Preventing device crime
How to stop the sale and use of a lost, stolen or fraudulent device
The GSMA operates a global registry on behalf of the mobile industry which enables the reporting of lost/stolen and fraudulent devices to help prevent crime, by blocking their sale or use on mobile networks.
Mobile network operators and device owners flag the status of these devices, so others can avoid them. For example, if the device is reported stolen, we share the information and recommend the device is blocked from network access and not bought, sold, repaired, insured or used in any way – then potentially return it to the rightful owner.
There is a range of use cases as to why devices are flagged using their IMEIs. Besides lost/stolen and fraudulently obtained, another common reason is that the device is faulty/broken.
This information is valuable in the collective fight not just against device crime, but digital fraud and security issues too. Consumers, businesses, local law enforcement, as well as customs and excise teams, all benefit from accessing this information.
| The GSMA is in the process of updating all terminology relating to device blacklisting and whitelisting. We believe the use of language is an important reflection of our values and realise that these terms, whilst historic, are not consistent with our commitment to eradicating racial stereotyping and stigma. Our language will no longer include references to coloured lists. These changes will be made across all GSMA departments, including repositioning our “blacklisting service” to GSMA Device Registry. Going forward, this registry will hold an inventory of flagged mobile devices. We have begun this task by editing online content, and policy documentation will follow. If you see references requiring change, please be kind enough to let us know by emailing us at services@gsma.com. |
- Join a device crime prevention ecosystem to deter criminals from targeting your devices
- Flagged devices can be blocked on operator networks, making devices less valuable and discouraging criminals from targeting devices
- Flagged devices are queried by traders and recyclers via GSMA Device Check™, making it difficult for criminals to sell stolen devices
- Gives you complete control of your records – only the organisation flagging the device can remove the device flag
- Your organisation’s name is included when reporting to our Device Registry, to help commercial and law enforcement users return your devices if found
GSMA Device Registry creates a rich data resource for you
Every mobile device has a unique serial number known as the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identifier). You can use GSMA Device Check to query a suspicious device, since it contains the IMEI for devices reported as stolen or lost by operators using GSMA Device Registry. What’s more, it also includes the device model and its capabilities.
GSMA Device Map provides the richest level of mobile device data, enabling advanced analytics for enhanced operational metrics. This comes from a unique combination of GSMA’s TAC data together with granular details of device capability characteristics, sourced globally. Available under license, the data is refreshed daily and accessed via an API.