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Apple may check whether your iPhone was stolen or lost before it accepts it for repairs

By Iskra Petrova

Published: Mar 30, 2022, 2:33 AM

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Apple

It seems that there is a change in Apple's repair policy, reports Engadget, which will reportedly make Apple technicians decline to fix iPhones that were reported as stolen or lost. Technicians will have to check your device's IMEI before accepting it for service.

Apple will reportedly not fix previously stolen or lost iPhones

Okay, it seems Cupertino has sent out a memo to Apple Stores and other authorized Apple providers to not accept a device for repairs if their internal MobileGenuis or the so-called GSX system show the phone has been marked as missing. Pretty much, this could mean they need to check the device's IMEI against the GSMA Device Registry to determine whether it was stolen.

But... what is exactly this GSMA registry, you may wonder. Well, this is a global database where owners can register their devices' IMEI number and set a status for it: such as lost, stolen, fraudulently obtained.

This memo is not very surprising for those of you who know that Apple already has the policy to decline repairs for iPhones in cases that the customer can't disable the Find My iPhone feature. This is basically set in place to discourage people from buying second-hand iPhones from outside of official and authorized sources: you know, doing that may make you end up with a stolen unit that was sold to you.

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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.