[General Topics] Viva La Android R.I.P.:
I am licensed by both the Kentucky and Tennessee Bar Associations for the practice of law within those two states. Nevertheless, do not construe this information as legal advice. Always seek out competent legal counsel if faced with a legal dilemma of any kind -- counsel who is knowledgeable in the particular field of law in which you seek advice or legal guidance.

It has been argued on a number of blogs, forums and platforms that there is not a US state or federal statute which explicitly prohibits the practice of altering a mobile device's unique identifiers, such as IMEI/MEID numbers.

Those who argue this point are technically correct. However, the absence or omission of a criminal law that prohibits a particular action does not automatically render said action lawful. For example, there is also not a statute specifically stating that I cannot mame, kill and dismember my wife with a meat cleaver, but I can assure you these actions are otherwise prohibited under the various individual state homicide statutes. (I'm actually not married, but you get the point I'm sure.) This principle applies equally to altering the IMEI/MEID numbers of a particular mobile device in a manner so as to conceal or spoof the true identity of the device (emphasis added). There is a catch-all provision of applicable law that applies here. Offenders within the jurisdiction of the United States are prosecuted by the Department of Homeland Security and/or the US Secret Service, via the United States Attorney General's Office and the US Justice Department, under the federal statue

18 U.S. Code § 1029 - Fraud and related activity in connection with access devices.​

"Access devices" is a term that has evolved progressively with the ever-growing data technology era. Access Device means any electronic device you use to access account info and/or view electronic documents. This includes , but is not limited to, a traditional computer such as a desktop or laptop computer; or a mobile device such as a tablet computer or a smartphone. While the offender must possess criminal intent to perpetrate a fraud under this statute, in order to be adjudicated guilty, a prima facie case can be made against a suspect on a mere showing.that a mobile device's unique identifiers have been altered in a manner which would conceal the true identity of the device. In other words, a suspect can be deemed to possess the requisite criminal intent to commit fraud on the mere basis that the suspect altered a mobile device's unique identifiers in a manner which concealed the true identity of the device. This begs the question, "is altering a MEID/IMEI number a crime in and of itself in the US?" The plain answer to this question of law, unfortunately, is not simply yes or no. The above-referenced criminal statute includes language prohibiting the alteration of device identifiers for purposes of unlawfully accessing a mobile network, but also prohibits possessing or trafficking in altered mobile devices. The answer here, in terms of legal or illegal, is better stated as not necessarily illegal; the prima facie component isn't to say that every person who alters an IMEI or MEID is de facto guilty of a crime, but the legal concept certainly infers that the person could be guilty of a crime. It really depends on whether the US government and its agents wish to pursue a criminal prosecution against a particular suspect. Hence, the legality of the practice of altering unique mobile device identifiers is based on a totality of the circumstances and facts of a particular investigation. The penalty range for a person convicted under this statute is 5 to 15 years in prison for each offense, a substantial fine, and forfeiture of any altered access devices. In all reality, I certainly don't see the US government going after Android enthusiasts, developers and modders who are legitimately altering device identifiers for a practical development purpose, and not for fraudulent or nefarious purposes. Nor have I ever heard of or personally seen the government targeting members of the custom Android community in this regard. This is for informational purposes, so use and apply the info however you wish.

Moreover, discussing methods and ways of spoofing or altering unique mobile device identifiers is strictly prohibited on XDA. This is the only information I can give on the subject. Hope it helps. Mr. @Oswald Boelcke hashes out an excellent general legal analysis below, in terms of the legality of this subject matter within some other countries and jurisdictions globally. He also outlines the applicable XDA rules and guidelines on this subject, and what exactly is allowed and disallowed on the platform.