Tonderai Rutsito
Trade in second hand and stolen cellphones is big business for informal cellphone traders, who operate around the Ximex Mall car park and Gulf complex.

This illicit trade in stolen cellphones makes it virtually impossible to track down a stolen cellphone. These criminals buy cell phones from anything below half the price and sell them at profitable margins, making it one of the most thriving businesses in Harare.

When you lose your cell phone chances are high that it would be displayed somewhere on these streets, but the probability of you recovering it are close to zero due to the way business is handled on the streets.

However, all hope is not lost because mobile network operators can assist you recover your cellphone or tablet as long as the phone is still being used in Zimbabwe. For those who may need to track one that may have crossed borders, there are many other ways of doing so but in this piece my focus will be limited to tracking it via your service provider who is the mobile network operator.

The only thing that you need to get assistance is a police report and the serial number known as International Mobile Station Equipment Identity for accelerated processing. If you do not have the serial number you can still be assisted although it will take more time for the operator may need to check your cellphone history against the device.

The International Mobile Station Equipment Identity is a number that is unique to your hardware, its hard-coded and cannot be altered or changed. It may allow the service providers to discontinue service to it, or blacklist it from their network if it is stolen, or even track all sim cards and locations of the phone via the network that is being used.

Here are the few steps that you need to do to find your IMEI without the phone in your hand, and please note this is only for the popular android based devices.

Step 1: You are supposed to be logged into your gmail account which gives you access to all other Google based services. Start by logging into your Google Dashboard by heading to http://technom.ag/jV.

Step 2 : After you’re signed in, click the arrow next to Android. You will see all devices that have been attached to your Google account. Find your current phone and copy the IMEI number.

Once this is done you can submit it in your report and the police should assist to solve and track the phone. In most cases, the phone will now be using a different sim card and subtle investigation can lead the unsuspecting person to disclose his or her whereabouts.

The writer is the editor for Zimbabwe`s Premiere Technology Magazine, More In depth from www.technomag.co.zw http://www.technomag.co.zw/ on http://technom.ag/jW follow us on Tweet at TechnoMagZw follow us on ww.facebook.com/technomagzw http://ww.facebook.com/technomagzw

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