FAQ
WHAT DOES BLACKLIST MEAN?
A blacklisted iPhone is a phone that has been prevented from accessing a network or service and cannot be activated on any wireless carrier until it is removed from the blacklist. Blacklisting is a feature implemented by carriers when a phone has been reported to them as stolen. (It prevents the device from connecting via the mobile network).
A phone can be blacklisted for a number of reasons, including:
- The phone was reported as lost or stolen
- The phone was involved in fraudulent activities
- The phone's owner violated their contract, such as by failing to pay their bill
Blacklisted phones typically can't be used for activities that require a network connection, but they can still be used for other things like listening to music, playing games, or streaming only via Wi-Fi.
To check if a phone is blacklisted, you can reach out to us to check for you for free, use an IMEI checker or ask the seller for the phone's IMEI number. You can find the IMEI number by:
- Dialing *06# on the phone's keypad
- Checking the phone's About section in Settings
- Looking on the back of the phone, its battery, or the box
If you buy a blacklisted phone, you can contact your carrier's customer service for information on why the phone was blacklisted. Unfortunately the carrier's do not remove the device from the blacklist, even if you have found your old phone you reported "Lost". The only way to remove it from the blacklist and back on the clean list making the device usable again is to order our services. We have many unbarring (blacklist) removal services and hold a very high success rate with this specific server.
FAQ
How do I remove my iPhone/Android from the blacklist?
You can clean & repair your device IMEI here on The Unlocker with our services.
Can I use my phone after the blacklist service is performed?
Yes. However, we cannot guarantee that your phone will be usable with your service provider due to so many other factors with the client's cell phone plan. However, with that being said 9/10 customers are still using their device to this day that was previously removed from the blacklist using our services.
After a successful blacklist removal service can I trade-in the device at a carrier store for an upgrade to a new device on my account?
Yes, in fact I have personally done this myself many times. Our blacklist cleaning is so accurate that when carrier store rep will scan your device IMEI when trading in your device and review the device details and they cannot even tell that the device was ever blacklisted. Your device will be as good as new.
After a successful Blacklist Removal Service my device still shows up blacklisted on 3rd Party blacklist check websites, why?
The 3rd party IMEI blacklist check websites actually use data that is 2-4 weeks old. How the 3rd party blacklist check websites work is they actually get their data from the carriers and the GSMA database once every month. Their data is not up to date. The only official way to check up to the second data is using us and our servers since we have access to these official servers. If we perform a Blacklist removal/repair on your device it will be clean/clear on the carrier servers, website and on the GSMA database servers. It could take up to 2-4 weeks for your device to show up clean/clear on the 3rd party IMEI blacklist check websites. This falls on the 3rd party IMEI check website's and their slow api & meta data/cache refresh.
Is blacklist IMEI repair & removal the same as "unbarring"?
The removal of your device from the blacklist is also called unbarring in industry terms. It is technically all the same just described by different verbiage. IMEI cleaning, unbarring, blacklist removal, repair, reversal is technically the same thing. It is the action of removing the device's IMEI off the blacklist and moving it back the the clean and clear status.
How does The Unlocker clean & remove a phone IMEI from the blacklist?
Our servers are connected to and have access to the carrier's servers and GSMA database IMEI blacklist servers. The Group Special Mobile Association (GSMA) is an association representing the interests of mobile operators and the broader mobile industry worldwide. Through the GSMA IMEI blacklist service, 119 mobile operators across 41 countries share information on stolen devices every day, to help combat global theft. However, we understand you can purchase a device from a 3rd party unknowingly to you that the device was considered lost/stolen. We can access these servers and actually clean and remove your device IMEI from this list so your device can be used again. In fact our system is so good at removing devices from the blacklist, the original carrier will never know we, a 3rd party, independent company removed the device from the blacklist. Again, we have access to all the big name carriers systems and servers. We can access, request, deny, grand and command certain processes. This is truly cutting edge innovative unbarring technology. Come experience the very best mobile technology in the industry.
After I remove the device from the blacklist, will it ever get blacklisted again?
We have never had a case of the device being re-blacklisted...and actually the system does not work like that. The original carrier will have no knowledge of the device being removed from the blacklist back to clean/clear. Once the device gets back to clean/clear status it will stay on the "whitelist" as clean/clear. The only other way a previously serviced device could get back on the blacklist is if you, the device owner calls your carrier or insurance and reports the device lost or stolen OR if you stop paying your financial obligation on the financed device or account/bill.
*CARRIERS CANNOT AND WILL NOT REMOVE A DEVICE THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE BLACKLIST. EVEN IF IT IS YOUR DEVICE, YOU PAY FOR THE DEVICE AND OWN THE DEVICE. IF YOU REPORT THE DEVICE LOST OR STOLEN AND THEN YOU FIND THE DEVICE AT A LATER TIME...CARRIERS CANNOT AND WILL NOT REMOVE YOUR DEVICE FROM THE BLACKLIST. WE HAVE THE POWER TO REVERSE THE BLACKLIST. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNAL SERVERS. WE CAN GET THE DEVICE USABLE AGAIN.
Is the term "Blacklisted" the same as: Blocked ESN - Bad ESN?
Yes, all of the similar listed above in the question are essentially the same thing. IMEI and ESN are essentially the same thing. They are the same 15 digit identification number. So, a blocked ESN is the same thing as a Blacklisted IMEI number. Some people and sites have different terminology for items and/or services but all of these terms are the same exact thing. We stick with the official terminology: "Unbarring" is the process of Blacklist IMEI Cleaning / Repair / Removal.
Is this Blacklist Removal Service even legal?
Yes. Simply put, the removal of the device from the original carrier's blacklist is 100% legal. You will not void your device's warranty. You will not get in trouble from your carrier. You will not be penalized for removing the device from the lost/stolen blacklist to the clean/clear "whitelist". We back these statements with a full guarantee.
Will my device be unlocked after this service is performed successfully?
The blacklist removal service will NOT remove carrier SIM restrictions. This service will NOT network sim unlock the device. The blacklist removal service and the network unlock service are two separate services. What this service does is move your device IMEI status back to clean and clear status so you can use the device again with the original carrier. Now if the device was originally network sim unlocked before it was blacklisted then it will be network sim unlocked again after the service. If the device was not network sim unlocked before getting blacklisted it will still only be usable on the original carrier. However, we can definitely network sim unlock the device after the blacklist removal service is successful to make it usable on any network worldwide. The blacklist removal just gets the device IMEI back in good standing status with the original carrier so it can be used again on the original carrier. If you want to use the device on a different carrier with a different sim card a network unlock service will need to be performed on the device once this blacklist removal service is completed if the device is not network unlocked.
Do you change my device's IMEI number or issue my device a new IMEI number with this service?
No, we do not. Your device will have the same IMEI number after the service as it does before the service. Our method of "repairing" the device IMEI is cultivated from cutting edge cloud and server based technology. We do not change the device IMEI. Changing or modification of the device's original issued IMEI number is illegal. We do NOT participate in these activities nor do we promote these activities. We strictly follow all local, state and federal laws.
Will Blacklist Removal Unbarring service work on currently financed devices?
Yes! Our service does support EIP devices (Equipment Installation Plan) - Meaning If you are making payments (your device is financed) on a device and that device gets blacklisted, use this service to get your device off the blacklist and continue to make payments on the device, using the device as normal with no restrictions.