Hack of the day: Block stolen or lost mobile phones via CEIR

'The Times of India' brings you 'Hack of the Day' — a new weekday-series of quick, practical solutions to everyday hassles. Each hack is designed to save you time, money or stress, using tools and features within your reach — from government websites to everyday apps. In simple words it is: Simple fixes for smarter living.
If you lost your phone or someone has stolen it, worry not. The government has a solution for you. Smartphone theft is a common problem because of the high resale value, making them targets for thieves in crowded areas like markets and public transport. To help users recover their phones and/or block them, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) operates the CEIR portal (Central Equipment Identity Register).

What is CEIR Portal

The CEIR is a centralised database that allows mobile phone users to track their devices using their IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers. Each SIM slot in a device has a unique IMEI identifier. When you report a device as stolen through CEIR, it gets blacklisted across all networks in India. This means the device cannot be used on any network, even if the thief changes the SIM card.


In order to register a complaint on the CEIR website, users must keep three things handy: Firstly, file an FIR for your lost or stolen phone and keep a copy (digital or physical) for the CEIR registration. Secondly, find your phone’s IMEI number from the retail box, and thirdly, ensure the mobile number in lost/stolen mobile handset has been re-issued.

Steps to spot and block your phone through CEIR portal

ul1
• li1Go to the CEIR portal website
• li1Click the red tab labeled “Block Stolen/Lost Mobile”
• li1Fill out the form with the following information:
• li1Mobile number linked to the lost or stolen SIM card
• li1IMEI number of the device
• li1Mobile phone brand and price

Next up is “Lost Information”

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• li1Fill the details of place where the phone was lost/ stolen
• li1Police complaint (FIR) details and a copy of FIR
• li1Your personal details (name, address, email ID)
• li1Complete the CAPTCHA verification
• li1Click “Get OTP”
• li1Enter the OTP sent to your mobile number to verify your identity
• li1Submit the request

You will receive a confirmation message with a reference ID. Save this ID for future use.


When you have to check the status of your phone, you can:

ul1
• li1Click “Check Request Status” tab
• li1Fill Request ID / Complaint No. and Captcha

It must be noted that blocking your phone through CEIR makes it unusable on all networks in India and the platform does not help users locate their phones, it just blocks it. However, this does not prevent the police from tracking the lost/stolen phone. If you recover your phone later, you can unblock it through the CEIR portal using your reference ID.