iPhone Different IMEI number for the same phone

[ren857]

Hello. I'm a long time lurker but I rarely post, but this has got me perplexed.

I purchased an iPhone 5 off of eBay that had iOS 6.1 and was jailbroken. It was also unlocked (the seller was using it on Straight Talk) but it is a Sprint phone. (I removed the iPhone 5 nano app to try to activate it on Sprint).

The "Problem" is that the IMEI number on the back of the phone and the IMEI number in the About section in the settings do not match. They are different numbers.

I asked the seller about it and he states that the back was replaced because of scratches.

Does this sound feasible to you? Is it possible the IMEI number could have been changed?

 

[TC25]

I am sure the hardware experts will chime in, but I was always under the impression that the IMEI was burned into the hardware and cannot be changed. Also, who changed the back, the owner or Apple? If Apple, they should have a record of this.

 

[ren857]

I am sure the hardware experts will chime in, but I was always under the impression that the IMEI was burned into the hardware and cannot be changed. Also, who changed the back, the owner or Apple? If Apple, they should have a record of this.

I don't know who changed the back.

 

[Applejuiced]

Yep, sounds like the back was changed.
The internal phones IMEI of the logic board cannot be altered or changed.

 

[Demonface]

Most likely the back was changed as stated by previous members.

 

[ren857]

Yep, sounds like the back was changed.
The internal phones IMEI of the logic board cannot be altered or changed.

That makes me feel better. I just wanted to make sure that the IMEI in the phone couldn't be changed.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Samanosuke]

That makes me feel better. I just wanted to make sure that the IMEI in the phone couldn't be changed.

Thanks everyone.

There are ways to change the imei in the phone but that's illegal... more than likely the back was changed. You'll be fine. I wouldn't really worry about it.

 

[ren857]

New question: Will this be an issue if the phone needs some kind of repair? From the apple store or sprint?

 

[TC25]

New question: Will this be an issue if the phone needs some kind of repair? From the apple store or sprint?

No.

 

[canucksfan88]

New question: Will this be an issue if the phone needs some kind of repair? From the apple store or sprint?

Nope.

The warranty will be taken off the IEMI number that is on the phone (software). It is only different (i think), because the previous owner changed the back.

 

[ren857]

Okay. I thought that Apple would not do any repairs because they can claim that the phone was physically altered because of the different IMEI numbers.

My power button is having issues and I thought about taking it to the Apple store. However, I don't want to lose my jailbreak. Ugh.