Sprint Announces Collaboration to Help Prevent the Trade and Sale of Stolen Smartphones

Carrier adds its lost and stolen device data to Recipero’s CheckMEND international stolen-property tool to create a robust device-checking process

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 05, 2014 – Today, Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) announced it is teaming up with Recipero to help prevent the trade and sale of stolen consumer electronics, including Sprint smartphones. All Sprint retail buyback portals now employ Recipero’s CheckMEND online analytics tool, in addition to checking other internal and external databases, to help identify mobile devices that have been reported lost and stolen. The agreement will also provide consumers and law enforcement greater access to Sprint data on lost and stolen phones.

The CheckMEND database is the most complete international listing of lost and stolen mobile devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law-enforcement entities globally. By evaluating all devices using the CheckMEND tool, Sprint can help further prevent smartphones that have been reported lost or stolen from being accepted into its buyback programs.

In addition, Sprint is helping to eliminate trafficking in stolen mobile devices in the U.S. and abroad by submitting the respective identification numbers of all devices that have been reported to Sprint as lost or stolen into Recipero’s CheckMEND database.

Because the CheckMEND database is available to consumers and law-enforcement agencies, consumers are now able to verify that a pre-owned Sprint smartphone has not been reported lost or stolen by running a CheckMEND report before purchasing the device. Similarly law enforcement is now able to verify the status of a Sprint mobile device using Recipero’s online tool for law enforcement.

“Preserving the safety of our customers, and preventing mobile-device-related crime by eliminating the ability to trade in stolen devices is consistent with Sprint’s mission of providing unmatched customer service,” said Jeff Auman, Sprint vice president-Product Operations. “We’re proud to enter into a new relationship with Recipero and build on our extensive work in curbing mobile device theft and the sale of stolen smartphones in the United States and abroad.”

Sprint has always maintained an internal database of lost and stolen consumer phones, and participates in an industry-wide database that tracks lost and stolen LTE devices. If a Sprint device is reported lost or stolen, Sprint will immediately disable all voice, text and data service for that device. If someone later attempts to activate that stolen phone on the Sprint network, Sprint will reject the phone as invalid.

Customers can learn more about how to protect the security and data of their Sprint phones by visiting sprint.com/stolenphone – a comprehensive site with information and frequently asked questions about device-safety measures, including software applications that allow its customers to find, lock or wipe data from their phones remotely.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE: S) offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2013 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last five years. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DSJI) North America in 2011, 2012 and 2013. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About Recipero

Recipero (www.recipero.com) is trusted by thousands of clients and data providers to securely aggregate, analyze and interrogate data. Forming part of millions of decision-making processes and transactions every month, Recipero’s device-led data and analytics solutions are provided online, in real-time, and are used globally by law enforcement, wireless carriers, insurers, recyclers, retailers and consumers.