How to check if a second-hand phone is stolen in India, and what the result really tells you
A two-minute IMEI check on the government's Sanchar Saathi service catches phones already reported. Here is how to run it, how to read it, and what it cannot see.
Quick answer: Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI, then send KYM <15-digit IMEI> by SMS to 14422, or use the Sanchar Saathi app or website. If the result says the phone is blacklisted, blocked, duplicate or already in use, don't buy it. A clean result only means nobody has reported that IMEI yet, so also match the IMEI against the box and bill, check the seller, and be wary of prices that seem too good.
Step 1: Get the IMEI from the phone itself
The IMEI is a 15-digit number that identifies the handset. India's Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which runs on the Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi platform, uses it to block lost and stolen phones across every network.
Get the number from three places and compare them:
- The phone: dial *#06# and the IMEI appears on screen. This is the number that matters most, because it is what the phone reports to the network.
- The box: the IMEI is printed on the packaging label.
- The bill: many invoices list the IMEI. CEIR's own guidance says you may find it there.
Dual-SIM phones have two IMEIs, and CEIR's FAQ confirms this. Check both. If the number on screen doesn't match the box or bill, stop and ask why. There can be honest reasons, such as a replacement box or a board swapped during a repair, but a seller should be able to show paperwork for it.
Step 2: Run the Know Your Mobile (KYM) check
The C-DOT user manual for CEIR describes three ways to check a handset's status. All of them are free.
- SMS: type KYM, a space, then the 15-digit IMEI, and send it to 14422. You get a reply with the status.
- Sanchar Saathi app (Android and iOS): register, choose "Know Genuineness of Your Mobile Handset", enter the IMEI and submit.
- Web portal: on ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in, open the same section, verify your own mobile number with an OTP, then enter the IMEI.
Run the check in front of the seller, using the IMEI you just saw on the phone's screen, not a number the seller reads out or sends you.
What the results mean
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Device details (brand, model, device type) | The IMEI is valid and not on the block list right now | Check the model matches the phone in your hand, then carry on with the other checks below |
| Blacklisted or blocked | A blocking request has been accepted, usually after a loss or theft report | Don't buy it. A blocked phone can't be used on any network in India |
| Duplicate or already in use | The same IMEI appears on another device in use | CEIR's advice is to avoid buying. It can point to a cloned or tampered IMEI |
| Invalid IMEI | The number isn't a genuine allocated IMEI, or was typed wrongly | Re-check the digits. If it's still invalid, walk away |
| Model in the reply doesn't match the phone | The IMEI may belong to a different handset | Treat it as a serious warning |
CEIR's homepage puts it plainly: if the status is shown as blacklisted, duplicate or already in use, avoid buying the phone.
Why a clean result isn't proof
The KYM check is worth doing every time, but it only knows what has been reported. A "valid" reply can still come back for a stolen phone because:
- Not every theft is reported. Some owners never file a police complaint, and CEIR's blocking process asks for a police complaint first.
- Reports take time. The owner needs a replacement SIM before they can request a block, because the OTP goes to that number. CEIR says a phone is blocked within 24 hours of a successful request. A phone sold the same day it was taken can come back clean.
- Cloned IMEIs. The C-DOT manual notes that services on cloned devices are allowed for now, because many are active on the network. Other phones sharing a blocked IMEI are put on an override list so they keep working.
- Tampering. Changing an IMEI is an offence, but it happens. A phone with an altered IMEI can show a clean result for someone else's number.
Also bear in mind what happens if a phone is later found to be stolen. The C-DOT manual says that when a reported device is used with any SIM, that user's details are recorded and shared with the police for tracing. If that has already happened to you, read what to do if your second-hand phone is blocked or traced by police.
For scale: when we checked the CEIR dashboard in September 2026 (page last updated 27 August 2026), it showed 59,70,090 mobiles blocked, 37,14,977 traced and 13,61,998 recovered across India.
The other checks that fill the gaps
- Match the bill to the seller and the phone. Compare the name on the bill with the seller's ID, and the IMEI on the bill with *#06#. Our guide to checking whether a GST invoice is real covers looking up the GSTIN.
- Check it isn't locked to someone else's account. A stolen phone may still be tied to the real owner's Apple Account or Google account. See the used iPhone checklist and the guide to Android Factory Reset Protection.
- Read the price and the story. A far-below-market price, an urgent reason to sell, no box, no bill and pressure to decide quickly all add up.
- Know who you're buying from. Meet in a public place, note the seller's name and number, and pay in a way that leaves a record, such as UPI or a bank transfer, after you've finished checking.
- Get a simple written receipt with date, price, model, both IMEIs and both parties' names and signatures.
If you are buying from a shop, rules in force since October 2025 require dealers in used phones to check IMEIs against a government database. See what the used-phone shop rules say.
What police and the law say
Police forces have been direct about the risk. In October 2025, Moga police in Punjab returned 250 recovered phones to their owners, according to The Tribune. They warned buyers to insist on ownership proof and purchase documents, saying that buying undocumented phones could amount to receiving stolen property. In the same month, Bengaluru police reported recovering 1,949 stolen and snatched phones in a month-long drive, Deccan Herald reported. The city's police commissioner urged people to verify sellers and "go for authorised sellers".
The law behind those warnings is section 317 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It makes it an offence to dishonestly receive or keep stolen property while knowing or having reason to believe that it is stolen. The Sanhita defines "reason to believe" as having sufficient cause to believe something. The checks above are how you show you had no such cause. This is a summary, not legal advice. If you're already caught up in a case, speak to a lawyer.
Where OwnVouch fits
OwnVouch is a device registry, and its public lookup is free with no account. Type a serial or IMEI to see whether the device is registered on OwnVouch, whether its holder has flagged it lost or stolen, and what the device is. It never shows who holds it. Use it alongside the government KYM check, not instead of it. Like any registry, OwnVouch only knows what has been registered and reported. A clean lookup doesn't prove a phone isn't stolen, and a record isn't proof of legal ownership. If the seller has registered the phone, a handover in the app, now in closed beta, gives you both a timestamped record that each of you confirmed.
Sources
- Department of Telecommunications, Sanchar Saathi: CEIR home, Know Genuineness of Your Mobile Handset, FAQs and dashboard
- C-DOT: CEIR User Manual for Mobile User, Version 03 (PDF)
- Ministry of Home Affairs: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Gazette text, PDF)
- PIB: DoT clarifies amendments to Telecommunication Cyber Security Rules are in force (27 November 2025)
- The Tribune: Moga police return 250 mobile phones to owners, warn against undocumented purchases (October 2025)
- Deccan Herald: Bengaluru Police seize 1,949 stolen mobile phones in a month (30 October 2025)