Unlocking mobile 'phones and removing CCJ's
Discussion
Chaps,
Walking down the street earlier on this week, I became aware that there are a number of shops which advertise "Unlocking mobiles - all makes." It would seem (although I could be quite wrong) that a mobile telephone which has been reported stolen can be locked and therefore not used, but someone has found a way of un-locking the beggars and therefore making them usable again, which would be a bonus for the theif. A quick search on EBay suggests that for a few quid, you can buy kit which allows you to this an unlimited number of times. How is this done/is it legal (please tell me "No.")
Same goes for CCJ's. If you are a bad boy and have debts, you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you. This blemises your credit rating, and people will take this into account if you apply for a loan etc. However, a flick through the back of any mid-to-lower-end-of-the-market redtop or magazine reveals a number of adverts from people who offer to remove CCJ convictions. Again, how is this done, and is it legal, and does it work?
From my naive viewpoint, both of the above seem to be circumvents for good systems designed to deter low-lives from low-life-type activities. How can they work?
Oli.
Walking down the street earlier on this week, I became aware that there are a number of shops which advertise "Unlocking mobiles - all makes." It would seem (although I could be quite wrong) that a mobile telephone which has been reported stolen can be locked and therefore not used, but someone has found a way of un-locking the beggars and therefore making them usable again, which would be a bonus for the theif. A quick search on EBay suggests that for a few quid, you can buy kit which allows you to this an unlimited number of times. How is this done/is it legal (please tell me "No.")
Same goes for CCJ's. If you are a bad boy and have debts, you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you. This blemises your credit rating, and people will take this into account if you apply for a loan etc. However, a flick through the back of any mid-to-lower-end-of-the-market redtop or magazine reveals a number of adverts from people who offer to remove CCJ convictions. Again, how is this done, and is it legal, and does it work?
From my naive viewpoint, both of the above seem to be circumvents for good systems designed to deter low-lives from low-life-type activities. How can they work?
Oli.
Unlocking mobile phones simply refers to the process of reversing the block that certain networks put on their handsets to stop them being used on other networks.
Eg you have an Orange phone that is out of contract and want to use a T-Mobile PAYG SIM, normally this wouldn't work as the phone will be locked to Orange. If you have the phone unlocked then you will be able to use it on another network.
When a phone is stolen the network block the phone's IMEI number, this is a 16 digit number IIRC which is burnt into the phone, it is transmitted everytime the phone is used. It is like the VIN of a car and is meant to be unchangeable. There are now dodgy outfits who will burn in different IMEIs so moody phones can be used again. I seem to remember some new legislation within the last couple of years making this a specific offence.
Eg you have an Orange phone that is out of contract and want to use a T-Mobile PAYG SIM, normally this wouldn't work as the phone will be locked to Orange. If you have the phone unlocked then you will be able to use it on another network.
When a phone is stolen the network block the phone's IMEI number, this is a 16 digit number IIRC which is burnt into the phone, it is transmitted everytime the phone is used. It is like the VIN of a car and is meant to be unchangeable. There are now dodgy outfits who will burn in different IMEIs so moody phones can be used again. I seem to remember some new legislation within the last couple of years making this a specific offence.
When they say unlocking phones I think that they mean the network dependancy that the companies build in so you can't use the phone on another network. As far as I can make out, when you connect to your network each time you turn your phone on it sends the serial number, the serial number can then be blocked by the operator so stolen phones are useless.
Beaten to it. Good to know I wasn't talking bollocks though.
>> Edited by thebluemonkey on Thursday 10th February 00:38
Beaten to it. Good to know I wasn't talking bollocks though.
>> Edited by thebluemonkey on Thursday 10th February 00:38
Re. the CCJs... I'm only guessing here, but it may be this:
The credit companies refer to a couple of agencies (Equifax is one) who keep your credit records. If they discover you have CCJs against you, it goes on record. After a certain length of time, providing you are a good boy, you can apply to have the record cleared so that future credit searches turn you up clean. My guess is that those advertisers are offering to do for you (for a fee) what you could do for yourself (free), to wit: write to Equifax and ask for the record to be cleared.
However, I am quite prepared to be told I'm wrong.
The credit companies refer to a couple of agencies (Equifax is one) who keep your credit records. If they discover you have CCJs against you, it goes on record. After a certain length of time, providing you are a good boy, you can apply to have the record cleared so that future credit searches turn you up clean. My guess is that those advertisers are offering to do for you (for a fee) what you could do for yourself (free), to wit: write to Equifax and ask for the record to be cleared.
However, I am quite prepared to be told I'm wrong.
zcacogp said:
Chaps,
From my naive viewpoint, both of the above seem to be circumvents for good systems designed to deter low-lives from low-life-type activities. How can they work?
Oli.
Re: the CCJ issue. As far as I'm aware CCJ's can NOT be removed other than through the passage of time, they automatically come off after 6 years. I was unlucky enough to receive a judgement from my University when I couldn't pay my tuition fees one year. It stayed on my credit record for those 6 years and in that time totally screwed my ability to get a credit card even though I was earning well above the average salary.
I tried going through one of these CCJ removal companies and all they do is add an explanation to your credit file of why you had the judgement and an update on your current financial situation.
Avoid them like the plague if you have a CCJ and get in touch directly with Experian who will be able to give you the correct advice.
They (CCJs) are a complete PITA and even when I started my own limited company they brought it up.
By the way it would be a foolish generalisation to lump everyone who has a judgement as a low-life.
>> Edited by Hilts on Thursday 10th February 01:39
Hilts said:
Chaps,
From my naive viewpoint, both of the above seem to be circumvents for good systems designed to deter low-lives from low-life-type activities. How can they work?
Oli.
By the way it would be a foolish generalisation to lump everyone who has a judgement as a low-life.
>> Edited by Hilts on Thursday 10th February 01:39
True. A CCJ occurred when I was in college over something silly like a Brittania Records payment. This had been disputed for over a year. I went away racing for a few weeks and when came back, I had one.
The figure we argued about was less than a tenner. Made getting a mortgage a hassle initially though.
markmullen said:
There are now dodgy outfits who will burn in different IMEIs so moody phones can be used again.
From what I can tell only a few handsets can do this. Phone theives seem to rely on the person not knowing their IMEI so they cannot block your phone. Typing *#06# on a nokia will make it display its IMEI, it should also be on a sticker under the battery. If your phone is lost or stolen. Send it a text quoting the IMEI and stating that it will be blocked if the finder does not make contact in a few days
sadako said:
There are now dodgy outfits who will burn in different IMEIs so moody phones can be used again.
From what I can tell only a few handsets can do this. Phone theives seem to rely on the person not knowing their IMEI so they cannot block your phone. Typing *#06# on a nokia will make it display its IMEI, it should also be on a sticker under the battery. If your phone is lost or stolen. Send it a text quoting the IMEI and stating that it will be blocked if the finder does not make contact in a few days
The network should know the IMEI as well, even if you don't.
Re. CCJ's
I was once informed that the courts have to issue the CCJ and send it to you via recorded delivery, in which you have to sign for. But the courts never do this .
A friend was told when applying for a mortgage that he had a 1K CCJ against him. He phoned the courts in question and asked for proof that he signed for letter. They then scrubbed the CCJ from his name.
I find it hard to beleive myself. But it's apparently true.
I was once informed that the courts have to issue the CCJ and send it to you via recorded delivery, in which you have to sign for. But the courts never do this
. A friend was told when applying for a mortgage that he had a 1K CCJ against him. He phoned the courts in question and asked for proof that he signed for letter. They then scrubbed the CCJ from his name.
I find it hard to beleive myself. But it's apparently true.
zcacogp said:
Same goes for CCJ's. If you are a bad boy and have debts, you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you. This blemises your credit rating, and people will take this into account if you apply for a loan etc. However, a flick through the back of any mid-to-lower-end-of-the-market redtop or magazine reveals a number of adverts from people who offer to remove CCJ convictions. Again, how is this done, and is it legal, and does it work?
its very simple actually.
even after the CCJ has been issued, you can make up some spurious excuse to go back to court to appeal and have the judgement set aside. (spurious = "first i've heard of it guv")
if the party who originally got the CCJ against you do not turn up in court then you get your motion to set aside by default.
apparently, most of these motions go through because the original party who sued and won can't be bothered to go through the rigmoral, or have moved on, or don't exist.
however, if you have paid anything towards the CCJ then you can't go back to court.
Hilts said:
By the way it would be a foolish generalisation to lump everyone who has a judgement as a low-life.
Hilts,
Useful stuff, thanks. I genuinely didn't know this.
I take your point as above, and it is probably not the best generalisation to make. However, I would guess (from an uninformed point of view) that in the main, most people with CCJ's are the sort of people who run up bills they cannot, or have no intention of, paying. Which are the sort of people I tend to call "Low-lifes."
However, as with every rule, there will people people who are unfairly caught out and labelled, and in these cases, the label won't be a fair one.
Oli.
markmullen said:
Unlocking mobile phones simply refers to the process of reversing the block that certain networks put on their handsets to stop them being used on other networks.
Eg you have an Orange phone that is out of contract and want to use a T-Mobile PAYG SIM, normally this wouldn't work as the phone will be locked to Orange. If you have the phone unlocked then you will be able to use it on another network.
When a phone is stolen the network block the phone's IMEI number, this is a 16 digit number IIRC which is burnt into the phone, it is transmitted everytime the phone is used. It is like the VIN of a car and is meant to be unchangeable. There are now dodgy outfits who will burn in different IMEIs so moody phones can be used again. I seem to remember some new legislation within the last couple of years making this a specific offence.
Yep, the IMEI is the International Mobile Equipment Identity.
The first set of numbers is the type approval code (TAC). The first two digits represent the country code. The rest make up the final assembly code. The second group of numbers identifies the manufacturer:
01 and 02 = AEG
07 and 40 = Motorola
10 and 20 = Nokia
41and 44 = Siemens
51= Sony, Siemens, Ericsson
The third set is the serial number and the last single digit is an additional number (usually 0).
The newer systems can also tell if your mobile has been cloned as you may be using multiple SIM's with the same phone etc.
I was involved in installing these phones and used to get great pleasure in blocking my mates phones if the had pi$$ed me off.
zcacogp said:
I take your point as above, and it is probably not the best generalisation to make. However, I would guess (from an uninformed point of view) that in the main, most people with CCJ's are the sort of people who run up bills they cannot, or have no intention of, paying. Which are the sort of people I tend to call "Low-lifes."
or in many cases they could be self employed people whose biggest customer goes bust on them.
mybrainhurts said:
The real problem with CCJ's is that you can get lumbered with one if you go to Court, convinced you're right, then lose the case......
this is a misconception.
if you lose a case you dont get lumbered with a CCJ.
what you get is the opportunity to pay the amount. if the amount is unpaid after 30 days - then your CCJ gets entered.
most people who get a CCJ have it entered because they couldn't pay the money in the first place. the other party needs to get a judgement so that they can serve the bailiffs and recover their money formally.
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