Buying a second-hand phone in Kenya without buying a stolen one

A cheap handset with a changed IMEI becomes your problem the moment you hand over the money. These checks are quick and they are the ones that matter.

Dial *#06# in front of the seller

Compare the IMEI on screen with the one on the box and on any receipt. If they do not match, walk away — police have arrested technicians for reflashing stolen phones to alter the IMEI.

Ask for the original receipt

A genuine resale usually comes with proof of the first purchase. Its absence is not proof of theft, but combined with a mismatched IMEI it is enough to decline.

Check the Google account is removed

Factory-reset the phone in front of the seller and complete setup. If it asks for a previous owner’s Google credentials, the phone is not theirs to sell.

Be careful about the price

A current flagship at a quarter of its price is not a bargain, it is an explanation.

More guides

What to do when your phone is stolen in Kenya How to find your IMEI number (and why to write it down now)How to catch whoever is unlocking your phone Phone snatching: how protection actually works Why Google Find Hub often will not find your phone Protecting M-Pesa and your bank if your phone is taken How to block a stolen phone by IMEI in Kenya Is your phone genuine? Checking a handset in Kenya Phone specs that actually matter (and the ones that do not)Choosing an anti-theft app for Android in Kenya

Setting it up on your phone

Anti-theft for Samsung Anti-theft for Tecno Anti-theft for Infinix Anti-theft for itel Anti-theft for Xiaomi / Redmi Anti-theft for OPPO Anti-theft for realme Anti-theft for vivo Anti-theft for Huawei Anti-theft for Nokia Anti-theft for OnePlus

Common questions

Can I check an IMEI against a stolen list in Kenya?

The Communications Authority has set out a register for lost and stolen devices and required IMEI registration since 2021. Ask your operator what consumer check is available today — the practical answer has moved over time.

What if I already bought one?

Report it. Keeping a handset you have reason to believe is stolen puts you on the wrong side of it.

Guard Eye is an Android app made in Kenya. Procedures on this page follow the national process — police OB number, IMEI, operator SIM block — and the details operators ask for do change, so confirm with yours. Back to Guard Eye