 RobIn Deo speramus.Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
kudos:3 | Should also reduce fraud.. No longer will someone be able to give their phone to a friend, then file a police report, and use the cellphone insurance to get another phone. Now if they report it stolen, the IMEI will be added to the database, deactivating the phone.
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1 edit | Good idea... This is a good idea to stop criminals from using them, but I don't think it makes up for the lack or personal responsibility. How many phones are truly stolen versus simply lost, falsely reported stolen, or poorly looked after? For someone to steal my phone they would have to actually take it out of my pocket or break into my house and have the slight chance of me not having it with me. Both are unlikely scenarios. Phones are not cars sitting in unmonitored parking lots. If you take reasonable measures to look after them the chance of them getting truly stolen is extremely slim.
This won't stop the amount of phones getting "stolen" it will only kill the after market.
"Carriers are also expected to ramp up education efforts aimed at reducing theft and resale."
I'll believe it when I see it. |
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Re: Should also reduce fraud.. Cellphone insurance isn't worth a rat's ass! I paid Verizon for handset insurance for 3 years, and when my phone took a dunk in the toilet, the insurance didn't cover squat. I had to pay for a new phone, which they said I would get back after sending in a rebate form, only the model number of the phone they sold me wasn't covered for the rebate.
I think the database should be online and open to everyone. That way, you can check the IMEI before handing over money to someone selling a phone on craigslist. It would cost the cell providers less by eliminating the need to call and tie up their phone reps to find out if a phone is listed as stolen.
On the down side, what is to stop the cell providers from listing someone's old phone once they upgrade to a new one, even if the old one hasn't been stolen? By turning the old phone into a brick, they could force people to buy new phones to get service. |
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 PhoenixAZGet A MacPremium
join:2004-01-04
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:1 | reply to silbaco
Re: Good idea... said by silbaco:This is a good idea to stop criminals from using them, but I don't think it makes up for the lack or personal responsibility. How many phones are truly stolen versus simply lost, falsely reported stolen, or poorly looked after? For someone to steal my phone they would have to actually take it out of my pocket or break into my house and have the slight chance of me not having it with me. Both are unlikely scenarios. Phones are not cars sitting in unmonitored parking lots. If you take reasonable measures to look after them the chance of them getting truly stolen is extremely slim.
This won't stop the amount of phones getting "stolen" it will only kill the after market.
"Carriers are also expected to ramp up education efforts aimed at reducing theft and resale."
I'll believe it when I see it.
You're definitely right with that one. I don't even know how many times I've been to a bar, restaurant, or even playground where people would just leave their phone on the table as they go to do other things, such as using the restroom. |
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 thegeekPremium
join:2008-02-21
right here
kudos:2
 ·Suddenlink
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Re: Should also reduce fraud.. said by 8744675:On the down side, what is to stop the cell providers from listing someone's old phone once they upgrade to a new one, even if the old one hasn't been stolen? By turning the old phone into a brick, they could force people to buy new phones to get service.
That was my thought as well. I could definitely see Verizon doing this. |
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 LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | reply to silbaco
Re: Good idea... said by silbaco: How many phones are truly stolen versus simply lost, falsely reported stolen, or poorly looked after?
This won't stop the amount of phones getting "stolen" it will only kill the after market.
In New York, more than 40 percent of all robberies involve cellphones and in Washington, D.C., cellphone thefts accounted for 38 percent of all robberies in 2011.
If there is little to no aftermarket for stolen phones, the criminals will stop stealing them.
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LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | reply to 8744675
Re: Should also reduce fraud.. said by 8744675:On the down side, what is to stop the cell providers from listing someone's old phone once they upgrade to a new one, even if the old one hasn't been stolen? By turning the old phone into a brick, they could force people to buy new phones to get service.
That might be an issue, but I doubt the Big 4 would do that. It would murder their reputation.
Another issue might be people reporting your phone stolen when it isn't, just to cause you some grief. Say an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend looking to make your life miserable.
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 Simba7I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT | said by Linklist:Another issue might be people reporting your phone stolen when it isn't, just to cause you some grief. Say an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend looking to make your life miserable. That's what I was thinking. This could be abused in so many ways.
You could go further, and get even with your ex-boss with the right information. |
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Re: Good idea... I have a hard time believing those numbers are truly all robberies. Around here, the average stolen cell phone is a coverup for "I left at a bar," "I was drunk and left it at a party," "I forgot it on the roof of my car and drove off," "I was stupid and left it lying around," "I dropped it on the sidewalk," "I left my phone at my gf/bf's house and they read my texts and flushed the phone down the toilet when the realized I was cheating on them," etc. Avoiding the challenge of personal responsibility and possible humiliation. I can't count the amount of teenagers especially that I have seen use the excuse of it being stolen to cover up their irresponsibility. |
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Simba7I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT | reply to silbaco
said by silbaco:"Carriers are also expected to ramp up education efforts aimed at reducing theft and resale." There ya go, since it would hurt their "sales".
Truthfully, if someone talented enough wanted to sell a stolen phone, they could pull it off easily. |
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Tobester
join:2000-11-14
San Francisco, CA Reviews:
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| reply to 8744675
Re: Should also reduce fraud.. said by 8744675:On the down side, what is to stop the cell providers from listing someone's old phone once they upgrade to a new one, even if the old one hasn't been stolen? By turning the old phone into a brick, they could force people to buy new phones to get service.
I can't think the cellphone providers would want to do this since most everyone keeps their old phones as a backup device. |
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plat2on1
join:2002-08-21
Hopewell Junction, NY | reply to Linklist
said by Linklist:said by 8744675:On the down side, what is to stop the cell providers from listing someone's old phone once they upgrade to a new one, even if the old one hasn't been stolen? By turning the old phone into a brick, they could force people to buy new phones to get service.
That might be an issue, but I doubt the Big 4 would do that. It would murder their reputation. Another issue might be people reporting your phone stolen when it isn't, just to cause you some grief. Say an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend looking to make your life miserable. if they are able to report your phone stolen they would be able to cancel your account entirely. seems like a non issue to me. |
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 BootesPremium
join:2005-01-28
Palo Alto, CA | reply to silbaco
Re: Good idea... How many of them are filing fake police reports on their stolen phone? Maybe they tell their friend's and family that it was stolen, but I doubt they're filing police reports and being counted in these statistics. |
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BootesPremium
join:2005-01-28
Palo Alto, CA | reply to silbaco
If you find a lost phone and try to sell it, you're stealing it and the phone belongs in this list anyway. It's fairly easy to figure out who owns the phone and get it back to them. If you can't be bothered with this, give it to the police or some sort of lost and found where you found it.
Here's an example of how a phone gets stolen. »www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-nUxexM···embedded |
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| reply to Linklist
said by Linklist:said by silbaco: How many phones are truly stolen versus simply lost, falsely reported stolen, or poorly looked after?
This won't stop the amount of phones getting "stolen" it will only kill the after market.
In New York, more than 40 percent of all robberies involve cellphones and in Washington, D.C., cellphone thefts accounted for 38 percent of all robberies in 2011. If there is little to no aftermarket for stolen phones, the criminals will stop stealing them. Or the criminals that steal phones will learn how to clone imeis.
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| Apple & Goolge will support this I wonder how many new pre-launch iPhone & Nexus phones will show up on list? I can think of at least a couple.  |
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Re: Good idea... I think you would be surprised. If they can get something out of it, say insurance money, they'll do it. |
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 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to Simba7
Re: Should also reduce fraud.. My guess is you have to file a police report.
If you file a fake police report it's a slam dunk win in a civil case if the victim sues you.
A guy I used to work with was once arrested after his neighbor filed a false police report. He spent the night in jail, and then was able to prove his innocence and the charges were dropped. He filed a civil suit against the neighbor and got a nice judgement.
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KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to PhoenixAZ
Re: Good idea... said by PhoenixAZ:You're definitely right with that one. I don't even know how many times I've been to a bar, restaurant, or even playground where people would just leave their phone on the table as they go to do other things, such as using the restroom.
... and that makes it ok for someone else to pickup and sell/use because.....
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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| It may not be right but it's not the Govt's nor carriers job to baby sit the customer either. What happens when I lost my phone and report it lost, it goes on the database and I end up getting it back. does the IEMI get removed from the list? This is another crazy form of regulation to "protect" those that don't want to take responsibility on anything.
The better question is though will resellers be forced to comply? Especially companies like Cricket that allow flashed phones and will take any phone as long as it works, since they maintain their own database and will reuse phones regardless if reported stolen or not. |
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