Is this phone stolen? How to protect yourself when buying used

29 Sep 2026 · 2 min read

Phone snatching is common in big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, and many stolen phones end up being sold online. If you buy one, you can lose both the phone and your money, and you may have to answer to the police.

Warning signs

The price is much lower than other ads for the same model.
No box, no receipt and a vague story about where the phone came from.
The seller wants to meet in a hurry in a quiet place, or refuses to meet at home or at their shop.
The phone is locked to an iCloud or Google account the seller "forgot".
The IMEI on the phone does not match the box.

What to check

Dial *#06# and match the IMEI with the box and receipt.
Send the IMEI to 8484 to check its PTA status. Blocked or unknown is a red flag.
Ask for the original purchase receipt or a copy of the seller's CNIC. An honest seller usually agrees.
Make sure the phone is fully signed out of all accounts and can be reset in front of you.

What the law says

Under the Pakistan Penal Code, dishonestly receiving or keeping stolen property is an offence. If a phone turns out to be stolen, the police can take it back for its real owner, and the buyer usually loses the money paid. A few minutes of checking protects you from all of this.

If your own phone is stolen

Report it to the police and get an FIR or report number.
Ask PTA to block the IMEI through the official complaint process, so the phone cannot be used on any Pakistani network.
Change your passwords and inform your bank and mobile wallet.

If you see an ad you think is for a stolen phone, please press Report this ad. We remove such ads and block sellers who break our rules.

Related checks

Check the phone's PTA status online, and check which SIMs are on your CNIC to make sure nobody is using a number in your name.