How to Block Lost Phone with IMEI in India (Sanchar Saathi CEIR Step-by-Step)

Last updated: 10 October 2026

Losing a phone in India today is not just about the handset. Your UPI apps, bank OTPs, WhatsApp, photos and Aadhaar-linked services are all on it. If you are wondering how to block lost phone with IMEI, the Government of India's Sanchar Saathi portal (CEIR module) lets you block the phone on every Indian mobile network, so it becomes useless to the thief, and it also helps police trace it. This guide explains what you need before you start, the exact blocking steps, how to check status, how to unblock the phone when you get it back, and what else you must do in the first hour to protect your money and accounts.

Quick answer: To block a lost phone with IMEI in India, file a police complaint (FIR or lost report), get a duplicate SIM for your number, then go to sancharsaathi.gov.in > Citizen Centric Services > Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset. Enter the IMEI, device and loss details, upload the complaint and ID proof, verify by OTP and save the Request ID.

What is CEIR and how IMEI blocking works

Every mobile phone has a unique 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. Dual-SIM phones have two IMEIs, one for each SIM slot.

CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) is a national database run by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). When you report a phone as lost or stolen, its IMEI is added to a blocked list that all Indian telecom operators (Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL) check. A blocked phone cannot make calls, send SMS or use mobile data on any Indian network, even with a new SIM.

CEIR is now part of the Sanchar Saathi citizen portal at sancharsaathi.gov.in (opens in new tab). Sanchar Saathi also has an official mobile app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. According to the official Sanchar Saathi FAQ, you can block a lost phone, check the request status and unblock a found phone through the app as well as the website. This guide uses the website flow; the app asks for the same details and documents.

Blocking does not stop the police from tracing the phone. If someone inserts a SIM into the blocked phone, the system can alert the police so they can try to recover it.

Do this first: the first-hour checklist

Before blocking the IMEI, protect your money and accounts. Speed matters more than anything else here.

1. Try to locate, lock or erase the phone.
   • Android: go to Google's Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) at google.com/android/find and sign in. Use Secure device to lock it with a message and alternate number, or Factory reset device as a last resort.
   • iPhone: go to icloud.com/find, select the phone and turn on Mark As Lost (Lost Mode).
2. Block your SIM. Call your operator from another phone (Jio, Airtel, Vi or BSNL customer care) and ask them to block the SIM. This stops OTPs reaching the thief. Then request a duplicate SIM with the same number; you will need it for OTP during CEIR blocking.
3. Block UPI and banking. Call your bank's helpline to block UPI and net banking access on that device. If money has already been taken, call 1930 (National Cyber Crime Helpline) immediately and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in (opens in new tab). Our guide on how to report cyber fraud online in India explains the full process.
4. Change key passwords. Change your Google/Apple ID, email and social media passwords from another device. Log out of the lost phone from your Google account's Security > Your devices page. Use strong, unique passwords (see examples).
5. WhatsApp: Re-register WhatsApp on your duplicate SIM. This logs out the lost phone.

How to find the IMEI number of a lost phone

You need the IMEI to block the phone. Here is where to find it when the phone itself is gone:

If you still have the phone in hand (for example, to note the IMEI for future safety), dial *#06# and the IMEI(s) will appear on screen. On Android you can also see it in Settings > About phone; on iPhone, Settings > General > About.

Tip: Save a screenshot of your IMEI in your email or Google Drive today, so you are not searching for it after a theft.

Police report: is it required and what are the alternatives

The CEIR blocking form asks for police complaint details: the complaint/FIR number, police station, and a copy of the complaint. Official guidance and user manuals list a police report (FIR or lost report) as a required document along with ID proof.

You do not always need to visit a police station in person:

• Online lost-article report: Many state police departments let you file a lost report online through their website or citizen app (for example, Delhi Police's Lost Report service, which sends a digitally signed report to your phone and email, and the Report Lost Article option in Uttar Pradesh Police's UPCOP app). Service names and rules differ by state, so check your state police website or citizen app. You get a report number and a downloadable copy, which you can upload to CEIR.
• e-FIR for theft: If the phone was stolen (not just lost), some states let you register an e-FIR online (for example, Delhi Police's theft e-FIR and the Register e-FIR option in UP's UPCOP app). Which cases qualify for an e-FIR varies by state, so check your state police portal; if there is no online option, file the FIR at the police station.
• Police station: If your state has no online option, visit the nearest police station and ask for a written complaint copy with the complaint number.

Without any police complaint number, you will not be able to complete the CEIR form. If you only want to protect your data quickly, start with remote lock/erase and SIM blocking (first-hour checklist above) while you get the report.

How to block lost phone with IMEI on Sanchar Saathi (step by step)

Keep these ready:

• Police complaint number and a copy (PDF/JPG)
• IMEI number(s)
• Phone brand and model
• Purchase invoice (recommended)
• ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence, passport or voter ID)
• A working mobile number for OTP, usually the duplicate SIM of your lost number (as per TRAI rules, SMS on a re-issued SIM starts 24 hours after activation, so get the duplicate SIM early)

Steps

1. Open sancharsaathi.gov.in (opens in new tab) and go to Citizen Centric Services.
2. Click Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset. This opens the CEIR section.
3. Choose Block lost / stolen mobile handset.
4. Device information: enter the lost mobile number(s), IMEI 1 (and IMEI 2 for dual-SIM phones), device brand and model, and upload the purchase invoice if you have it.
5. Lost information: enter the place, date, state and district where the phone was lost, the police station, the police complaint number, and upload the complaint copy.
6. Mobile owner information: enter your name, address, ID proof type and number, and upload the ID proof. Add your email address.
7. Enter the mobile number for OTP, click Get OTP, and enter the code.
8. Tick the declaration and click Submit.
9. Save the Request ID shown on screen and sent by SMS. You need it to check status and to unblock the phone later.

According to the official Sanchar Saathi FAQ, a reported handset is blocked on Indian telecom networks within 24 hours. If anyone later uses the phone, you get an SMS, and the traceability report is also shared with the police station where you filed the complaint.

Check your CEIR request status

1. Go to the same Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset section.
2. Click Check lost / stolen mobile handset request status. (Lost the Request ID? Use Forgot request ID on the same page.)
3. Enter your Request ID and the captcha, then submit.

You will see one of these statuses:

The most common reasons for rejection are a wrong IMEI digit, a mismatch between the complaint and form details, or an unreadable upload.

How to unblock your phone when it is found

If the police recover your phone or you find it yourself:

1. First inform the local police that the phone has been found (the official FAQ requires this before unblocking).
2. Open Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset on Sanchar Saathi and click Unblock found mobile handset.
3. Enter the Request ID, your mobile number and the reason for unblocking (for example, "found" or "recovered by police").
4. Enter the OTP, complete the captcha and submit.
5. You get an acknowledgement. Once processed, the IMEI is unblocked and you are informed by SMS or email.

Important: If the blocking request was registered through the State Police (for example, the police filed it for you), you have to approach the State Police to register the unblocking request.

After unblocking, restart the phone with your SIM inside and check that calls and data work.

What CEIR blocking does and does not do

This is why the first-hour checklist matters: CEIR protects the hardware, but your data and money need separate action (remote erase, SIM block, bank call, password changes).

If you suspect someone accessed your accounts through the stolen phone, go through our checklist on how to check if your phone is hacked once you have a new device. Also keep important ID documents safe in DigiLocker; you can download Aadhaar from DigiLocker again on the new phone.

Buying a second-hand phone? Check the IMEI first

Sanchar Saathi's Know Your Mobile (KYM) service tells you whether an IMEI is blocked, duplicate or already in use. Before buying a used phone:

1. Dial *#06# on the phone you are buying and note the IMEI.
2. SMS KYM <15-digit IMEI> to 14422, or use the KYM option on the Sanchar Saathi website or app.
3. If the result says blacklisted, duplicate or already in use, do not buy it.

Also check whether it is genuine and not refurbished using our guide to check if a phone is original or refurbished.

Conclusion

Knowing how to block lost phone with IMEI turns a stressful situation into a clear checklist. In the first hour, lock or erase the phone, block your SIM and call your bank. Then file a police or online lost report, get a duplicate SIM, and submit the CEIR request on Sanchar Saathi. Save the Request ID, and use Unblock found mobile handset if the phone comes back.

If money was lost along with the phone, follow our guide to report cyber fraud online in India right away. For more government digital services, browse the Digital India & UPI section.