Phone Stolen? Do These 7 Things Right Now
The first 60 minutes matter most. Here are the exact steps — in the right order — to lock down your data, protect your accounts, and maximize your chances of recovery.
Lock it remotely
Android: Open any browser → go to android.com/find → sign in with your Google account → select your phone → tap "Secure device". You can add a message with a contact number.
iPhone: Go to icloud.com/find → select your device → tap "Mark as Lost". This locks it and shows your message on the screen.
Change your email password — from a computer
Your email is the master key. If a thief resets one password, they can reset everything. Change it before they get there.
While you're in email settings: check for active sessions and revoke all except the one you're using now.
Call your carrier — get the IMEI blacklisted
Your carrier can suspend your number (preventing unauthorized calls/data) and blacklist your IMEI so the phone can't be used on any carrier with a different SIM.
Your IMEI number is found in: your Google account at myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices, your original phone box, or your carrier's account page. Write it down once you get a new phone.
File a police report — get the reference number
Even if recovery seems unlikely: you need this reference number for your insurance claim and for IMEI blacklist databases. In most cities you can file online.
Include: make/model, IMEI, approximate time and location of theft, case description.
Report your IMEI to international databases
Submit your IMEI to IMEI.info and IMEIpro.info — free global databases used by second-hand dealers and recycling services. This makes it harder to resell your phone.
You need the IMEI and your police report reference number to file.
Secure crypto and financial accounts
Exchange accounts (Coinbase, Kraken, etc.): log in from a computer, revoke active sessions, change password, update 2FA to an authenticator app (not SMS).
Software wallets (Exodus, Trust Wallet): use your seed phrase to import on a new device and transfer funds to a new wallet immediately. The old wallet may be accessible to someone with your phone PIN.
Banking: Call your bank's fraud line, flag the account for monitoring, and disable mobile banking temporarily.
Give a good samaritan a way to return your phone
Not every phone that goes missing is stolen. A significant portion are lost — left in a taxi, dropped at a restaurant, forgotten at a hotel. In these cases, the person who finds it genuinely wants to return it. The only barrier: no way to contact you without unlocking the phone.
Putting your contact information on your lockscreen before anything happens is the single highest-impact prevention step. Android 13+ removed the native "owner info" option — the modern solution is FINDERR, which sets your lockscreen wallpaper to display your contact info and a scannable QR code. Anyone who finds your phone scans the QR, reaches a contact page, and messages you directly.
Don't wait until it's stolen again
FINDERR turns your lockscreen into a recovery tool. Free to set up. Works while your phone is locked.
Get FINDERR — FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What do I do first if my phone is stolen?
Lock it remotely. For Android: android.com/find → Secure device. For iPhone: icloud.com/find → Mark as Lost. This takes under 2 minutes and should happen before anything else.
Can police actually recover a stolen phone?
Rarely. Police recovery rates are low globally. File the report for insurance and IMEI blacklisting purposes — not for recovery expectations. Never confront a thief yourself.
My phone was stolen abroad — what changes?
Same steps apply. Additional: call your carrier's international line, file with local police (112 in EU), and contact your travel insurer. Keep the translated police report — most insurance policies require it for overseas theft claims.
How do I find my IMEI if I don't have the phone?
Check myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices. It's also on your original box, carrier account page, and SIM tray area of newer phones. After recovery or replacement, dial *#06# to display the IMEI.
What's the difference between IMEI blacklisting and suspension?
Suspension blocks your number (stops calls/data on your SIM). IMEI blacklisting blocks the device itself — it won't work with any SIM on any network in the blacklist database. Both should be done, in that order.
How can I prevent phone theft in the future?
Enable Find My Device. Set a carrier PIN (prevents unauthorized SIM swaps). Install FINDERR to display contact info and a QR code on your lockscreen. Review our Phone Theft Statistics by City before travel. Enable app-based 2FA instead of SMS-based for critical accounts.