The first thing that most of us do when we have lost a mobile phone is go to the nearest police station and complain or reach a designated cybercrime police station. Very few know that we have a national cybercrime reporting portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in and the related call centre number is 155260 (Now changed to 1930) to register a cybercrime complaint.
Once the complaint process is completed, victims just keep following it up with local police authorities and waiting for a solution to their lost mobile phone. The good news is that the Indian telecom department has a Central Equipment Identity Registration portal at https://ceir.gov.in where lost or stolen phones can be directly blocked and tracked.
The most important thing to note is that the IMEI number is designated to the unique mobile handset, and if you block your mobile number through the CEIR register, the stolen mobile handset will not be able to enable any network coverage with any mobile network company in the near future in India.
Know Your Mobile (KYM):
It is highly recommended that you use the KYM feature before buying a second hand or refurbished phones as it shows the status of the mobile whether it is blacklisted, duplicated, or already in use by someone else. You must have the IMEI written in the packaging box / mobile bill/invoice, alternatively you can check IMEI number of your mobile by dialling *#06#.
Checking / Verifying IMEI Number on CEIR Portal:
(a) Log on to the portal https://ceir.gov.in/Device/CeirIMEIVerification.jsp
(b) Enter your mobile number
(c) An OTP will be sent on your mobile, kindly enter the OTP
(d) Enter the 15 Digit IMEI number and click on check
(e) Your IMEI number will be verified
Checking the Mobile Phone Status on CEIR (SMS, Portal & App):
(a) Through SMS – Enter KYM < 15 digit IMEI number > from your mobile and send it to 14422.
(b) Through KYM App – You can check the status of your mobile by entering IMEI number in KYM app.
(c) Through Official Web Portal – Step 1: Log on to portal https://ceir.gov.in scroll down and click on ‘here’ option, then you are redirected to the new page. Step 2: where you have to enter you Mobile number and enter the OTP. Step 3: Enter the 15 digit IMEI number.
Procedures To Track Lost Phones via CEIR:
(a) FIR copy in the name of his or her handset.
(b) Then the person will have to inform DoT via a helpline number 14422
(b) The CEIR blacklist the IMEI number.
Blocking The Mobile Phone on CEIR Portal:
(a) Portal – Have the FIR Copy and get the Duplicate SIM
(b) Log on to the portal https://www.ceir.gov.in/Request/CeirUserBlockRequestDirect.jsp . Keep the FIR Copy, Identity Proof (Aadhaar card or voter ID card)
(c) A request ID will be generated after the form is submitted.
(d) Provide the reason for blocking mobile number.
(e) Your will get an OPP to the registered number , Kindly enter the OTP and submit.
Checking Your Complaint Request Status on CEIR Portal:
(a) Log on to the portal https://ceir.gov.in/Request/CeirRequestStatus.jsp
(b) Select “check request status” option
(c) Enter the request ID and status will appear
Unblock the Recovered / Found Mobile phone on CEIR Portal: –
(a) Log on to the portal https://ceir.gov.in/Request/CeirUserUnblockRequestDirect.jsp
(b) Enter the Request ID (While you used for blocking)
(c) Provide the reason for un-blocking mobile number (Found Etc).
(d) Your will get an OTP to the registered number , Kindly enter the OTP and submit.
Find My Device and Erase Data on Stolen Mobile Phones:
- Find, lock, or erase a lost Android device https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6160491?hl=en
- Erase a device in Find My iPhone on iCloud.com https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/icloud/mmfc0ef36f/icloud
- Find My Android Device, https://www.google.com/android/find
- Find My Apple Device, https://www.apple.com/in/icloud/find-my/
Few Tips to Keep your Smartphone Safe:
- Data Leaks – It looks for embedded trackers and lists them. It does not decompile applications and its analysis technique is entirely legal. https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/
- Confirming Your Mobile Numbers: Allowing subscribers to telecom department to confirm their registered numbers and remove numbers that were registered without their knowledge. https://tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in
- Validating SMS Received – Allowing subscribers to identify the sender of bulk SMS. https://smsheader.trai.gov.in
- Short Links – Short links received via SMS, WhatsApp, and email may not lead to where they’re meant to, and may damage your computer or your private data. Here is a way to check the complete URL details of short links. https://www.unshorten.it
- Phishing – We can check if a particular website is engaging in phishing activity. https://isitphishing.org/
- Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware – McAfee Mobile Security, and Kaspersky Antivirus and Security can help to spot malicious apps if they have been installed. and block phishing website when you have visited them.
- 2FA – Enable Two Factor Authentication for all applications and social media and email accounts. There are many 2FA types (a) Hardware Tokens (b) SMS Text-Message and Voice-based 2FA (c) Software Tokens for 2FA (d) Push Notification for 2FA (e) Biometric 2FA.
- If you are trying to buy a mobile phone and observe that IMEI sticker is tampered or erased / scratched on the hardware, Kindly do not buy.
