Lost Your Phone in India?
Here's Exactly What to Do

Step 1 — Do This Within the First Hour

1.1 Find Your IMEI Number (If You Don't Have It)

Your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit number that identifies your phone. You'll need it for police and carrier reporting.

• Dial *#06# — works on any Android (if you have another device or SIM)
• Phone box / invoice — printed on the packaging
• Google account — sign in at myaccount.google.com/device-activity to see your device listed with IMEI
• Settings — Settings → About Phone → IMEI (if you can still access the device)

Save your IMEI now while you still have your phone. Screenshot it and email it to yourself. You cannot retrieve it from a locked or off device.

1.2 Use Google Find My Device

Open findmydevice.google.com on any browser and sign in with the Google account linked to your lost phone. You can:

• Play Sound — rings the phone at full volume for 5 minutes, even if on silent
• Mark as Lost — locks the device with a PIN and displays a custom message with a callback number on the lock screen
• Erase Device — factory-resets as a last resort (irreversible; location tracking stops after this)

The device must be turned on and connected to the internet. If it's offline, the action will trigger the moment it reconnects.

1.3 Block Your SIM Card Immediately

Call your carrier to suspend your SIM. This prevents unauthorised calls, OTP abuse, and data usage. You can get a duplicate SIM with the same number once you have ID proof.

1.4 Secure Your Bank and UPI Apps

Your SIM block stops new OTPs — but it does not automatically disable UPI. Take these steps immediately:

• Call your bank's 24/7 helpline and request a temporary block on mobile banking
• Change your Google, email, and payment app passwords from another device
• UPI transactions still require your UPI PIN (known only to you) so the immediate risk is lower, but block proactively
• Check your bank statement and report any suspicious transactions in writing

Step 2 — Within 24 Hours: File an FIR

Filing a First Information Report (FIR) is mandatory to block your phone's IMEI via the government's CEIR system and to protect yourself legally if the device is misused.

What to bring to the police station:

• Your IMEI number (or phone's box/invoice)
• Government photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, voter ID)
• Purchase receipt or warranty card
• A written statement with: date, time, location of loss, phone make/model/colour, and circumstances

What happens after FIR:

• Police register the IMEI in the ZIPNET system, which allows them to request telecom data from operators
• You receive an FIR acknowledgement — keep this safe, you need it for CEIR blocking and insurance claims
• Many states (Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) allow online FIR filing for lost property — check your state police website

Step 3 — Block Your IMEI via Sanchar Saathi / CEIR

The Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in) is a Government of India initiative by the Department of Telecommunications. It lets you block a stolen phone across all Indian networks simultaneously — even if the thief inserts a new SIM, the device will not work.

How to block your IMEI:

1. Visit ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in (CEIR section of Sanchar Saathi)
2. Click "Block Stolen/Lost Mobile"
3. Enter your IMEI number, your current mobile number, and the FIR number
4. Upload copies of your FIR, government ID, and purchase invoice (if available)
5. Submit — the block is applied within 24 hours

Other things you can do on Sanchar Saathi:

• TAFCOP — Check how many SIM cards are registered to your name and deactivate unknown ones at tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in
• Know Your IMEI — Verify if your phone is genuine and not blacklisted before purchase
• Unblock device — If you recover your phone, you can unblock the IMEI through the same portal

Key advantage of CEIR: Once blocked, the phone cannot make or receive calls, send SMS, or use mobile data on any Indian network — regardless of which SIM is inserted. This makes the device worthless to thieves.

Step 4 — Monitor and Follow Up

• Check your Sanchar Saathi request status — you'll get SMS updates on blocking progress
• Verify all SIMs registered to your name via TAFCOP and deactivate any unknown connections
• Review financial transactions weekly for 30 days after theft
• Get a duplicate SIM from your carrier with your Aadhaar/ID proof
• If the device is recovered: visit the CEIR portal to unblock your IMEI before trying to use it again

The Smarter Way: Be Prepared Before Loss Happens

Every step above becomes faster and more effective if you've installed a tracking app before your phone is lost. Google Find My Device is a good start, but it only works while the device is online and not factory-reset.

Raksha is designed specifically for phone recovery in Indian conditions — OEM battery-saver workarounds, family circle tracking, and remote commands (ring, flashlight, lock screen) that persist even when the phone is idle. When your family member's phone goes missing, you can trigger a ring from your phone instantly — no login required.

• Real-time GPS location shared with your family circle
• Ring, flash, or lock the device remotely — even from Doze/battery-saver mode
• SOS alerts sent to family members with live location
• Works on all Android phones — Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus, Redmi, Realme

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