How to Block a Stolen Phone with IMEI on Sanchar Saathi (CEIR)
If your phone has been stolen or lost in India, blocking its IMEI is the step that stops it being used or resold on any Indian network. It is free, it is done online on the government's Sanchar Saathi portal, and it takes about ten minutes once you have the details ready.
To block a stolen phone in India, file a police complaint, then go to sancharsaathi.gov.in, choose "Block your lost/stolen mobile", enter the phone's IMEI number(s), your mobile number, the police complaint details and an ID proof, and submit. You get a request ID to track the block and to unblock the phone later if it is found.
What CEIR blocking does
- The phone is blocked on all Indian mobile networks, so it cannot make calls or use mobile data with any SIM.
- If someone puts a new SIM in it, the attempt can be traced, which helps police recover it.
- It does not erase your data. Use Find My Device or Find My to lock or erase the phone separately.
Before you start: what you need
- The IMEI number(s). Dual-SIM phones have two. Find them on the phone box, the purchase invoice, or, for Android, in your Google account's device list; for iPhone, under Devices at appleid.apple.com.
- A police complaint number and a copy of the complaint (a photo or PDF works), with the police station's district and state.
- The mobile number(s) that were in the phone.
- An ID proof of the owner.
- A phone that can receive an OTP (any number you can access).
- Optional but helpful: the purchase invoice.
Tip: get a duplicate SIM for your lost number first if you can. It restores your OTPs for banking anyway, and the portal asks for that number.
Step by step: block the IMEI
- File the police complaint. At the nearest police station, or online where your state police offers it. Note the complaint number.
- Open sancharsaathi.gov.in (or the Sanchar Saathi app) and go to Citizen Centric Services, then Block your lost/stolen mobile.
- Enter device details: mobile number(s), IMEI number(s), brand, model, and optionally the invoice.
- Enter loss details: date, place, state and district, police station, complaint number, and upload the complaint copy.
- Enter owner details: name, address, ID type and number, and upload the ID.
- Verify with OTP and submit.
- Save the request ID. You need it to check status and to unblock.
Check status and unblock a found phone
Use Check request status on the portal with your request ID. If the phone is recovered, choose Unblock found mobile, enter the request ID and details, and the block is lifted so the phone works again.
Buying a used phone? Check its IMEI
Before you pay for a second-hand phone, check that it is not blocked or stolen: send an SMS KYM <15-digit IMEI> to 14422, or use "Know your mobile" on Sanchar Saathi. Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI.
Do this now, while you still have your phone
- Dial *#06#, screenshot the IMEI numbers and save them somewhere off the phone (email or a family member).
- Keep the box or invoice.
- Turn on the settings in Phone Settings to Turn On Before Your Phone Is Stolen.
Frequently asked questions
How do I block my stolen phone using IMEI in India?
File a police complaint, then use 'Block your lost/stolen mobile' on sancharsaathi.gov.in with the IMEI, mobile number, complaint details and ID proof. Save the request ID.
Is a police complaint required to block a phone on CEIR?
Yes. The portal asks for the police complaint number and a copy of the complaint.
Where can I find my phone's IMEI if the phone is gone?
On the phone box or purchase invoice, in your Google account's device list for Android, or under Devices at appleid.apple.com for iPhone.
Can a blocked phone be unblocked?
Yes. If the phone is found, use 'Unblock found mobile' on Sanchar Saathi with your request ID.
How can I check if a used phone is stolen?
Send 'KYM' followed by the 15-digit IMEI to 14422, or use 'Know your mobile' on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
Does blocking the IMEI erase my data?
No. Blocking stops network use. To lock or erase the phone, use Find My Device on Android or Find My on iPhone.
Better still, keep it in your hand. See the PHLOOP wrist tether →
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