Have you ever entered *#06# into your cell phone?

Smartphone theft: How to protect your cell phone data!

We have recently received fresh inquiries regarding a letter from the Kindberg (AT) police. The included attachment is not new, but it is circulating again and again, especially on Facebook through social networks, and raises the question: Is this true or is it a fake?

This is what the picture looks like, which has been shared on the Internet since 2009:

The content of the image in plain text:

Police tip for all cell phone owners

Here is a tip from the police for all cell phone owners. The feature below appears to be available on all phones and one has to wonder why phone manufacturers and retailers keep such a secret. If the following measure is passed on to as many people as possible, then cell phone thefts could certainly decrease significantly. Every cell phone has its own unique serial number.

This can be called as follows: *#06#

The serial number of the cell phone is displayed on it.

Write this number down and keep it. If a cell phone is stolen, you have to report this serial number to the phone dealer or manufacturer, and they can then block the cell phone completely, even if the thief uses a new SIM card. You may not get your cell phone back, but at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that the thief can no longer do anything with it... If all cell phone owners took this precaution, it would soon no longer be worth stealing a cell phone!

So please send this message to as many people as possible!!!!

Is this letter a fake?

NO! This writing is REAL!

But it was intended for internal use only.

It is true that IMEI number ( International Mobile Equipment Identity on many devices using the GSM code the . This is unique for each device, so the statement in the letter is correct.

However, very few of the well-known cell phone providers offer device locking. According to our research, only Vodafone offers this service.

Note down IMEI number?

It can make sense to write down this number and keep it separate from your cell phone .

If the cell phone is in the hands of a thief, you can leave this number with the police. It will be added to a list of reported stolen cell phones and can then be compared.

By the way, this process has been common practice with the police for a long time.

Unfortunately, nowadays people who know a little about it can change this number on many devices…

According to the Federal Network Agency, making calls with a device in which the IMEI has been changed does not constitute interference with the mobile phone network. The devices do not lose their approval as a result of the change. However, the IMEI is a unique serial number, which, similar to the chassis number of a vehicle, is intended to ensure traceability in the event of theft. Anyone who makes changes to it could be liable to prosecution under Section 269 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) for falsifying evidence-relevant data. This also applies to anyone who uses a device with a changed IMEI, provided they were aware of the change.

RESULT:

The letter actually comes from the police department in question, but it was used for internal use and therefore explains the somewhat informal wording of the content.

Unfortunately, full hardware blocking of devices is not supported by all manufacturers/providers.

You could also say that the information is a bit outdated, but it can still make sense to write down your IMEI number - just in case.

Further information

Reading the IMEI number on Apple devices: Support