Block SIM and UPI immediately if mobile is stolen. Find phone by tracking or wipe data remotely. After this, lodge an FIR with the police and a complaint on the CEIR website to avoid fraud.
If a mobile phone is stolen, the first thing many people do is go to the police station and lodge an FIR. But before doing so, you should take some important steps yourself. Keep in mind that every minute is precious after your phone is stolen. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, fraud can occur within minutes. Thieves can also drain your bank account. Therefore, before going to the police after your phone is stolen, you should do some basic things yourself. By following these things you can protect yourself from danger. Know everything here.
Try to find your phone with built-in tracking
First of all, before taking any major steps, try calling your phone from another phone. You may hear it ringing nearby, or the person who found it may respond and be willing to return it. If this doesn’t work, check your phone’s built-in tracking capabilities. For iPhone users, Apple’s Find My service can show you your device’s location on a map, play a sound to help you find it, and even show its last location when the battery drains. Android users can also use Google’s ‘Find My Device’ in a similar manner. You can use both of these services from any computer or other device by logging in to your Apple or Google account. These tracking tools not only help in locating your phone but also provide remote control options, which becomes very important when there is no hope of getting the phone back.
block sim card
If you are sure that your phone has been stolen, block the SIM card without wasting time. By doing this, no one will be able to make banking transactions or UPI payments using your number. To block a SIM card, you need to deactivate it by calling the customer care of your SIM operator. You can use someone else’s phone to call customer care. Apart from this, you can also get the SIM blocked by visiting the nearest customer center of your SIM operator.
Close UPI and Banking Transactions
To prevent thieves from withdrawing money using your banking information, you should immediately report the phone being stolen to your bank. You can get your UPI and bank account temporarily blocked by reporting the theft to the bank. Contact your bank or credit card issuer directly to alert them to potential fraud. They can freeze or cancel cards linked to your mobile payment apps and keep an eye on suspicious transactions. This will keep your bank account out of the reach of thieves. Remember that once your UPI is blocked, you will not be able to make payments. Therefore, you should transact only in cash. And carefully review your recent transactions and report any charges you didn’t make.
Delete personal information remotely
If you can’t recover your phone or you suspect it’s in the wrong hands, lock it remotely immediately. This puts another barrier between a thief and your personal information, blocking access to your apps, messages, emails, and saved payment methods. Your personal information like messages, photos, emails and chats stored in your phone is very important. If it falls into the hands of a thief, it can be misused. Both Android and iPhone users have the ability to remotely erase personal information. Android users can erase their phone’s data by going to https://www.google.com/android/find/. iPhone users can delete it by going to www.icloud.com/find. Note that when the thief tries to use the stolen phone by changing the SIM, the data will be automatically deleted. If the phone is found before erasing, this process can be stopped.
File a complaint about a lost phone
Although law enforcement agencies may not actively look for your stolen phone, filing a police report is mandatory if you face fraudulent charges or have to handle insurance claims. Because it creates an official record of the theft. For this, when you go to the police station, give as much information as possible about when and where your phone was lost or stolen. Having your phone’s IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity) or serial number available will strengthen your complaint. These numbers can usually be found in your phone’s settings, on the packaging, or through your carrier’s account portal. This document is very important when criminals use your phone to commit crimes or when you need to prove to financial institutions that fraudulent activity occurred by theft.
Central Equipment Identity Register
To prevent mobile theft and loss, Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) has launched its official website www.ceir.gov.in. With the help of this website anyone can block their lost or stolen mobile phone. To block the phone, first an FIR has to be lodged in the concerned police station. After this, an online form has to be filled which includes all the information including mobile receipt, FIR number, and the place and manner of loss of the phone. This website not only tracks the phone but also helps the police find it.
Secure all linked accounts
Even if remote locking is turned on, vicious criminals can find ways to access your stored information. This makes securing your online accounts one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft. Your phone may contain saved passwords, active app sessions, and stored payment information that can be exploited.
Notify your contacts about possible fraud
Criminals who have access to your phone may try to take advantage of your personal relationships by impersonating you in messages or calls to your contacts. They can send urgent requests for money. Sometimes they may ask for sensitive information, or try to trick your friends and family into various scams by using your trusted identity. Therefore, be sure to warn your contacts in some way that your phone has been stolen. Also tell them that if they find anything suspicious about any unusual requests coming from your number, they should verify your identity through some other means. This precautionary step will help protect your loved ones from becoming victims of crime.