Topping up Personal

[lunar]

Thieves might have the technical resources to do a factory reset.

Anyone can perform a factory reset. However, I think if the phone's IMEI is blacklisted, the stolen device will not be able to connect to any cell tower within the country. Nevertheless, it can still be sold for parts to someone in need of replacing a broken screen or any other component, except for the radio modem.

 

[FrankPintor]

Anyone can perform a factory reset. However, I think if the phone's IMEI is blacklisted, the stolen device will not be able to connect to any cell tower within the country. Nevertheless, it can still be sold for parts to someone in need of replacing a broken screen or any other component, except for the radio modem.

Yes, blacklisting works if it's supported by the operators. It is to my knowledge in Venezuela, and I expect in Chile and Colombia as well (since they block foreign phones unless they're registered with a network within 30 days), but I don't know about Argentina. The last reports I saw about Argentina were from 2019, so I'm not hopeful. To get the phone blacklisted you'd report it as stolen to the operator that issued your SIM card.

The component ID concept was intended to address the broken screen replacement you mention, that would depend on the phone manufacturer designing that into the phone.

 

[Jteee]

In any case I’m curious to continue tracking it. It seems to bounce periodically all over Cordoba so whoever retrieved it seems to be working hard to ascertain some value from it. I’ve taken screenshots of each place it sits in, which tends to be at least 5 days at a time.

if they manage to factory reset it then fair enough. That’s something beyond my wherewithal to control

my phone was unlocked and the original sim is British though the sim at the time was a temporary claro sim so I’m not confident I can blacklist it

 

[Redpossum]

In any case I’m curious to continue tracking it. It seems to bounce periodically all over Cordoba so whoever retrieved it seems to be working hard to ascertain some value from it. I’ve taken screenshots of each place it sits in, which tends to be at least 5 days at a time.

if they manage to factory reset it then fair enough. That’s something beyond my wherewithal to control

my phone was unlocked and the original sim is British though the sim at the time was a temporary claro sim so I’m not confident I can blacklist it

When my previous Samsung was stolen, I went straight to the local office of Claro. They canceled the SIM, disabled the phone, and sold me a new phone with a replacement SIM using the same number (at my request), all in about 20 minutes, at a cost of just over 40K pesos, which was then ~200 USD. The lady who helped me so ably and professionally was the one who told me the thieves would just perform a factory reset on it, but assured me that in doing so the memory would be erased, leaving no trace of my personal data.

Granted, however, that was a permanent SIM, not a temporary one.

Nonetheless, I must say that every time I have visited a Claro store, they have knocked my socks off with their performance. Literally every single person I have dealt with has been fast, efficient, professional, friendly, and competent. How the hell they manage that in a country where low standards of customer service are the norm is utterly beyond me. One can only assume their training program involves a truly brutal process of winnowing the grain from the chaff.

 

[lunar]

my phone was unlocked and the original sim is British though the sim at the time was a temporary claro sim so I’m not confident I can blacklist it

I think this is a way to do it. But you still need to know your IMEI. Maybe it is written on the box or on the purchase receipt?

Denunciá al *910

Si te robaron o perdiste tu celular, llamá al *910 desde cualquier teléfono para que tu equipo sea bloqueado y nadie más lo pueda usar.

www.enacom.gob.ar

 

[Jteee]

When my previous Samsung was stolen, I went straight to the local office of Claro. They canceled the SIM, disabled the phone, and sold me a new phone with a replacement SIM using the same number (at my request), all in about 20 minutes, at a cost of just over 40K pesos, which was then ~200 USD. The lady who helped me so ably and professionally was the one who told me the thieves would just perform a factory reset on it, but assured me that in doing so the memory would be erased, leaving no trace of my personal data.

Granted, however, that was a permanent SIM, not a temporary one.

Nonetheless, I must say that every time I have visited a Claro store, they have knocked my socks off with their performance. Literally every single person I have dealt with has been fast, efficient, professional, friendly, and competent. How the hell they manage that in a country where low standards of customer service are the norm is utterly beyond me. One can only assume their training program involves a truly brutal process of winnowing the grain from the chaff.

That’s reassuring to know. My replacement has already been delivered to England but I won’t have it until I return. My primary concern the whole time is making sure my data is irretrievable. If they factory reset it then I’m happy enough. £100 excess and buying a temporary phone here is a price I’m willing to pay to learn a lesson for my carelessness

 

[Jteee]

I think this is a way to do it. But you still need to know your IMEI. Maybe it is written on the box or on the purchase receipt?

Denunciá al *910

Si te robaron o perdiste tu celular, llamá al *910 desde cualquier teléfono para que tu equipo sea bloqueado y nadie más lo pueda usar.

www.enacom.gob.ar

I’ll give that a go