{"id":2884,"date":"2018-11-20T08:10:16","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T16:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flipsy.com\/article\/?p=2884"},"modified":"2024-09-10T10:26:41","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T17:26:41","slug":"bad-esn-blacklisted-imei-heres-can","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flipsy.com\/article\/2884\/bad-esn-blacklisted-imei-heres-can","title":{"rendered":"Bad ESN? Blacklisted IMEI? Here\u2019s What You Can Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your phone has a bad ESN (MEID) or IMEI, you still have several options for using or selling it. Here\u2019s how to tell if your phone is blacklisted (and why) and what you can do about it.<\/p>\n

Sell Your iPhone, Even If It’s Blacklisted. See Its Value \u203a<\/a><\/div>\n

How to tell if your phone is blacklisted<\/h2>\n

Phones get blacklisted if they are reported lost or stolen, and in some cases for non-payment of carrier financing plans. You can see if your phone is blacklisted by contacting your carrier or using any ESN\/IMEI checker. CTIA\u2019s Stolen Phone Checker<\/a> is the national database for stolen phones; other options include IMEI Pro<\/a>, Doctor SIM<\/a>, and carrier websites (here\u2019s Verizon\u2019s<\/a>). Here’s how to find your IMEI for iPhone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sell your phone<\/h2>\n

You can sell your blacklisted phone if it has a bad ESN\/IMEI. Some online buyback stores<\/a> will buy financed phones you still owe money on, for example, and local repair stores might buy it for parts. You can sell your phone via traditional methods, too, if you\u2019re able to unblock it or switch carriers (more on those below).<\/p>\n

Ask your carrier to unblock your ESN\/IMEI<\/h2>\n

If your ESN\/IMEI is blacklisted for non-payment, you might be able to get it off the blacklist by bringing your account up-to-date. Ask your carrier about this option. Once it\u2019s off the blacklist, you can either continue using it or sell it.<\/p>\n

\n

Did You Know? Many phones are worth $100+. Find the value of your phone.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
iPhone<\/a><\/td>\nSamsung<\/a><\/td>\nGoogle<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
OnePlus<\/a><\/td>\nLG<\/a><\/td>\nMotorola<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Pay to have your ESN\/IMEI unblocked<\/h2>\n

Many services promise to unblock your ESN\/IMEI for a fee, which can range anywhere from around $25 for older models like the Galaxy S4 to $80 for an iPhone X, and up to $190 for a Galaxy Note 9. Companies like  IMEI Authority<\/a> and Cell Unlocker<\/a> offer money-back guarantees if they\u2019re unable to remove your ESN\/IMEI from the blacklist. If you decide to go this route, be careful to avoid disreputable companies that engage in unscrupulous activities, and understand there\u2019s no guarantee your phone won\u2019t be blocked again.<\/p>\n

Switch carriers<\/h2>\n

Carriers don\u2019t always honor one another\u2019s blacklist, so it\u2019s possible you can simply switch. If your phone is locked to your current carrier, you can try using software to \u201cflash\u201d your phone \u2013 which runs the risk of \u201cbricking\u201d your phone if you make a mistake \u2013 or buy phone unlocking services from companies like Doctor SIM<\/a> and Unlock Base<\/a>. Prices vary, but you can generally expect to pay around $20.<\/p>\n

What’s your phone worth? $100, $200 or more… Find the value w\/ Flipsy \u203a<\/a><\/div>\n

\nKeep in mind you\u2019ll need to switch to a carrier that operates on the same network type you\u2019re currently on. AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM networks, for example, while Verizon and T-Mobile are CDMA networks (though some CDMA phones have GSM capabilities, allowing you to switch to any carrier).<\/p>\n

Enjoy it on WiFi<\/h2>\n

If none of these options seem ideal to you, you can always continue to use your phone via WiFi. That means you can still use calling and messaging apps, check email, and play games \u2013 you\u2019ll just need to be connected to a WiFi network.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If your phone has a bad ESN (MEID) or IMEI, you still have several options for using or selling it. Here\u2019s how to tell if your phone is blacklisted (and why) and what you can do about it. Sell Your iPhone, Even If It’s Blacklisted. See Its Value \u203a How to tell if your phone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2886,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[68,69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-android-phones","category-iphones"],"yoast_head":"\nBad ESN? Blacklisted IMEI? Here\u2019s What You Can Do - Flipsy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Blacklisted Phones - What to do if your phone has a bad ESN or blacklisted IMEI. View your options, unlock your phone or sell a blacklisted phone for cash.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/flipsy.com\/article\/2884\/bad-esn-blacklisted-imei-heres-can\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bad ESN? Blacklisted IMEI? Here\u2019s What You Can Do - Flipsy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Blacklisted Phones - What to do if your phone has a bad ESN or blacklisted IMEI. 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