A joint statement by Senator Richard Alston, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and Senator Chris Ellison, the Minister for Justice and Customs, said the Commonwealth Government would make it an offence to 'rebirth' stolen mobile phones by modifying their unique International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI). The offence will carry a maximum two years imprisonment.
Telstra, Vodafone and Optus have blocked the IMEI numbers of mobile phones that have been reported stolen or missing.
"However at present it is not illegal to change a telephone's IMEI and thereby evade a mobile telephone block, although in some cases it would amount to fraud," said Alston. "The proposed offence will criminalise the illegitimate modification of a mobile telephone's IMEI."
