How to Track/Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Phone in India

Central Equipment Identity Register (CIER) portal, an answer to the prayers🙏 of those who want to track or block their lost or stolen mobile phone.

We live in an era where our smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives.

Right from personal usage to professional usage, and not to forget educational usage (thanks to COVID), a smartphone is now seen as an investment and a daily need.

Losing this gadget can be financially and emotionally distressing, as all of your data will be gone in a few seconds. According to a recent report in the around 50,000 mobile phones are stolen every month in India. This is certainly stressful, but the Indian Government has launched a portal that will help citizens track their stolen phones.

In this post, we will go through tracking and blocking your lost or stolen phone in India using the Central Equipment Identity Register (CIER) portal. Let’s learn more.

What to do if Your Phone is Stolen or Lost?

The primary step is not to panic and block your mobile phone. I know it’s a tough situation to be in, but you need to be aware of the fact that your phone has a vast amount of personal and sensitive information stored.

This includes contacts, photos, email access, financial data, and all the app data that you have installed on it. You must also have spent a bomb to get a good phone with good features. 

This is the main reason to take action in the event of loss or theft quickly. Firstly, block your phone and start tracking it, which can help you protect your data, prevent unauthorized use, and increase the chances of recovery.

Before you report your mobile phone, it’s important to take immediate precautionary steps to safeguard your phone data from falling into the wrong hands. Here are a couple of things you can do:

#1. Block your Mobile Phone

Contact your service provider and inform them about the loss/theft of your mobile phone. As the next step, they will block your SIM card to prevent any misuse of your number for any fraudulent activities. 

#2. Register a Police Complaint

It is advisable to register a complaint with your local police station regarding your lost phone. Provide them with all necessary details, including the IMEI number of your device. This will help law enforcement authorities in tracking and recovering your device.

Also read: How to Check Phone Status using IMEI Number

Ensure to take and keep the complaint copy with you for future reference. You will also require this number while registering on the CIER portal. 

What is CIER Portal? 

The Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) Portal is an initiative by the Indian government that allows mobile phone users to report the loss or theft of their devices and request the blocking of the device to prevent unauthorized use.

It is also integrated with the Sanchar Saathi portal, which helps you track your lost device and block it to prevent any misuse of information. 

This portal was introduced to promote digital literacy and secure digital transactions. The best part is, anyone with a valid mobile number can access the portal for free. The portal has helped block 10,04,523 and trace 4,39,052 lost/stolen mobile phones.

⚠️You can also check the validity of your mobile phone before buying a new phone via the Know Your Mobile (KYM) feature by simply entering your IMEI number and dialing *#06#. It is advised not to buy the mobile phone if the status shows – Already in Use, Duplicate, or Blacklisted!

Reporting Loss or Theft of Mobile Phone 

Now that we’re well acquainted with the platform, let’s hop on to the step-by-step guide to track or block your lost/stolen mobile phone using the CIER portal:

Step 1: Log in to the official CIER Portal website. You should see a tab in red titled Block Stolen/Lost Mobile.

Step 2: You will be redirected to a page where you’d have to enter your mobile number and the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of your lost or stolen mobile phone.

Step 3: Enter the lost/stolen date, your name, and an alternate contact number.

Step 4: Keep your police complaint number in hand and upload the acknowledgment received from them. 

Step 5: Upload your permanent address and identity proof.

Step 6: Finally, click on Get OTP to receive your one-time password on your alternate contact number. Enter the OTP in the designated field and click on the Submit button. 

You can track the status of your lost/stolen mobile via the Request Status option available on the website.

Unblocking Your Recovered Phone

Once you get your lost/stolen mobile phone back, you can easily unblock it by following the below steps: 

• Reach out to your mobile service provider and ask them to unlock your SIM card. They will verify your phone details and initiate the process. 
• Next, return to the CIER portal and enter your Request ID and mobile number to unlock your phone.

You can then start using your phone just like before! 

Closing Thoughts

Losing your mobile phone can be a distressing experience, but you can use the CIER portal to protect your data and block your device from unauthorized use.

It is indeed a valuable resource provided by the government to register a complaint and track and block your phone to increase the chances of recovery and minimize potential harm.

Additionally, always store the IMEI number of your phone somewhere, as it is a very crucial piece of information. It is also advisable to keep your sensitive apps protected with App Lock. Keep calm and try your best not to fall in such a situation.

Next, check out how to scan and remove malware from Android and iOS phones.