Due to the development of technology and cost reduction cellular communication mobile phone is available to almost every citizen. When it is stolen, damage is caused not only in the form of the cost of the device. There may be significant funds on the account, it can be stolen through a stolen gadget important information about passwords to online banking systems, etc.

By given reasons immediately after the theft, you must not only file a complaint with the police, but also take measures to block the SIM card and the device itself.

Distinguish between the concepts - phone and SIM card

A mobile phone is a high-tech device capable of performing many different functions - from remote access to Internet resources to making payments for any amount. User identification for making calls and operations is carried out by concluding an agreement with the operator telephone communication and issuance of a SIM card.

A SIM card is directly related to the identity of a citizen and can be used on any device (for example, when moving it to another phone, the full list of services is immediately available to the subscriber). The card itself does not represent a property value, however, it is a confirmation of the agreement between the mobile operator and the user. You can also highlight the following nuances:

• the phone can be sold, exchanged or donated to another person at any time, while the SIM card can only belong to the user under an agreement with the operator and is not transferable to third parties;
• the transfer of a SIM card into the wrong hands can lead to the loss of personal data, theft Money and committing illegal actions - for this, a third party can use any device;
• to prevent these adverse consequences, you can block not only the SIM card through the operator, but also the phone itself through the manufacturer's online services.

Card blocking

Only the operator with whom you have entered into an agreement can block the card. This feature is available to every user and can be implemented in one of the following ways:

• direct personal appeal to an authorized representative of the telecom operator (in this case, you will not only block the stolen card, but also receive a new one for use for its intended purpose in another gadget);
• contact by number hotline- this can be done from anyone, including a landline phone;
• blocking through online services or applications.

Note!

You will need to verify your identity. When contacting the office, you need to present a passport, and for remote options, a system of code words and security questions is used.

What happens when you contact the operator about the theft of a SIM card?

There are two scenarios for the development of events:

• complete stop of any operations on the card (calls, messages, Internet access, etc.) - used when it is impossible to apply for a duplicate card;
• issuance of a duplicate card while blocking the stolen copy - in this case, after activating the duplicate, all the main functions become available in full.

Contacting the operator will also allow you to establish an access attempt from a stolen card. For example, when investigating a criminal case, law enforcement officers must send a request to the operator to obtain data on all connection attempts. Modern technologies allow you to accurately determine the location of the subscriber or the person who illegally took possession of the phone.

The procedure for some operators may be carried out on a paid basis, these conditions must be clarified in the contract or the rules for the provision of services by the cellular company.

Blocking by IMEI

If the phone is stolen, its timely blocking will prevent the following adverse consequences:

• an attempt to sell the stolen device to third parties, since with limited functions it is impossible to check its performance without special knowledge and special equipment;
• receiving, using and selling personal information the rightful owner - photos and videos, contacts, documents, logins and passwords;
• using a SIM card for illegal actions - fraud or extortion, theft of funds through online banking resources, etc.

Note!

Blocking can be done different ways– by setting a password, using the system remote access or via IMEI.

The most reliable and effective option is IMEI. To do this, you must contact law enforcement agencies with a statement about theft or loss and indicate the IMEI identification code. By given code the search for the device will be carried out, and if the request for blocking is indicated in the application, an appeal from law enforcement agencies will be sent to the mobile operator.

What is IMEI and how to find it?

The IMEI identification code is assigned to each mobile phone by the manufacturer at the time of its release. As a rule, it is indicated among the main technical information about your device, this sticker is on the phone itself. The combination consists of 15 numbers, this set is unique for each gadget and is kept by it for the entire period of existence.

To use the code to search for a stolen device, you must confirm the legality of its acquisition. This requires the following documents:

• identity document (passport, military ID, etc.);
• payment document that purchases payment for the phone;
• the contract of sale, if it was concluded when buying the device from hand;
• the original box in which the phone was packed (as a rule, IMEI is duplicated on the box).

Note!

Knowledge of the code itself will not allow you to block someone else's phone, since law enforcement agencies need to confirm the legality of ownership.

Search by IMEI occurs by sending information to the address of all mobile operators by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When a stolen gadget appears in the coverage area mobile network of any operator, even if the offender used a different SIM card, this data becomes immediately available.

Contacting the police

To get a chance to return the stolen gadget and bring the criminal to justice, you need to follow the following algorithm of actions:

• immediately block the SIM card through your mobile operator;
• apply to the territorial division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a statement about the theft, register it in the register of crime reports (KUPS);
• notify the employees of department "K" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as much as possible detailed specifications- brand and model, IMEI, characteristic damage to the case or screen, etc.;
• block the phone with any accessible ways– through the online resources of the manufacturer or through the police.

After contacting the police, you will have an application registration slip in your hands, which can be used to monitor the timeliness of the investigation.

If during the pre-investigation verification of the application the fact of theft is confirmed, a criminal case is initiated. To do this, you need to substantiate the fact that the damage caused is substantial. If the amount of theft is up to 2,500 rubles, the thief faces only administrative liability under the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. In addition, the cost characteristics of the stolen device will be established by examinations within the framework of a criminal case - the qualification of a crime under one of the parts of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Search for the criminal

Police officers are required to take all actions to find the offender and bring him to justice. Even if the thief managed to sell or otherwise dispose of the phone, the damage caused will be recovered from him in full. The sooner the owner reports the theft, the greater the chance of identifying the attacker and returning the property.

Cases of cybercrime, including in the field of mobile communications, are investigated by a special department "K", which is part of the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The specifics of the search for a criminal is as follows:

• when the phone is blocked, it can only be sold to buyers of stolen property or when flashing operating system(in this case, all settings are reset, including the lock);
• when you try to use the gadget without resetting the factory settings, information about the location of the signal will be transmitted to the “K” department;
• if the stolen gadget was sold to third parties, information about the criminal can be obtained from them;
• the use of personal data that was contained in the device will also allow the identity of the perpetrator to be identified.

Law enforcement agencies are required to accept and register a report of a crime in oral or written form. Only three days are given to conduct a pre-investigation check, after which a decision is made to initiate a case or to refuse.

All mobile phones have one unpleasant property - to get lost. In addition, they are sometimes stolen. And, unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about it. More recently, "sowing" an Android device outside the home meant parting with it forever without the hope of a return, because, unlike iOS, there are no search functions was not on Android. Today they are, which means that the chances of returning the loss are no longer zero. And it's time for us to get to know them.

Let's talk how to find lost phone on Android through Google and third-party apps and services.

In case of loss of a mobile gadget, the functions of modern android versions allow not only to determine its location by cell towers and satellites, but also remotely block. And if there is no hope for a return (stolen) - erase the personal data of the owner.

For this, the following conditions must be met:

• The device must be turned on (it is not necessary that your SIM card be in it).
• It must be linked to your Google account.
• The function " Remote control».
• It must have geodata transfer enabled and Internet access enabled.
• The phone must be defined in Google Play.

If you have turned off the location setting (location sharing) feature to save battery power, you will not have a chance to find your lost or stolen phone. Search via satellite does consume a lot of energy, but in the city it is not necessary to use it. Turn on cell tower location of the device - this option is more economical.

How to enable location sharing on Android:

• Launch the Settings app (Settings).
• In the "Personal" menu, tap the "Location Services" line.
• Check the box for the search method "By network coordinates".

How to see which devices are connected to your Google Account:

• Open any browser (it doesn't matter on a PC or mobile device), go to Google.com and log in with your account.
• Open the Recently Used Devices page. This list should contain the phone you are looking for.

How to enable remote device control on Android:

• Launch "Options" (Settings).
• Tap "Protection" (Security) in the "Personal" menu.
• In the right pane, select Device Administrators.

• Check the box next to "Remote android control' and open it.

• In the box "Activate device administrator?" click Enable.

How to find your phone on Google Play:

• Go to the Google Play website through any browser, open the "Settings" section (the button with the gear icon).
• Look at the My Devices list. All Android phones, tablets, watches, etc. linked to your account must be on this list.

How to Locate a Lost Android Gadget

The steps below are performed through a computer or other mobile device connected to the Internet.

• Open a browser and log in with your Google account.
• Go to the main page of your account and in the "Search for a phone" section, click "Proceed".

• Select your lost device from the list and re-enter your password to log into your account. Once in the search section, click on the "Search" button.

The location of your device will be displayed on the map.

Other available features:

• Phone call. When activated, the device will ring for 5 minutes (even at zero volume), attracting the attention of people. However, this helps more if you don't remember where you put it, but if the dialer is lost or stolen, it can worsen the situation. Also, not all devices support it.
• Blocking. Return to previous page and open the "Lock your phone" section. Modify the default message if desired. Click Block.

• Call the phone using the Google Hangouts messenger. To jump, click on the highlighted word.

• Log out account on the device. To exit, press the corresponding button.

• Delete user data from internal memory gadget (excluding memory card). Select this option if you are sure that the phone has fallen into the wrong hands and an attacker can use the information on it to harm someone. For example, it will start sending malware to your contacts or gain access to electronic wallets. If you agree to the deletion, click the "Yes, delete" button, but the search on the map, blocking and dialing after that will not be available.

Services like Google's Phone Finder are also being developed by manufacturers mobile devices. The principle of operation and the set of capabilities they have is the same or slightly larger. For example, Samsung offers the following to its smartphone users:

• Location determination on the map.
• Remote blocking.
• Erasing confidential data.
• Ringing (loud playback of a call melody for 1 minute to attract the attention of others).
• Access to the call log.
• Notification about the removal of the owner's SIM card.
• Remote transfer of the device to "emergency mode" - reducing the brightness of the screen with disabling most functions and applications to save battery power. To keep the lost phone in sight as long as possible.

Find my device by Google is a mobile application for finding lost devices

To simplify the search for lost or stolen Android gadgets, you can also use mobile app available for free download from Google Play. It has the same set of functions as Google's Find My Phone service. Namely:

• Allows you to locate the gadget on the map.
• Rings it (makes it ring at maximum volume for 5 minutes).
• Blocks usage.
• Allows the owner to log out of the account android entries and remotely wipe user data.

Find my device is intended to be installed on the device that will be used for searching, not the one you want to protect from loss.

The conditions for the availability of application functions are the same as for Find My Phone through the Google browser service.

Phone search services by mobile subscriber number and IMEI

PLNET (Phone-Location.org)

The Russian-language PLNET web service allows you to locate a lost gadget both by phone number and by IMEI (an international mobile device identification code that is assigned to each device at the factory). The search is performed on satellites and cell towers and works in the following networks of Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh mobile operators:

• Beeline.
• Megaphone.
• Kyivstar.
• Kcell.
• Vodafone.
• Altel.
• TELE2.
• Velcom.

The main functions of the service are paid. Free, unlike Google, it allows you to find out only the country, region and city in which the device you are looking for is located. More accurate coordinates - for 500 rubles and after registration. In addition, by paid subscription real-time tracking of the device, the history of its movements and search by IMEI are available. In the latter case, along with IMEI, you should also indicate the number of the SIM card that the owner used before the phone was lost. If you did not have time to write it down while you had the phone, look at the stickers on the box.

The service has similar functions for locating devices, with the exception of searching by IMEI. For paid subscribers printouts of the movement history are also available. The service of a one-time determination of the exact coordinates by phone number costs 900 rubles.

The service works in the networks of the following mobile operators:

• Beeline.
• Megaphone.
• Kyivstar.
• Kcell.
• TELE2.
• Velcom.

And PLNET, and OM-TEL, and other similar resources are still more suitable for spying on loved ones (children, spouse, etc.). In the search for stolen smartphones, they are of little use, because the attacker, if he is not devoid of reason, will immediately replace the owner's SIM card with his own. In this case, the service will show the place of the last registration of your SIM card in the operator's network. Or show nothing.

— a service for checking the serial numbers and IMEI of various mobile devices to see if they are in the database of lost and stolen. Supports all models and brands of phones.

The SNDeepInfo user can add the IMEI or the serial number of the lost or found device to the service database, leaving his email for communication. Optionally, here you can specify the amount of remuneration for the return. Registration or payment is not required for this.

The service works similarly to the previous one, but only IMEI database is kept. With it, you can, for example, find out if a hand-bought phone was stolen from the previous owner. And also add the code of your device to the database.

The author also considers phone search services by IMEI to be of little use, because with their help it is impossible to find out either the location of the device or who is currently using it. They are designed for honest people who, in the event of finding a device lost by someone, will themselves begin to search for its owner. Law enforcement agencies do not use such databases either - they have the opportunity to obtain the necessary information directly from mobile operators.

Applications to counter the theft of smartphones

CM Security: protection and antivirus

In addition to antivirus, firewall and system optimization tools, the anti-theft module is included. It includes:

- a program for protecting the device from theft with an extended set of features. Among them:

• Remote monitoring of the movement of the phone through the application site.
• Remote blocking.
• Calling.
• Sending messages to a lost phone.
• Removed screenshots.
• Taking photos and videos of the intruder's face. Recording sound through a microphone.
• Erase user data from internal memory and SD card.
• Remote control of the device through the console interface using commands.
• Automatically enable geodata transfer if it is disabled.
• Power off lock to prevent a thief from turning off the machine and thereby interfering with its search.
• Creating your own user rules, etc.

The bulk of Cerberus functions only work in the paid version. Even more of them are available by obtaining root rights.

Smartphone or tablet? Maybe even someone stole it. The situation is not pleasant. While we don't have any advice on how to find it, there are definitely things you can do to keep the information it contains safe. The following tips should be known to every owner of an Android gadget, unless he lives on a desert island. With their help, you can remotely lock or completely wipe a device to which you do not have physical access, using any computer over the Internet. As a result, the data will be safe and unauthorized persons will not be able to use the device. This does not require any third party applications- all the necessary functionality is present in the system regularly.

The first thing to do before you lose your gadget is to enable Android remote control on the device itself. If it is not enabled, all subsequent instructions will be useless. To do this, go on your device to the application called " Google Settings"(not to be confused with just the settings that open in the top curtain):

In this application, check the boxes "Remote device search" and "Remote lock and factory reset". Everything, the device is ready.

Now, if you are unlucky enough to lose the device, as soon as possible, without delay, go to your Google account from any Google service, be it Gmail, Google+, YouTube, etc. To do this, click on your photo in the upper right corner of the page, and then on the word "Account" (sometimes your email address):

The Account Settings page opens. Scroll to the Recent Activity section. There will be an item "Devices". Login to it:

You will see a list of your devices. Select the one you need and follow the link "Find your Android devices using the Android Remote Control service". By the way, you can also click on the red “Close account” button to disconnect the device from your Google account.

You are now in the Android Remote Control service (you may be asked to re-enter your email address and account password). Please note that here desired device must be selected again, even if you already selected it in the previous step. Not a very thoughtful moment. (Actually, you can select any device at all in the previous step. It doesn't matter, because it must be reselected in the remote control interface.) The system searches for the location of the device and displays it on the map. By the way, it is also a very important thing when searching for a lost gadget.

Actually, we are already at the goal. Click on any of big buttons to perform the desired action: ring, block, clear. The first function makes the device make a sharp sound - thus bother the thief until his life turns into a nightmare and he himself brings you a gadget on a silver platter. Ringing works on both smartphones and tablets, and even if the volume is completely turned off on the device (and this feature will also help if you cannot find the device in the apartment).

Blocking is the feature we need the most. In this way, you can set a PIN code and display some text on the screen (for example: “Call the owner at such and such a number”). Now no new owner will be able to use the device. When enabled, it will see the following screen with the text you specified:

The device will be immediately locked in this way even if another user is working on it at the moment.

Wipe is an even more brutal feature that cleans up the device's memory remotely. Use it for special needs.

By the way, you can bypass most of the above steps if you bookmark the direct link to the remote control panel:

How to block the phone? How often do you ask yourself this question? Most likely, you will not ask it until the phone is stolen. In this article, you will learn about data protection methods and ways to block your phone.

How to block a stolen phone?

For example, keys:

• launcher with combined action request;
• application with setting a password from symbols;
• intrasystem setting of a password for reading data through the phone's native settings.

It is important not to forget that the automatic display lock remains an important factor. Imagine that you left your phone active. If the screen is not locked, then an outsider will not have to go through the unlock procedure and will easily get access to the phone. The problem with this data protection method is how easy it is to bypass it. Such protection only provides for the limitation of exploitation within the family circle.

Other methods are more difficult, but better. The next level of data protection against intruders is the ability to remote control phone. As a result of using this functionality, the person who stole the phone will receive a complete restriction of access. Each operating system has its own lock structure. But the whole procedure is based on preliminary preparation. It should be noted that in order to carry out such operations, your lost gadget must be on the Internet through any connection.

So, consider the blocking procedure using an example HTC smartphone Android. The smartphone is prepared by allowing access to receive data. In "Google Settings" you should go to the "Android Remote Control" menu.

Here you can enable remote control:

• "Remote device search" will allow you to determine the location of the phone on google maps(you may need to allow access to geodata through the settings menu);
• “Remote lock and reset” is something that makes it impossible for the thief to use the device.

Direct search and blocking of the phone is done on the page android.com/devicemanager. When you enter the page under your account, you will receive information about the location of the phone. Please note that the data is displayed once, and after the page is refreshed, it is deleted.

The functions of remote manipulation of the device are also available here:

• "Ring" will help you hear the sound of a call if the device is nearby;
• "Block" allows you to restrict access to the functionality;
• "Delete data" produces a complete formatting of information.

In addition to this program, there is another option for protection Android smartphone above version 4.1. Recently, smart watches based on the same operating system have become popular. During the process of synchronizing devices, you will find that smartwatches have the ability to vibrate if they are more than 10 meters away from the phone. The same system is present on the products. Apple. Whether it's a smartwatch or a data lock, you can find your lost iPhone using your account at icloud.com/find.

How to block phone by imei?

Unlike security systems, it is quite difficult to hide the imei code of a device. If the phone is stolen, the user who blocked it may still be left without the result of their efforts. Why? Because in capable hands, protection is bypassed by reinstalling the operating system. In the common people, this is called firmware.

IMEI is the personal code of any device that supports mobile communication. It consists of 15 characters. In its own way is serial number for the sim card slot. Accordingly, this code cannot be repeated. The whole point is that an ordinary individual cannot block a phone by IMEI. And it makes no sense to turn to mobile operators for help without the involvement and permission of the police. What to do if your phone is stolen and you want to block the device by IMEI code?

First of all, make sure that you have all the documents that confirm your right to own the phone:

• original packaging with the specified IMEI code;
• check for the purchase of goods;
• the passport.

Having collected these documents, you should contact law enforcement agencies to leave a statement about the theft in writing. If you want to block the phone, you should indicate this in the application itself. During the course of your case for investigation, mobile operators will make an attempt to detect and block your device at the initiative of the police. And this is perhaps the only way to implement a phone lock by IMEI.

In life sometimes there are troubles. One of them may be the case when someone steals someone else's phone for profit. It happens that, due to the state of the device, it is impossible to get a lot of money - the phone may turn out to be old, broken or inexpensive initially. But the former owner of the device is upset, if only because someone gets into possession of all personal files and data. Agree, it's annoying.

In order to prevent such a course of development of the situation, you just need to block your phone. In this article, we will talk about how to block the phone if it is stolen, as well as what actions should be taken next.

Distinguish between the concepts - phone and SIM card

At the very beginning, I would like to distinguish between two concepts, and they need to be distinguished: this is the phone itself (physical device) and the SIM card that is installed in it. In order to prevent attackers from seeing your private correspondence, photos and other data, it is enough that your smartphone has a security key (password). If you have a device that is based on the operating Android systems or iOS, then without resetting all settings, thieves will not be able to access your files. Therefore, if they perform such a reset, all information left by you on the device will be deleted. Even without a full phone lock.

The function of such a lock is different: it consists in preventing scammers from selling your phone. Read on to learn how this is done.

As for the SIM card, it is blocked so that fraudsters cannot make calls from your number and vice versa - no one called the number. They also block the card if they make a copy with the operator (as victims of mobile theft often do). Those who want to deactivate the card ask how to block the number. We will talk about this in the next chapter.

Card blocking

Making your SIM card stop working is very simple. It is enough to call the operator and ask to deactivate your number. To confirm the action, you will need the following information: 3-4 numbers that were most often called, information about the account status, as well as information about the last replenishment of the balance. It is not necessary to name every penny - it is important to just show that you are oriented, at least approximately. This is the entire instruction on how to block a phone number. The operator will accept the application and disconnect the card from the network.

On this occasion, it is worth noting the following: as a rule, attackers independently remove the card as quickly as possible from the stolen device. We will explain the reason for this a little further. At this stage, you have understood how to block a number, it is completely simple. This action will not affect the phone, but the card itself will be made a useless piece of plastic.

Blocking by IMEI

As for deactivating the device, the procedure here is about the same. In the same way as blocking a phone number, you can ask to turn off the device itself. True, this requires more information than just the most popular numbers, balance and replenishment. It is important to know the secret 15-digit code that is used to identify each mobile phone. It's called IMEI. By reporting this value to the operator, you can render your device unusable.

Some carriers provide instructions on how to lock your phone. MTS, for example, reports that this procedure must be done as quickly as possible - before the thief has time to remove the SIM card from the device. If you do not have time, then it will be more difficult to establish where the phone is.

In order for everything to happen as it should, it is necessary to promptly, immediately after the theft, contact the operator again and, having dictated the IMEI, ask to block the device. If you have time, the phone will stop functioning even when the SIM card is later removed from it.

What is IMEI and how to find it?

However, if you are wondering how to lock your phone if it is stolen, it is important to clarify one point about this 15-digit code. You can find it in two ways. The first is *06#, which will display the code assigned to your device on the screen. It works on any device models. The second way is the original box in which the mobile device was sold. You can also find the IMEI there.

Ideally, the victim of the scam should contact the operator and provide them with the code as soon as possible after the theft. Accordingly, for this she needs to have IMEI at hand. And who among us carries this 15-digit number with us? Many are not even aware of its existence.

Contacting the police

Knowing how to lock your phone if it's stolen is only half the battle. In fact, the task of any owner is not just to make what was stolen useless, but also to return the thing. For this, you need to contact the nearest police station, where you will receive a statement about the incident. Law enforcement officers will have to write down the IMEI number for further searches for the device and at the same time they will take from you a description of the person you suspect, perhaps they will find out some more additional information.

The procedure for contacting the police is actually more important than searching for information on how to block a lost phone. Therefore, both of these actions must be completed as quickly as possible.

Search for the criminal

The police (or rather, the district office) will accept your statement about the theft, after which it will be developed in the so-called "K" department. This is where your information will be sent to. The specialists of this unit receive orders exclusively from the police, so you should not try to contact them directly.

Law enforcement will contact mobile operators and look for where the device with the number you specified in the application was registered. As soon as the signal from it is “detected”, a task force will be sent there, which will find out how this or that person got this device.

Remember: the operator can find out the location of the device only after appropriate requests from the police. He has no right to do this on his own initiative. Therefore, you need to demand that your thing be returned to you not from him, but from the police.

Device protection software

Finally, if you use a smartphone, in addition to the question of how to lock your phone if it is stolen, you can also ask yourself how to manage your device yourself. In this regard, an interesting solution was proposed by Apple by supplying phones with AppleID.

For Android, there are some third-party apps that can take a photo from a stolen phone and send it online, send messages to the screen, and so on. For simple phones, of course, such solutions will not work.