USA. I tried many unlocking services and all of them came back saying that they could not unlock my iPhone. The money also was refunded. I am currently in India. I want my iPhone to work in India with the local carriers. What can I do? Please help me.
Hi, Gaurang!
We made an extensive research about T-Mobile USA (you can see it on our Carrier Unlock Comparison Pages)
Anyway, if you manage to SIM Unlock your Blacklisted iPhone, it will be 100% usable and since you live in India, you will have no problems in using it in your country!
You can also read this T-Mobile USA Blacklisted iPhone Unlock article for more info.
Take care Gaurang! Your iPhone will be unlocked, at last!
Hello,
someone sold me an iPhone 6s+ and later I checked and the phone was blacklisted in the USA by Sprint due to unpaid bills. I did the background check for the premium IMEI unlock service and it says that you can use any sim card with it, but it also mentions that any blacklisted phone will not work in the country it is blacklisted in, so does that mean that even if I get it unlocked I won’t be able to use it with another carrier’s sim card here in the us?
Hi, Leslie!
Since your iPhone is Blacklisted for pending contract bills, you can SIM Unlock it inside the USA and worldwide, with all GSM Mobile Networks but you won’t be able to use Sprint ever again unless the pending contract bills are paid!
Take care Leslie!
I found an iPhone on a train. It is now disabled and globally blacklisted. How can I unlock this iCloud Locked and Blacklisted iPhone if I don’t know the wireless network provider?
C.Arokium
Hi, Chris.
You can find out which Carrier locked and blacklisted the iPhone and ALL other hidden issues it might have with an IMEI Check Service from UnlockSpector!
You will almost instantly get an IMEI Check Report containing everything you need to know in order to unlock the iPhone and more!
Keep in mind that the guys there will tell you if the iPhone can be unlocked and suggest you the best iPhone Unlocking services!
Take care Chris and come back to tell me how it went!
hello,
I have a blacklisted iPhone 6s in India which was blocked AT&T USA and I want to use it with Telus. How can I unlock the iPhone and remove it from USA’s blacklist?
Hi, Ram!
Is your iPhone blacklisted by AT&T or Telus?
You really need to figure out which Carrier blacklisted and locked your iPhone 6s!
Get an IMEI Check Service!
They will reveal everything about your iPhone and offer you the right IMEI Unlock Service!
Because the iPhone is blacklisted, you will need a Premium IMEI Unlock Service!
The good news is that since you live in India you will have no problems in using your iPhone in your country and all other countries in the world (except USA, Canada, Mexico & Puerto Rico)
I hope, I’ve helped!
Take care Ram and come back to tell me how it went!
hello,
I have a blacklisted iPhone 5s in India which was blocked by Telus in Canada. How can I unlock this iPhone and remove it from Canada’s blacklist?
You can SIM unlock your blacklisted iPhone 5s.
Your iPhone 5s, after the Network Unlock, will remain blacklisted in Canada (and maybe the USA, Mexico and Puerto Rico) but you will have no problems to use it in India and everywhere else in the world with any GSM Mobile network!
Unfortunately, there is no way to unblacklist an iPhone (unless the original owner report that he/she found it, pay his/her pending contract bills or authorities decide that the iPhone was not involved in illegal activities)
But again, in your case, you won’t have any problems using it!
I hope, I’ve helped! Come back to tell me how it went!
Take care Nav!
Hello. I bought a Verizon iPhone 7 plus. It was ok when I bought it but 2 days later while working with T-Mobile, just stopped working because the guy reported the iPhone as lost or stolen. It is already unlocked.
What can I do to use it with T-Mobile?
If I sell it, is it gonna work in other Countries?
Thanks
Hi, Carlos!
This is a common iPhone Scam!
The guy who sold you the iPhone will get a new one from his insurance plan and yours is now blacklisted inside the country you are living!
If you are living in the USA your iPhone is also blacklisted in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico!
The iPhone will remain blacklisted forever from now on unless the dude who scammed you, report that he found the iPhone and there aren’t services that can unblacklist a Verizon iPhone!
Verizon is not SIM locking the iPhones (as far as I know) so you are right!
Even if it was the only thing a Premium IMEI Unlock Service would do would be to SIM Unlock the iPhone!
Unfortunately, the only thing left for you to do is to sell this iPhone 7 Plus via an online market to a country it isn’t blacklisted (basically the whole world except USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico)
I’m so sorry you were scammed!
I hope, I’ve helped!
Take care!
Hi, I have an iPhone 7 which is blacklisted by att. Can someone help me in unlocking it and how much do you charge for it?
Hi, Muni!
Unlock.Ultrasnow.EU is not an iPhone Unlock provider but we help people to unlock their iPhone safe & 100% guaranteed or they money back!
iPhoneUnlock.Zone is the best iPhone Unlock provider I can think of. Try contacting them.
Take care and come back to tell me how it went!
Hi, I have an iPhone 5s and it is carrier locked by UK 02 Tesco and it is also blacklisted.
If I network unlock the carrier then will I able to use my iPhone in India with any sim?
Hi, Ajay!
Yeap… your iPhone 5s will be unlocked to any GSM Network worldwide and it will remain blacklisted only to the UK and maybe 1-2 more European countries!
So yes, your iPhone 5s will be fully unlocked to India and almost the whole world (except the UK) ;-)!
The best iPhone Unlock Service that works 100% guaranteed (or you get all your money back if it fails) is with iPhoneUnlock.Zone
Check them out!
I hope, I’ve helped!
Take care!
Hi,
I have a blacklisted iPhone 5s to 3 network Ireland. Is it possible to unlock to any Irish network or should I just throw it away?
Hello, Michelle!
Don’t lose all hope.
The best way to be sure about your iPhone is an iPhone IMEI Check Service!
They will not only tell you everything about your iPhone (you already know that it blacklisted by 3 Network Ireland but maybe there is more to it)
But they will also suggest how to unlock your iPhone.
You will only need the iPhone’s IMEI number (find the iPhone’s IMEI number)
The good news is that if they don’t manage to find an unlocking solution for your problem or your iPhone can’t be unlocked, you will get All your money back, even those spent for the IMEI Check Service (I think the IMEI Check costs around 9 to 10 US dollars)
I really believe that your iPhone can be unlocked but because it is blacklisted you might not be able to use it in Ireland but this doesn’t mean you have to throw it away!
You can always sell it on online stores like eBay, Amazon or Craigslist because your iPhone will not be blacklisted to a foreign country and iPhone 5s is the second most popular iPhone model + unlocked second-hand iPhones are sold $100 to $200 more expensive than the locked ones
Feel free to ask me anything else and also to tell me how your blacklisted iPhone 5s Unlocking went!
Take care!
Hey, help me out.
I bought an iPhone 6 through third party and it was an unlocked phone from UK o2. Or so, I thought…
I generated my iPhone id on this phone but I was unable to unlock icloud on this phone.
But I am also not able to use my sim card.
What is the solution? I missed that guy’s phone number, so how can I find the iPhone’s owner?
Hi!
The only way to bypass the iCloud Lock is to find the original owner and as I see you know that!
If you can’t find his phone number or email all you need is reading this updated iCloud Unlock Guide 2018
iPhone 6+ locked to iCloud of the previous owner.
Blacklisted, reported as stolen/lost
I am scammed twice now… 1st is when I bought the iPhone… 2nd is paying online to unlock it on iCloud and they said it’s blacklisted so my money was gone… Can this iCloud Locked iPhone get repaired??? if yes, can we do a deal? Since I’m afraid to get scammed again, I would like the Activation Lock Repair 1st and pay later. I will submit all my info and ID or everything you’ll ask for… I’m no scammer… I’m a victim of a scammer… So please help me 🙁
I am sorry to hear that Janice and sorry for the time waited for a reply.
A blacklisted iPhone can be unlockable with a proven Unlock services provider like iPhoneUnlock.Zone
For the ”iCloud Locked” part you need to read these Free iCloud Unlock Tips.
No matter what you do (and I wish you good luck) I can tell you this in order not to get scammed again:
Always do an IMEI Check for iPhone’s overall Lock status & hidden issues BEFORE you buy it & BEFORE you go for an unlock service!
This is the only way to do it right!
Tell me how it went. (this time I will answer you ASAP)
Hi,
Will you be able to unlock a Vodafone NZ blacklisted iPhone 5S?
I have a blacklisted iPhone 6s, locked under AT&T USA. The IMEI is 35325**********
Hi Cierra, I’ve come across your inquiry regarding blacklisted iPhone 6s in the UltraSnow website.
I found out that your iPhone has been cleared and clean of blacklisting.
Would you be kind enough to share how you did you unblacklist your iPhone?
I bought an iPhone on eBay and it was working fine, but after a couple of weeks, it went blacklisted. C
Can you please share how you did your blacklist Staus cleaned?
Thank you very much in advance.
Hi there, can my iPhone 6s+ be unlocked?
It was working fine when I bought it but was blacklisted 3 weeks later.
Because it is on contract and the used iPhone seller is refusing to give my money back.
Do I have any iPhone Unlock options?
I bought an iPhone 5s online. I tried an icloud unlock as soon as I got it but I was told it’s on Apple’s icloud stolen list.
But the iPhone is also locked to sprint USA. Is there a way I can unlock it?
Hey Khorby,
First, you need to remove the iCloud Lock from your device. The only way to remove an iCloud Lock from an iPhone is FMI Removal Guide.
After removing the iCloud Lock from your device, then you can proceed with a Premium Sprint USA iPhone unlock service
Hypothetically speaking, what can I be recommended to do after I pay for an Icloud and blacklist unlock?
Hi Tecksmith.
For the time being, there is not a service that can remove the iCloud Lock from a blacklisted device. In such cases, only the original owner or Apple can remove the iCloud Lock and the blacklist status of that iPhone. If you do not know how to contact the original owner, I suggest reading this iCloud Unlocking through Apple Guide.
Hi, my iPhone 5s is locked and also blacklisted. I want to get it unlocked and also clean it so please tell me how I can do it. its carrier is Vodafone UK and the imei is 358686*********
Hey Anees,
Your iPhone can be unlocked, even if it is blacklisted. After the unlock, the blacklist status will not get removed. The best option for you, will be to contact the original owner and ask him to remove the blacklist status of that device.
I have a blocked/blacklisted iPhone 5s locked to T-Mobile USA. I tried many unlocking services online and all of them came back saying that they could not unlock my iPhone. The money also was refunded. I am currently in India. I won’t be going to the USA anytime soon. However, I want my iPhone to work in India with the local carriers. What do I do? I currently use the iPhone 5s to play games and listen to music. I spoke to T-Mobile tech support regarding this and they were like the phone needs to be in the USA to unlock. This is not going to happen. Is there a way that from here in India I can unlock my iPhone that is Blocked/blacklisted to the USA network? Also, it is running iOS 7.1.3 and it is jailbroken. What can I do now? Will you be able to help with this problem?
Hey Arjum,
What do you mean that it needs the iPhone to be inside USA to get unlocked? Is this iPhone activated with T-Mobile USA Network? If it is activated then it can be also unlocked. Go to the following link and pick T-Mobile USA Network and “Yes, it is blacklisted”. You will see the Premium T-Mobile USA iPhone Unlock service, which can unlock your iPhone so you can use it inside India.
Hi, l have an iPhone blacklisted to Vodafone UK. Can I unlock it because l wanna use it in Italy.
Hi, Paco and have a happy new year!
As far as I know blacklisted UK iPhones remain blacklisted after SIM Unlocking only inside the UK so, you will have no problem in using your iPhone inside Italy or any other place in the world (except the UK, of course)
Take care Paco!
I have a blacklisted Verizon iPhone which I want to use in Fiji.