‘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
- Go to the CEIR portal website
- Click the red tab labeled “Block Stolen/Lost Mobile”
- Fill out the form with the following information:
- Mobile number linked to the lost or stolen SIM card
- IMEI number of the device
- Mobile phone brand and price
Next up is “Lost Information”
- Fill the details of place where the phone was lost/ stolen
- Police complaint (FIR) details and a copy of FIR
- Your personal details (name, address, email ID)
- Complete the CAPTCHA verification
- Click “Get OTP”
- Enter the OTP sent to your mobile number to verify your identity
- Submit 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:
- Click “Check Request Status” tab
- Fill 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.
