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How to Report a Stolen Phone by IMEI: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

5 min readUpdated 6/1/2025

How to Report a Stolen Phone and Block It by IMEI

Reporting your stolen phone's IMEI to the right authorities and carriers blocks the thief from using it on any network. Acting quickly is critical — the sooner the IMEI is blacklisted, the less useful the phone is to a thief, which reduces the incentive for phone theft in general.

Step 1: Find Your IMEI Before You Need It

If your phone is already stolen, the most common sources for the IMEI are:

  • Original retail box — IMEI is printed on the barcode label
  • Carrier account online — log into your account at att.com, t-mobile.com, etc. and find device details
  • Apple ID account — appleid.apple.com → Devices → select your iPhone → IMEI is shown
  • Google account — myaccount.google.com → Security → Your Devices → device details
  • Previous IMEI check report saved from imeicheckpro.com

Step 2: File a Police Report

A police report is required for most carrier blacklisting requests and all insurance claims. Include your IMEI number in the police report — this is critical. Without the IMEI, the report is far less useful for tracking the device.

  • US: File online at your local police department's website or in person. Most US police departments have online theft reporting.
  • UK: Report at actionfraud.police.uk or 101 (non-emergency police line). Get a crime reference number.
  • India: File FIR at local police station. Use e-FIR where available for faster processing.
  • Australia: Report at police.gov.au (state police portals vary). Get an event/report number.

Step 3: Report to Your Carrier

Contact your carrier with your IMEI number and police report number to request IMEI blacklisting:

  • AT&T: 1-800-331-0500 or fraud.att.com
  • T-Mobile: 1-877-746-0909 or t-mobile.com/stolen
  • Verizon: 1-800-922-0204
  • EE (UK): 150 from an EE phone or 07953 966 250
  • O2 (UK): 202 from an O2 phone
  • Optus (Australia): 133 937
  • Jio/Airtel/Vi (India): File via Sanchar Saathi portal at sancharsaathi.gov.in

Step 4: Block via Remote Wipe (iOS and Android)

While IMEI blocking happens at the carrier level, remote wipe/lock protects your personal data:

  • iPhone: icloud.com/find → select device → "Erase iPhone" or "Lost Mode" (Lost Mode locks the device and shows a custom message)
  • Android: android.com/find → select device → Secure Device (locks with a PIN) or Erase Device

Lost Mode / Secure Device is preferable to erasing — it locks the phone while keeping GPS tracking active, which can help police locate it.

Step 5: Report to GSMA (for International Blacklisting)

If your phone was stolen in a country with a national IMEI database, the carrier blacklisting from Step 3 often automatically feeds into the GSMA's international blacklist. However, if you want to ensure the IMEI is blocked globally (preventing the device from being used in another country), request your carrier to escalate the report to the GSMA EIR (Equipment Identity Register).

After Reporting: Monitor IMEI Status

Run periodic checks at imeicheckpro.com to confirm the IMEI shows as blacklisted. This verifies the carrier has processed your report. If the IMEI still shows clean 48 hours after reporting, follow up with your carrier using your case reference number.