IMEI Unknown

[Ticfan]

Bought Nexus 5 on Ebay a few months ago. Rooted it, installed custom ROM (Lineage 14 among others) debloated, etc, all worked fine until recently when it stopped registering that there was a SIM card in the phone. Closer examination showed complete absence of IMEI number and Baseband version. Tried various resets up to re-flashing stock ROM and unrooting but no improvement. Took it to the local mobile (that's UK'ish for cellphone) shop. When he plugged it into his laptop said the phone software was discontinued and he couldn't do anything.

Any advice?

 

[anon(238680)]

Yes, it sounds like it was reported stolen and wiped by the manufacturer or carrier. That's just a guess.

 

[Ticfan]

Hmmmm. Seems odd that it would take from January until now to wipe it.

 

[anon(238680)]

I agree, but I don't know what else would have removed the IMEI. I don't think a ROM could do it.

 

[Ticfan]

OK, I've contacted LG support for advice, though I don't hold out much hope. Looks like it'll be a 'Spares or Repair' back on Ebay.

 

[anon(238680)]

@Rukbat, you have an idea on this?

 

[Ticfan]

Just switched the phone on to check. It's now showing IMEI 0, IMEI SV 62 and Baseband M8974A-2.0.50.2.30. I'm no expert but that doesn't look good. Funnily enough, everything apart from calls and SMS is working fine.

 

[Rukbat]

Could be a few things, but I'd suspect that either it came with no IMEI or the last ROM flash wiped it.

If you still have the IMEI saved somewhere, you can find IMEI editors on XDA Forums, and just put the IMEI back. (If you didn't save it, there's not much you can do - even LG couldn't tell you what it used to be. The IMEI is the reference number they'd have to look it up under.) Then you're right - it's spares or repair. (That's why I wouldn't buy a phone on eBay. Swappa is another matter - they hold the seller responsible.)

I doubt that the carrier could erase it, but if they did, it could leave them open to a pretty large suit. One mistake, thinking your IMEI was the stolen one, when they were off by one digit, and any loss you suffered is their liability - so they wouldn't do it. (They do it, you get hit by a car - but you can't call for help because they wiped your phone. You die. Your family sues them for wrongful death. Their attorneys wouldn't touch a situation like that, they'd judt tell the company to not do it. Blacklisting the phone is one thing, wiping it is another.)

 

[anon(238680)]

Blacklisting the phone is one thing, wiping it is another.

Okay, that was my bad. I thought I had read if it was stolen the blacklist included wiping the IMEI. Obviously I was incorrect on that.

 

[Rukbat]

It doesn't even include wiping a contact or an app. They just don't let you connect to their towers. (In the US, that excludes 911 calls - any phone can make a 911 call if it can get to a tower.)