Abstract
Technological advances in the mobile devices industry have made living more flexible and prosperous. Anything can be done through smartphones that have become part of human life. However, the security risks associated with these devices, such as theft and counterfeit, are increasing, and their detection remains challenging for many reasons. For example, the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is often manipulating after the crime to conceal and prevent the traceability of the device. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of the proposed solutions to detect the fake IMEI number. Also, we describe the IMEI structure and clarify the areas from which it is used. In addition, we discuss the crimes associated with the IMEI change for the stolen devices.