The most expensive unlock mistake is ordering against the wrong carrier. Carrier identification reads the activation record for the IMEI and returns the operator that owns it, the sold-to country, and whether the SIM lock is still on — three facts that decide which tier applies, and whether any tier applies at all.
The activation policy names a specific operator. Submitting the IMEI to any other operator returns "not our device", and those refusals are not refunded because the query was answered correctly.
Brand and network are not the same thing: Cricket runs on AT&T, Metro on T-Mobile, Visible on Verizon, and each keeps its own record on that network.
The free route fails for one of four reasons, and only the last one needs money: the device is still financed; the account was closed with a balance; the buyer is not the account holder; or the IMEI is reported. Everything else is a paperwork problem the carrier can fix.
This is the cheapest service in the catalogue and the one that decides what to buy next. On a second-hand purchase it is the difference between a working unlock and a refused order that costs the price of the tier.
| Service | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| GSMA Worldwide Blacklist Status - Apple & Generic | $0.02 | Apple |
| US T-Mobile Fully Paid / Paid off / Eligible Unlock Clean - iPhone 15-16 Series | $45 | Apple · T-Mobile · United States |
| US AT&T Unlock Unpaid Semi Premium 100% Success - iPhone Xs-SE-12 Series | $80 | Apple · AT&T · United States |
| Remove AT&T SSN & ZIP - All iPhones | $99 | AT&T |
4 services in this guide. Prices are live; sign in for volume pricing.
The IMEI was submitted to an operator that does not own the record.
A carrier check by IMEI, for a few cents.
Yes for Cricket, Metro and Visible.
Yes, the SIM lock check does.
Use a regional unlock tier instead.
Last checked 2026-10-28. Carrier rules are summarised from the operators’ own pages; where a rule has changed since, the operator’s page wins.