Latest news with #IMEI
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple tells Met to embrace ‘traditional policing' in clash over phone thefts
Apple has told the Metropolitan Police to focus on 'traditional policing' to tackle a surge in mobile phone thefts. Gary Davis, a senior executive at the iPhone-maker, said police were not fully investigating some phone thefts in Britain by seeking information about the stolen devices from Apple. In a hearing before MPs on the science, innovation and technology committee, Mr Davis was asked whether Apple should be doing more to build a technical solution to phone thefts. He replied: 'I would want to make sure that as part of all of that the Met Police continues to do traditional policing, which means sending requests to us for stolen devices and Apple responding to those requests for stolen devices. We are not seeing that.' It came after senior police officials urged tech companies to consider new technical ways of preventing theft. The Met wants mobile phone makers to use a unique number linked to a phone's modem chip – which connects to mobile networks – to identify phones that are reported stolen and block them. Police believe up to three quarters of stolen phones are moved abroad, with 28pc ending up in China or Hong Kong and many in Algeria. The Met recorded more than 80,000 phone thefts in 2024, up by a quarter on 2023 levels. Credit: Met Police Once overseas, these phones become more difficult to track. While UK networks can implement some blocking on the 'IMEI' chip numbers of stolen phones, this is more patchy internationally. Speaking on Tuesday, Darren Scates, the Met's chief digital officer, said one proposal that was being 'considered by Apple and Google' was to 'stop a smart phone serial number being allowed to connect to their services if it is reported as lost or stolen'. The police say this would make the device worthless. Mr Scates added that technology companies had provided methods to 'lock the device' remotely, but some criminals had means of cracking this. Technology chiefs have raised concerns over the risks of allowing more remote locking tools. Mr Davis said the industry was wary about whether such a system could become a 'vector for fraud', with people potentially being able to make false claims that phones have been stolen, leading to devices being automatically blocked. The hearing comes amid growing scrutiny over spiralling crime rates across the UK. The Met has warned that there are growing links between knife crime, child exploitation gangs, drugs and mobile phone theft, with some gangs 'pivoting' from selling illegal drugs to stealing handsets. Speaking to executives from Apple, Google and Samsung, Kit Malthouse, the senior Conservative MP, suggested that technology companies have been 'dragging their feet' on coming up with a technical solution. However, Mr Davis said attention also needed to be focussed on the police response to mobile phone theft, saying: 'We need the requests to come to us. We need to give them the responses. 'They need to use the information we provide to them in order to identify where the phones are being stolen, and I assume therefore target resources. I am not just seeing those resources coming through to us.' Apple said it had introduced a new Stolen Device Protection feature, which requires a Face ID check to access certain phone features, rather than just a code. It has also added technology that can remotely prevent stolen phone parts being stripped and re-used. Google, meanwhile, has added an artificial intelligence feature to its Android software that can detect if a phone has been snatched. In response to Apple's claims, Mr Scates said: 'The Met shares details of devices reported as stolen with the National Mobile Property Register twice a day and this information is available to Apple and Google. They also receive data from phone networks and customers. 'We are focused on tacking phone theft and encourage manufactures to make it harder for organised criminals to profit from this crime by preventing a stolen device from connecting to cloud services.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Apple and Google clash with police and MPs over phone thefts
Senior figures at Apple and Google have clashed with the police over its recommendations for how best to deal with phone theft in the UK. The Met's James Conway told the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - which is considering the question - that two-thirds of thefts in London now relate to mobile phones. With up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery, he told MPs that meant phone theft was "significantly driving parts of our violence problem". The Met wants phone companies to use the unique identifying number - known as an IMEI - that each device has to block any that are reported as stolen. But Apple and Google - who dominate the market - raised concerns about the idea. "Focusing on IMEI blocking might miss some of the problems," Apple's head of law enforcement requests, Gary Davis, told the committee. "We worry that there is a vector for fraud... we are concerned about a world where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who's asking." Stolen devices are blocked from being used in the UK by phone networks by using its IMEI, but this is not the case globally. This means a stolen phone can still be used in some other countries if a criminal is able to bypass the device's security. Thieves snatched his phone in London - it was in China a month later Met Police blitz to fight phone-snatching 'scourge' But Mr Davis said he was concerned that phone owners already face "extensive fraud attempts", which he estimated at more than a thousand people trying to access devices each month. "They do it for malicious purposes, they do it to maybe blackmail you," he said. "I would like to think in an area such as this our expertise built up over time in relation to attack vectors would mean something." The firms pointed out they have implemented several new safety features in the past 12 months to help combat phone theft. Apple has introduced Stolen Device Protection while Android - which is owned by Google - has brought in Theft Detection Lock. Police officers said they were looking for action from phone providers to help prevent further thefts. The Met's chief technology officer Darren Scates said 75% of phones which were stolen are moved abroad, with 28% ending up in either China or Hong Kong. "We're asking the cloud providers specifically to prevent a lost or stolen device from connecting to their cloud services," he said. "This doesn't even need to involve the police." He said they had been asking for this since October 2023, but had not yet been able to convince the firms to take action. Some MPs accused the two tech firms of lacking the will to take action. "You could tomorrow stop phones that are on the IMEI blacklist connecting back to your services if you so wished, both of you, and you won't do it," Lib Dem MP Martin Wrigley said. "I'm not saying that we won't do it," Google software engineering manager Simon Wingrove replied, adding the issue needed an industry-wide approach. He said the global database of IMEI numbers is built, maintained, populated, read and used by network carriers. "If we want to change that so that it becomes a database that is used by other actors to do other things to devices to block them in other ways, that is an industry-wide discussion that is not in my power as an engineer at Google," he said. "I think we need to decide as industry that is a safe and sensible thing to do." He pointed to Android's factory reset protection as an area it was continuing to work on to improve security and make it harder for thieves to reset stolen devices. "The most recent changes that we've announced we made in the most recent version of Android," he said. "We're really hopeful that we will see a significant impact - we haven't stopped investing in that." But one of the main threads of the day was a clash between MPs and Mr Davis over the market for second-hand parts. "I worry if we focus on IMEI blocking only you are going to miss the market for parts," he told the committee, to frustrations from those in attendance. "It's clear from the mood of the committee that we don't feel that either Google or Apple have a road plan to effective phone protection which does not involve IMEIs," Labour MP Chi Onwurah said. Apple is concerned that when devices are stolen, rather than being reused elsewhere they are instead being chopped up into component parts - like screens, processors and batteries - which can then be sold on for repairs. "Our best protection is Activation Lock," he said. "I understand you will take the view that it obviously mustn't be working because there are still devices being stolen. But that is the best protection." Activation Lock is a feature which links certain iPhone or iPad components to a person's Apple ID - meaning a person must use their password to allow these parts of their device to be used in repairs. The feature was well-received when it was announced in September as a way to deal with thieves. But the committee wanted to focus on blocking the IMEI of a stolen phone being used elsewhere. "It feels to a lot of people that you're dragging your feet," Conservative MP Kit Malthouse said. But Mr Davis said he felt Activation Lock was "a major step" in disrupting the second-hand market. "It could well be that IMEI blocking is a natural next step," he said. "However I would want to make sure that as part of all of that the Met police continues to do traditional policing, which means sending requests to us for stolen devices, and Apple responding to those requests. "We're not seeing that, and I think it's very important." Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Apple and Google clash with police and MPs over phone thefts
Senior figures at Apple and Google have clashed with the police over its recommendations for how best to deal with phone theft in the Met's James Conway told the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - which is considering the question - that two-thirds of thefts in London now relate to mobile up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery, he told MPs that meant phone theft was "significantly driving parts of our violence problem".The Met wants phone companies to use the unique identifying number - known as an IMEI - that each device has to block any that are reported as Apple and Google - who dominate the market - raised concerns about the idea. "Focusing on IMEI blocking might miss some of the problems," Apple's head of law enforcement requests, Gary Davis, told the committee."We worry that there is a vector for fraud... we are concerned about a world where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who's asking."Stolen devices are blocked from being used in the UK by phone networks by using its IMEI, but this is not the case means a stolen phone can still be used in some other countries if a criminal is able to bypass the device's security. But Mr Davis said he was concerned that phone owners already face "extensive fraud attempts", which he estimated at more than a thousand people trying to access devices each month."They do it for malicious purposes, they do it to maybe blackmail you," he said."I would like to think in an area such as this our expertise built up over time in relation to attack vectors would mean something."The firms pointed out they have implemented several new safety features in the past 12 months to help combat phone theft. Apple has introduced Stolen Device Protection while Android - which is owned by Google - has brought in Theft Detection Lock. IMEI blacklist Police officers said they were looking for action from phone providers to help prevent further Met's chief technology officer Darren Scates said 75% of phones which were stolen are moved abroad, with 28% ending up in either China or Hong Kong."We're asking the cloud providers specifically to prevent a lost or stolen device from connecting to their cloud services," he said."This doesn't even need to involve the police."He said they had been asking for this since October 2023, but had not yet been able to convince the firms to take MPs accused the two tech firms of lacking the will to take action. "You could tomorrow stop phones that are on the IMEI blacklist connecting back to your services if you so wished, both of you, and you won't do it," Lib Dem MP Martin Wrigley said."I'm not saying that we won't do it," Google software engineering manager Simon Wingrove replied, adding the issue needed an industry-wide said the global database of IMEI numbers is built, maintained, populated, read and used by network carriers. "If we want to change that so that it becomes a database that is used by other actors to do other things to devices to block them in other ways, that is an industry-wide discussion that is not in my power as an engineer at Google," he said."I think we need to decide as industry that is a safe and sensible thing to do."He pointed to Android's factory reset protection as an area it was continuing to work on to improve security and make it harder for thieves to reset stolen devices."The most recent changes that we've announced we made in the most recent version of Android," he said. "We're really hopeful that we will see a significant impact - we haven't stopped investing in that." 'You're dragging your feet' But one of the main threads of the day was a clash between MPs and Mr Davis over the market for second-hand parts."I worry if we focus on IMEI blocking only you are going to miss the market for parts," he told the committee, to frustrations from those in attendance."It's clear from the mood of the committee that we don't feel that either Google or Apple have a road plan to effective phone protection which does not involve IMEIs," Labour MP Chi Onwurah is concerned that when devices are stolen, rather than being reused elsewhere they are instead being chopped up into component parts - like screens, processors and batteries - which can then be sold on for repairs."Our best protection is Activation Lock," he said. "I understand you will take the view that it obviously mustn't be working because there are still devices being stolen. But that is the best protection."Activation Lock is a feature which links certain iPhone or iPad components to a person's Apple ID - meaning a person must use their password to allow these parts of their device to be used in feature was well-received when it was announced in September as a way to deal with thieves. But the committee wanted to focus on blocking the IMEI of a stolen phone being used elsewhere."It feels to a lot of people that you're dragging your feet," Conservative MP Kit Malthouse Mr Davis said he felt Activation Lock was "a major step" in disrupting the second-hand market."It could well be that IMEI blocking is a natural next step," he said."However I would want to make sure that as part of all of that the Met police continues to do traditional policing, which means sending requests to us for stolen devices, and Apple responding to those requests."We're not seeing that, and I think it's very important." Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Arab Times
Overseas Pakistani? Here's How To Keep Your Mobile Phone Working In Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, May 30: In recent years, many overseas Pakistanis visiting their homeland have encountered an unexpected and frustrating problem: their local Pakistani SIM cards stop working after a short period of use. While this may seem like a technical glitch or a telecom issue at first glance, the root cause lies in Pakistan's telecom regulatory policies, particularly those governed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The Core of the Problem: Device Registration The key issue revolves around the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) introduced by the PTA. This system was implemented to curb the smuggling of mobile phones, reduce grey market trade, and ensure that all devices on Pakistani networks are properly documented. When an overseas Pakistani brings a phone from abroad and inserts a local SIM card, the telecom network automatically checks whether the phone's IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is registered with the PTA. If the IMEI is not registered or not PTA-approved, the system allows a grace period—typically 60 days—for temporary use. Once that grace period expires, the phone is blocked from accessing Pakistani mobile networks with local SIM cards. One Phone, One Year: The Overseas Pakistani Allowance In response to the concerns of the diaspora, the PTA allows overseas Pakistanis to register one mobile phone per year duty-free, provided they have entered the country recently. This can be done through the official PTA DIRBS portal or device registration system, where users must provide their IMEI number, passport or CNIC, and proof of travel such as an entry stamp or travel details. The Role of Biometric Verification and SIM Limits SIM card blocking may also occur due to biometric verification issues or the five-SIMs-per-CNIC rule. If the visitor is using a foreign passport or their CNIC isn't active or properly verified, the system may restrict new SIM activations or suspend existing ones as a security precaution. Safe Options for Visitors To avoid disruption during visits to Pakistan, overseas Pakistanis have several options: Register your phone legally if you plan to use it with a local SIM. Buy a PTA-approved phone in Pakistan to ensure full compatibility. Use international roaming with your foreign SIM—phones using roaming are exempt from PTA restrictions. One Phone Per Year – Tax-Free for Overseas Pakistanis If you're a Pakistani citizen living abroad and you're visiting Pakistan: You can bring in 1 mobile phone per year without paying any tax. This is allowed once every 12 months, based on your travel record. You must register the phone with PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) using the DIRBS portal: You'll need: - Passport number - CNIC/NICOP - IMEI number of the phone - Entry stamp or travel info (proves recent arrival) Additional Phones Are Taxable If you bring more than one phone per year, taxes/duties will apply on the extra devices. The amount depends on: - Phone model and brand - Customs valuation (not always the actual market price) - PTA's official tax/duty slab (updated frequently) Example: A new iPhone might incur PKR 80,000–150,000+ in tax, while lower-end phones may be taxed as little as PKR 5,000–20,000. A Word of Caution Using phones purchased from the grey market or bringing unregistered devices without checking PTA compliance can lead to connectivity loss, especially for those relying on local mobile services. It's important to heed warning SMS messages from PTA about registration deadlines to avoid service termination. For overseas Pakistanis, staying connected during visits is vital. While PTA's system aims to bring order and security to Pakistan's telecom ecosystem, travelers need to understand the rules, comply with the law, and take preventive steps. By registering devices properly and using approved phones, visitors can enjoy seamless communication without fear of abrupt disconnection.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Cops trace 990 lost cellphones using CEIR portal in five months
Lucknow: The Lucknow police has recovered 990 lost or stolen mobile phones between Jan and mid-May, out of around 1,100 complaints registered. The recovery rate stands at an 90%, showcasing how digital platforms like the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) have revolutionised mobile theft tracking across India. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This translates to an average of nearly 7-8 phones being returned to their owners every day. The credit for this largely goes to the CEIR portal of the department of telecommunications (DoT) under the govt of India, which empowers police to trace and block mobile devices using their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI ) numbers. "Before CEIR, tracing lost phones across telecom circles was complex and time-consuming. Now, we can immediately block a device once the IMEI is entered in the portal. It is a powerful deterrent for mobile thieves and a great support system for citizens. The moment we block an IMEI via CEIR, the device becomes useless on any Indian telecom network. That alone has drastically reduced the market value of stolen devices," said DCP East Zone, Shashank Singh. Shubham Yadav, a 27-year-old software engineer from Indiranagar, lost his phone in Jan. "I filled out the complaint on the CEIR portal," he said. Three weeks later, the phone was traced to a shop in Sitapur, where someone tried to use a new SIM. "I got a call from the cybercell that my phone was found and was being returned. All my work contacts and data were on that device," Shubham said. In another case, college student Prerna Singh had her phone snatched while waiting for an auto in Mahanagar. "I reported the snatching to the local police and submitted the FIR copy on the CEIR site the same evening," she said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Within 10 days, the phone was tracked when it connected to a network in Unnao, and a suspect was identified through tower dump data and IMEI tracing. "They not only recovered my phone but also arrested the person who had a record of similar offences," Prerna said. Former IPS officer and cyber expert, Triveni Singh said that the CEIR platform allows users to block a lost or stolen mobile by entering their IMEI number, uploading a copy of their police complaint or FIR, and verifying their identity. "The phone is blacklisted across all telecom operators in India. If the device is found or switched on anywhere, law enforcement is alerted. Police can then initiate recovery by tracking the device's activity via cell tower triangulation and location pings," he said. "It's like an Aadhaar for phones. Every device has a digital fingerprint. Once blocked, it is useless to thieves but priceless to us," said a senior cybercell officer. The police have urged citizens to note down their IMEI numbers (printed on the device box or dial *#06# on the phone) and act fast when a device is lost. "It's no longer about chasing after criminals blindly. With data and digital footprints, we can now outsmart them," said ACP Mahanagar, Neha Tripathi.
