New motherboard, cloned IMEI? Should I worry? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I bought a new motherboard for my LG G5 H820. The new motherboard is an H850.
The seller claimed it was genuine blah blah... their website seemed OK and it said 2-3 day shipping.
Took 5 weeks to get here, but I eventually got it installed and it works really well. The only problem is it will not take updates, even with an active AT&T sim card in it.
I tried to unlock the bootloader so I could flash a custom rom, but got an error when trying to download the bin from LG's dev site. I contacted LG via email, and they said the IMEI is not listed.
I looked up the IMEI online, and a few sites say it's an old samsung flipphone. So I believe it's been cloned.
Should I worry? I realize I will never be able to get OTA updates on this now, and won't be able to unlock the bootloader... but to me I don't care that much as long as I can flash the Open Euro kdz (will try tonight). I just want to know if it's a big deal that my IMEI is fake or not... I don't think I will be getting a refund, it was clearly a shady seller I bought it from.

Related

[Q] T-Mobile lied to me.

Hello XDA,
I have been here a lot of times, but didn't remember my essential info to log on as before.
I was in USA recently and someone stole my backpack. I went to t mobile, to buy a phone. And I specified, I need it to be unlocked because in a month I am flying back home. I paid the device normal price 350 dollars for an S3 and got it or 300 dollars don't remember. I am now home and the device doesn't work. And I want to unlock it and remove the T mobile firmware.
is it possible?
Regards
Mario
Mazzerstruck said:
Hello XDA,
I have been here a lot of times, but didn't remember my essential info to log on as before.
I was in USA recently and someone stole my backpack. I went to t mobile, to buy a phone. And I specified, I need it to be unlocked because in a month I am flying back home. I paid the device normal price 350 dollars for an S3 and got it or 300 dollars don't remember. I am now home and the device doesn't work. And I want to unlock it and remove the T mobile firmware.
is it possible?
Regards
Mario
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure where the lie is...? They don't sell the phones unlocked, even when purchased out right. If you were told that, most likely the CSR just didn't know what they were talking(common) about rather than actively lying to you. You should be able to contact their customer service to obtain an unlock code though if you have proof of purchase. Other than that, if it isn't updated (not likely) past 4.1.2 you can unlock it yourself via hidden menu. If you are on 4.3, this method no longer works that I have seen and you'll need to purchase an unlock code from a reputable source if T-Mobile refuses to help or you are unable to provide them with the necessary details for them to give you the code.
es0tericcha0s said:
Not sure where the lie is...? They don't sell the phones unlocked, even when purchased out right. If you were told that, most likely the CSR just didn't know what they were talking(common) about rather than actively lying to you. You should be able to contact their customer service to obtain an unlock code though if you have proof of purchase. Other than that, if it isn't updated (not likely) past 4.1.2 you can unlock it yourself via hidden menu. If you are on 4.3, this method no longer works that I have seen and you'll need to purchase an unlock code from a reputable source if T-Mobile refuses to help or you are unable to provide them with the necessary details for them to give you the code.
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I asked her like 4 times. Will it work in my country? The answer was yes, and the last time was, are you going to ask me again sir?
Can someone direct me to the secret menu? I am in my country now. Will it unlock?
I am on odin and I cant flash back the 4.1.1. why is that. If I flash it back I will be able to use the secret code
So, you got it from the US, and not you are home (can I as where?) and it doesn't accept your sim card?
Do you have an authentic receipt with the full price, and/or proof of purchase?
if so you can contact an authorized Samsung dealer in your area and describe the issue, and they will give you the unlock codes.
Something similar happened to me: I bought a brand new Galaxy S3 from Europe and sent it as a gift to the Middle east, where it didn't work, but with the receipt and some patience (a week/10 days), Samsung sent us the unlock codes.
Mazzerstruck said:
I am on odin and I cant flash back the 4.1.1. why is that. If I flash it back I will be able to use the secret code
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, once you update to latest version (4.3) with its modem, you can't use old unlock codes (unless you backed up your EFS), but I guess your only hope is Samsung, try them first.

LG V30 H932 Won't Permanently Unlock

Hello my LG V30 H932 will not Permanently Unlock. The phone was paid off in full and I waited 40days like Tmobile requirements want. The phone which was brand new was replaced due to a malfunction with the display. So they gave me a warranty exchanged phone. And i have had trouble unlocking the phone ever since. Tmobile ended up giving me 2 more warranty exchanged phones thinking that this would finally solve the problem with the unlock. And after trying and trying the phone will not unlock despite being on the phone with Tmobile tech support for weeks (they tried everything from Manager Overrides, whitelisting the IMEI, putting the phone through escalation, etc) and they still were not able to unlock my phone. The Device Unlock App keeps saying "unlock failed". Finally Tmobile suggested using a third party online unlocking service which they even paid for and still this unlocking service wasn't able to unlock my phone.
Has anyone else ever had a problem with Tmobile not being able to permanently unlock their phone via Device Unlock App? I keep telling Tmobile i think it's because the phone is a warranty exchanged phone and this is why it's not working. But they said no that shouldn't cause any issues. Anyone else know what I could do to get the phone unlocked? Highly appreciate any advice and help and thank you for your time.
No issues with mine. T-Mobile sent me the unlock the day I bought my device (paid in full) and no issues usings other carrier SIM's in it.
Had two v30 with the same issue. For me allowing the unlock app to access all the permissions fixed it for me.
a34 said:
Had two v30 with the same issue. For me allowing the unlock app to access all the permissions fixed it for me.
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Click to collapse
Yes I have all permissions allowed and still not working.
Before i got my LG V30 replaced with the warranty exchanged one (bc of the display malfunction that i had) the phone did permanently unlock for me. On the Brand New Lg V30 it unlocked just fine. Then when they sent the warranty exchanged v30 it would not unlock anymore. I think the problem is with the warranty exchanged phones. Just my thought.
michy21 said:
Hello my LG V30 H932 will not Permanently Unlock. The phone was paid off in full and I waited 40days like Tmobile requirements want. The phone which was brand new was replaced due to a malfunction with the display. So they gave me a warranty exchanged phone.
And i have had trouble unlocking the phone ever since. Tmobile ended up giving me 2 more warranty exchanged phones thinking that this would finally solve the problem with the unlock. And after trying and trying the phone will not unlock despite being on the phone with Tmobile tech support for weeks (they tried everything from Manager Overrides, whitelisting the IMEI, putting the phone through escalation, etc) and they still were not able to unlock my phone. The Device Unlock App keeps saying "unlock failed".
Finally Tmobile suggested using a third party online unlocking service which they even paid for and still this unlocking service wasn't able to unlock my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
michy21 said:
Before i got my LG V30 replaced with the warranty exchanged one (bc of the display malfunction that i had) the phone did permanently unlock for me. On the Brand New Lg V30 it unlocked just fine.
Then when they sent the warranty exchanged v30 it would not unlock anymore. I think the problem is with the warranty exchanged phones. Just my thought.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are probably correct, but that's an internal T-mobile issue. They have it so locked down even that 3rd party unlocking service can't touch it. I find it amusing they actually paid for a 3rd party unlocking service for you. That was them admitting they really screwed it up.
Okay today i called Tmobile one more time to ask about my IMEI. I wanted to make sure that the IMEI was in good standing. And that it was not on anyone else's account by mistake. Everything looked good. After explaining my situation again for the 100th time, the account specialist said she can transfer me to their Advanced Technical Support Team which Tmobile has never tried before. She also was perplexed bc on their end my phone says it is eligible to be unlocked. Anyway After speaking with the representative she said she would submit my case for escalation with their Technical Engineers. This we have never done. So in afew days i should hear back from them and i hope and pray that finally the phone will be able to Unlock Permanently! If not then there is nothing else i can do. I have tried what seems like everything. Unless anyone from XDA has the solution! Updates coming soon.
Also i want to add that at one point a technical support representative said that they will request that they replace my phone with a new one and not warranty exchanged one. He said he can't guarantee that tmobile will approve of this but he would try anyway. But of course i did not receive a new phone but the warranty exchanged phone instead. I just think tmobile could have tried harder to compensate me some how, but no nothing. But i think if after the technical engineers get back to me and still the phone won't unlock i am going to tell tmobile that i will file a complaint about this. And even share on social media how they have failed me. I will also tell them that I'm really disappointed that they didn't offer me any compensation for this situation. Tmobile has failed big time and what are they going to do about it??? Most likely nothing..
@michy21: This is troubling for sure. I gather you must still be with T-Mobile (or you wouldn't be able to use your SIM locked H932).
I too unlocked my TMO V30+ after 2 months using the Device Unlock app, and switched to an AT&T MVNO. T-Mobile reception is terrible inside our apartment, so I had no choice. But I worry what will happen if I need warranty repair (my screen just got a dead pixel today) or even after OS updates. T-Mobile probably won't grant unlock again without me being a subscriber.
They treated me horrible when I ported out, and I swore I'll never go back to them -- too bad because I really liked T-Mobile up till then, and would've come back when they roll out Band 71 in our area. So yes, this worries me.
I'll be quite interested to hear the outcome of your story.
You know I feel your pain. I bought a V10 off swappa a couple years ago and the same thing happened to me. There's a thread in the tmo V10 section where I listed the direct contact info of a lady named Jennifer I believe. She was the one to finally help me and make it happen and is quite high up with tmo. I went through all the same crap as you for months. She's the one to help you. Everyone else is useless no matter how much they will tell you otherwise. Give me a few minutes to find the thread.
Oh and I actually filed a complaint with the FCC . You need to do that ASAP too.
---------- Post added at 01:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 AM ----------
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...nlocking-t-mobile-lg-g5-bought-t3366320/page2
Post 11
markbencze said:
You know I feel your pain. I bought a V10 off swappa a couple years ago and the same thing happened to me. There's a thread in the tmo V10 section where I listed the direct contact info of a lady named Jennifer I believe. She was the one to finally help me and make it happen and is quite high up with tmo. I went through all the same crap as you for months. She's the one to help you. Everyone else is useless no matter how much they will tell you otherwise. Give me a few minutes to find the thread.
Oh and I actually filed a complaint with the FCC . You need to do that ASAP too.
---------- Post added at 01:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 AM ----------
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...nlocking-t-mobile-lg-g5-bought-t3366320/page2
Post 11
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Wow! I am definitely going to email her and give her a call on Monday. I really hope that she can help me. And I will also file a complaint with the fcc. Thanks so much for this contact info.
michy21 said:
Wow! I am definitely going to email her and give her a call on Monday. I really hope that she can help me. And I will also file a complaint with the fcc. Thanks so much for this contact info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. FCC should be your priority. I highly advise you to word in such a way that portrays them as "unwilling or refusing to unlock a device that meets the criteria". That will get a better response and they will want to fix that to be able to close the ticket. You gotta play dirty a bit. That's what I did and it worked quite well.
markbencze said:
Good luck. FCC should be your priority. I highly advise you to word in such a way that portrays them as "unwilling or refusing to unlock a device that meets the criteria". That will get a better response and they will want to fix that to be able to close the ticket. You gotta play dirty a bit. That's what I did and it worked quite well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just finished filing the complaint and emailed jennifer. Hope to hear from someone soon!
I just got done talking to Nicole from the executive office at Tmobile. She called me regarding my complaint I filed to the FCC. And she couldn't get my phone to unlock, but she said she is going to send me an Unlocked phone instead. It's not brand new but a warranty exchanged one that is in excellent condition. So finally I'm happy with the outcome.

Lg g6 us997

Just picked one up to replace my soon to be retired V8 Pro. Went to go and update to try and get Oreo on it and getting error message that phone is not registered yet. I have seen several threads around but nothing saying how to resolve it. AT&T has the imei updated and phone is otherwise working fine.
I bought two of these on clearance from Walmart. One updates just fine, the other has this issue. I searched for a long time and can't find anything. The one with the issue was also unable to register for the LG 2 year promise warranty, it's like LG made phones and never recorded their IMEIs. I emailed the warranty support my proof of purchase and they added it to their system but I still can't update. KDZs seem to be the only way to update these phones. LG really isn't instilling confidence in me, even with their 2-year promise. I basically only buy LG devices on clearance because of all the issues they have.
petard said:
it's like LG made phones and never recorded their IMEIs.
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Click to collapse
Best description I've read. I sent my IMEI in with a brand new box as proof and they told me it's not in their database. What the heck?

LG Promise experiences

Recently my G6, purchased in September 2017, developed a hardware problem in the power button/fingerprint reader. It's in the second year of warranty through LG Promise. I still like the G6, and since they're now bargain priced at B&H, I decided to buy a new one before returning the old one, planning to warranty the old one and keep it as a spare.
Getting warranty service on the old one was fairly straightforward with a couple of small quirks. Regular LG support doesn't handle it. Instead they transferred me to another number where the person just answered Hello, but she was pretty efficient about taking my information and promised me I would be contacted by email with instructions. Those showed up a day or two later, and after providing them with photos of the defective phone (to prove it wasn't physically damaged) they sent me a prepaid mailing label and shipping instructions, with the promise that once the tracking showed the package en route, they'd send out a replacement. Which they did.
While waiting for that, I went to register my new phone with LG Promise, and that didn't go nearly as well. First I discovered that they're cutting off registrations as of purchase date 06/15/2019. It doesn't say anything on the website about that. Fortunately I had two receipts for the purchase (long story there), and the earlier one was dated just before that. But then the website told me the IMEI was not valid. I contacted them by email for help, and they said they didn't have the phone in their system and I should wait a few days for them to validate it. It's been five days and I'm still waiting for that.
In the meantime, the replacement phone arrived. They sent me a new-in-box unlocked G7. That's actually very nice of them, since it's an upgrade, but I can't root it (no bootloader unlock available from LG) so I really can't use it and am selling it. My wife and I always have the same phone, and I want to stay with the G6 a while longer rather than buy new phones for both of us.
So the experience with LG Promise, and LG phones in general, has been a mixed bag. They seem to have some serious internal communication problems. I had the same IMEI issue when I went to get a bootloader unlock for the new phone, and it took them a week to resolve that. (Regular LG support was no help in that regard; their people are completely unaware that the developer program even exists and told me that LG never provides bootloader unlock and developer.lge.com is a hacker site.) I like the phone itself but I'm not crazy about the support and will probably switch brands next time around.
QUOTE
their people are completely unaware that the developer program even exists and told me that LG never provides bootloader unlock and developer.lge.com is a hacker site.)
UNQUOTE
Till date, they still say the same thing. ROFL

Japanese LG V60 Thinq sim unlock

i just wanted to start a thread for the japanese version of this phone which seems nobody have. you can get them cheap from japan for less than 100 USD that's locked to one of the big 3 there. I got a softbank one and asked around so far there is no way to defeat the sim lock. the device can have bootloader unlock option is there. is there a way to remove sim lock once the phone is rooted? sony is nice you can use qunlock tool and doesn't matter what lock. my first time messing with LG and an oppo that is another story, waiting for some indian dude to send the 16 digit code. the LG i asked ebay services and one website so far nobody can unlock it. so i come here to see if there are other ways to unlock it.
also are the hardware the same as other v60? i know sony xperia have different modem hardware and have some bands locked down.
these are nice enough for the price you can enjoy for audio and home or toddler use.
I don't know the answer to your specific question but I will tell you I tried getting a remote sim unlock (from a site that seemed to have good reviews) and it ended up bricking my phone. The only reason it's booting again now is from help from a member on here. The problem now is it has no imei number at all.
Before I tried the remote unlock I bought an unlock code from 2 different websites the first refunded me in a few hours saying they could not unlock my device and the second one never sent anything or refunded so I've sent an email to them.
So I would be wary of the remote unlocks if you found any available.
so far i tried 3 companies.
1. unlockbase, payment goes to unlockjp.com, sent 10 usd, said will refund, this one is for an oppo phone. this one you have to chat with whatsapp and original wanted to send money with SBI bank, DBBL bank, BML, USDT Tether us, all Indian stuff and also take paypal just a little more money. the guy on the chat seems nice. even has their own facebook page, i'll give them a few days to refund.
2. the unlocking company, also can't find code for the LG and will refund take up to 10 days. will wait, very good communications from this one.
3. cellunlocker.net, pretty much refund the same day, this one is good company.
i gave up unlocking the oppo and LG, AU and Softbank respectively for now. just gonna pay for the two sony phone unlock with qunlock. can't go wrong with that one. just some info for the internet if they come across these companies. i will write back when i get money back for the first two.
Oppo has a software unlock but i think only works for the older models.

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