Lock the phone remotely
If a latest generation smartphone has been stolen from you, the first step you need to take is to lock the device remotely using the anti-theft function included in its operating system ... or at least try it since many thieves are now informed, they know these services and promptly provide to deactivate them after theft. Unfortunately it's bad to say, but that's it: the anti-theft functions of smartphones are only useful up to a certain point. In fact, they only work when the devices are turned on, connected to the Internet and have GPS active. This means that, unless you are dealing with particularly clumsy (or poorly informed) thieves, it is difficult to locate your device remotely and retrieve it.
Obviously the situation would change using more advanced anti-theft apps, such as the ones I reported to you in my tutorial on how to find Android, which allow you to control the phone via SMS and are able to prevent the deactivation of the Internet connection, but they are things to think about BEFORE the theft, not after! Now, in any case, let's not wrap our heads before we break it. Attempting does not harm, so ban the chatter and let's see how to locate and block a stolen phone using its anti-theft system.
Android
Your smartphone is animated by the operating system Android? Then try to connect to the Android Device Management website, log in with your Google account data and wait for the phone to be located.
If you are lucky and the smartphone is located on the map, click on the item immediately Block (top left) and fill out the form that is proposed to you. You must choose a password to prohibit access to the device and, if you want, a message and / or a phone number to be displayed on the lock screen. Then he presses the button Block and fill out the form that is proposed to you by setting a password lock for the device and a message (optional) to be displayed on the lock screen. Access to the phone will be blocked instantly.
If you feel you no longer have any hope of recovering your smartphone, you can clear the device memory and remove all sensitive data contained within it. Just click on the button Clear of the Android Device Manager service and follow the instructions on the screen. Warning, this is an irreversible operation that makes the phone untraceable remotely.
Please note: if you do not currently have a computer at hand, you can also access Android Device Manager from other Android smartphones and tablets using a special app. Its operation is practically identical to that of the Web version of the service.
iPhone
If a iPhone, you can try to lock the phone remotely by connecting to the iCloud.com website, logging in with your Apple ID data and clicking on the icon Find iPhone.
Then wait for the map to appear and, to find your iPhone, first click on the item All devices which is located at the top and then on phone name. After locating the iPhone, click on the button Lost mode which appears at the top right; if you want, type a phone number to be displayed on the lock screen and press the button NEXT.
At this point, type a message to be displayed on the "iPhone by" screen (another optional operation) and click on end to put the phone into lost mode. The iPhone will be locked using the current PIN. If, on the other hand, there is no code set on the device, you will be invited to enter one remotely.
If you consider it impossible to recover your smartphone, delete the memory of the "iPhone by" clicking on the button Initialize the iPhone. Also in this case - as on Android - the operation is irreversible and makes it impossible to locate the phone remotely again.
If your phone doesn't have the green ball next to its name, sorry, but you can't locate it remotely as it is off and / or not connected to the internet. If you want, however, you can still send the command initialization or activation of lost mode and this will be done as soon as the device connects to the network.
Please note: if you don't have a computer at hand, know that you can access the Find iPhone service from another iOS device by installing the appropriate app officially released by Apple.
Windows Phone
If you have suffered the theft of a Windows Phone, connected to the Microsoft Devices website, click on the button Log in, log in to your Microsoft account and click on the item Find my device present in the menu located under the name of your smartphone.
Then click on the button Block and fill out the form that is proposed to you with a 4-digit PIN and a message to be displayed on the lock-screen to lock the phone. Otherwise, if you believe you cannot recover your smartphone, click on the button Clear and starts the deletion of all data on the device memory.
Request blocking of SIM and IMEI
When a mobile phone is stolen, in addition to trying to block it remotely, it is of fundamental importance to request the SIM lock and IMEI code. By blocking the SIM you will have the possibility to request a new card without losing your phone number (paying a sum of about 10 euros), while by blocking the IMEI code of the mobile phone you will make it unusable on the entire national mobile network. To request the SIM lock, all you have to do is contact your telephone operator, follow the instructions of the automatic service and select the relevant option theft and loss. You will have the opportunity to speak with a real operator and request the blocking of your SIM, which will arrive in a timely manner after a short process of verifying your identity. The numbers to call are as follows.
- TIM - 119. If you are subscribed to TIM's online services, you can also access the area MyTIM Mobile of the operator's website and block your SIM online by pressing the button Block located in the box Your SIM.
- wind - 155.
- Vodafone - 190.
- Three - 800 832 323.
- Poste Mobile - 160.
- Fastweb Mobile - 192193.
If you have difficulties in getting in touch with your operator, try to follow the instructions contained in my guides on how to call a TIM, Vodafone, Wind, Fastweb and Tre operator.
The procedure for blocking the IMEI code is slightly more complex. You must first find the code by checking the packaging of the stolen phone. If there is no label with the IMEI code in the package of the device, try to connect to the following Internet sites or to use the applications that I am about to recommend and you should be able to recover the IMEI anyway.
- If you have lost an Android smartphone, connected to the Google Dashboard, expand the item related to Android, locate the item relating to the device that was stolen from you and among the information concerning it you should also find its IMEI code.
- If you have lost an iPhone, open iTunes on the computer you usually used to back up your phone. Then go to the menu Edit> Preferences (o iTunes> Preferences) on Mac, select the tab devices from the window that opens and place the mouse cursor for a few seconds on the name of your iPhone. A box will appear with various information, including the IMEI of the device.
- If you have lost a Windows Phone, connected to the Microsoft Devices website, click on the button Log in, log in to your Microsoft account and you should find the IMEI of the phone under the entry for the latter.
If any steps are not clear to you and / or you need more in-depth information, consult my tutorial on how to check IMEI.
Once you have recovered the IMEI of the phone, you must contact the Public Security authorities e report the theft of the mobile phone1, then you have to go back to your telephone operator's website and fill in the form to request the blocking of the IMEI code, to which you must also attach a copy of the report made to the competent authorities. For more details about the procedure to follow, continue reading and follow the instructions for your telephone operator.
- TIM - connected to this page of the TIM site, locate the item Request for IMEI blocking and unblocking for stolen or lost devices and click on the button Fill in relating to the latter. Then fill out the form that is proposed to you and send it using the appropriate button. If you are not subscribed to the MyTIM Mobile service, click on the button Download instead of the "Fill" form in order to download the offline form, print it, fill it out and send it by mail to the address TIM Customer Service P.O.Box 555 00054 - FIUMICINO RM.
- wind - download the following form in PDF format, print it, fill it out and send it by post together with a copy of the identity document to the address WIND TELECOMUNICAZIONI SpA - Post office box n. 14155 - Milan Post Office 65 - 20152 MILAN MI.
- Vodafone - connect to this page of the Vodafone site, log in to your MyVodafone account, fill out the form that is proposed to you and you're done. Remember to attach a copy of your identity document and the theft report using the appropriate buttons.
- Three - download the following form in PDF format, print it, fill it out and fax it to the number +800 179 700 XNUMX attaching the theft report and the front and back copy of a valid identity document.
- Fastweb Mobile - download the following form in PDF format, print it, fill it out and fax it to the number 02 36656449 attaching a copy of the theft report and a copy of a valid identity document.
- Poste Mobile - download the following form in PDF format, print it, fill it out and fax it to the number 800.074.470 together with a copy of a valid identity document.
To receive information about the status of the case, try to spend a few days and contact the operator by phone.
- If you have managed to locate the smartphone remotely, communicate the geographical location of the device to the authorities. This will certainly facilitate the investigation of the theft and maybe even allow you to find the phone. ↩︎
