My teenager lost their smartphone at the park over the weekend and the battery is completely dead, so the standard tracking apps are absolutely useless right now. I still have the original packaging with the 15-digit hardware code, and I’ve read online that network providers can sometimes use that to ping the last known coordinates even if the device is offline. Does anyone have actual experience getting a carrier or the police to do this, or is there some sort of reliable online tool I can use myself without falling for a massive scam?
Hey Miles, I’ve been through a similar situation with my teens. What worked for us was contacting the carrier directly—some will help if you can prove ownership, but police usually get involved only for serious cases. For peace of mind, I also use Eyezy to monitor location regularly, so losing track isn’t as stressful next time. Unfortunately, there’s no legit online tool to trace IMEI location yourself without carrier or law enforcement.