Enter *#06# in your phone app’s keypad and, on supported devices, the screen displays the phone’s IMEI or another device identifier. The IMEI can help identify a cellular device and check whether it has been reported to a participating device-blocking service—but it is not proof that a used phone is legitimate or safe to buy.
What does *#06# do?
*#06# is a keypad code that can display a cellular device’s identifier. GSMA Device Check instructs users to enter it in the phone app keypad and execute the call. Depending on the device, the result may be an IMEI, MEID, or ESN; behavior is not established as identical on every handset. Although the code is sometimes called a USSD code, the available official guidance describes it as a way to display an identifier, not as a universally supported carrier session.
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GSMA’s Device Check FAQ also notes that an identifier may be printed on a device label. If the code does not work, look in the phone’s settings or consult the manufacturer’s instructions. The precise settings path varies by model and is not specified by GSMA’s guidance.
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What is an IMEI?
An International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a 15-digit identifier for a device on a mobile network. GSMA describes its components as an 8-digit Type Allocation Code (TAC), a 6-digit serial number, and a 1-digit check digit. The TAC is allocated to manufacturers and helps identify the device type or model and its capabilities; the IMEI identifies the device, not its owner.
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Cellular-capable devices may use an IMEI, MEID, or ESN. A Wi-Fi-only device does not have one of these cellular identifiers, according to the GSMA IMEI Database overview.
Can an IMEI check tell you whether a used phone is stolen?
It can reveal whether the IMEI is currently flagged on the block list used by the checking service. In the GSMA Device Check status system, green means the IMEI is not currently flagged on that list. Red means it has been flagged as lost, stolen, or otherwise unsuitable for cellular use and may be barred from networks that use the information.
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That result is useful, but it is not a guarantee about the phone or the sale. Status information comes from participating network operators and approved commercial device owners, so coverage depends on who contributes data and which networks use the service. A clean result does not prove that the seller owns the phone, that the handset is authentic or undamaged, or that it will work with your carrier. A flagged result indicates a reported status; it does not by itself establish the circumstances behind the report.
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- Read the identifier from the handset. Use
*#06#if supported, or consult the phone’s settings or label. Compare the displayed number with any identifier shown in the device’s documentation or the seller’s listing. - Check whether the IMEI fits the device. Use a trusted lookup that can identify the model from the IMEI, then compare that result with the handset you are inspecting. GSMA notes that a mismatch can be a sign of a counterfeit or tampered identity.
- Check block-list status with a relevant service. Consider whether the service’s contributing networks and coverage are relevant to the region where you will use the phone. A result is only as useful as the reporting and participating network ecosystem behind it.
- Assess the rest of the transaction separately. The IMEI check does not establish the seller’s right to sell the device, carrier compatibility, or the phone’s physical and functional condition.
GSMA explains that operators can use shared block-list information to block devices reported lost or stolen, but participation determines how far that information travels. Its Device Check service information and mobile-device theft policy describe this network and reporting context; neither makes a status check a universal guarantee.
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Is it safe to share your IMEI?
An IMEI is not a password, and knowing it should not grant access to an account or device. RFC 7254 explains that an IMEI is often easy to obtain from a handset, including by someone with brief physical access, and says it must not be used as a security capability. The RFC also cautions against treating knowledge of an IMEI as proof that a caller owns the device.
Avoid posting the number publicly when there is no reason to do so, and provide it only to a service you trust for a clear purpose. The privacy warning is about treating an accessible identifier as secret authentication—not that simply viewing the number compromises the phone.
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