What to do when your phone is lost or stolen

Block the SIM, report to the police, and block the handset on the government's CEIR service so that nobody can use it.

Checked on 11 November 2026. Fees, forms and steps change. Confirm on the official website before you pay. This is not a government website, and we do not process any application.

What you need

The IMEI number of the phone (printed on the box and the bill; a dual-SIM phone has two)
The mobile numbers that were in the phone
A copy of the police report
An identity proof, and the purchase bill if you have it
Another mobile number for the OTP

Steps

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First, call your mobile company from another phone and get the SIM blocked. Ask for a duplicate SIM with the same number; you will need it for OTPs.
Call your bank's helpline and block UPI, mobile banking and cards linked to that phone. Change the passwords of your email and important apps from another device.
Report the loss to the police. Many states let you file a lost article report online. For theft or snatching, go to the police station. Keep a copy of the report.
Open ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in, or the Sanchar Saathi app, and choose "Block Stolen/Lost Mobile".
Fill in the mobile number, IMEI, brand and model, the date and place of loss and the police complaint number. Upload the police report, an identity proof and the bill.
Verify with the OTP sent to your other number and submit. Note the Request ID.
The handset is then blocked on all mobile networks in India. Use the Request ID to check the status. If you get the phone back, choose "Un-block Found Mobile" on the same portal.

Fee

Blocking a phone on CEIR is free.

Good to know

Find and note your IMEI today: dial *#06# on your phone, or look on the box. Keep it somewhere other than the phone.
Turn on "Find My Device" (Android) or "Find My" (iPhone) now. With it you can locate, lock or erase a lost phone.
A blocked phone can still be traced when someone puts a SIM in it; the police are alerted. Do not go to recover it yourself.
If you see a transaction you did not make, call the cyber fraud helpline 1930 at once.
Use a screen lock, and a separate lock for payment apps.

Official website

CEIR, Sanchar Saathi (Department of Telecommunications)

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