To lock a stolen phone, use the built-in "Find My" services (Google's Find Hub for Android or Apple's Find My) from a web browser on another device, sign in with your account, select the phone, and choose the Lock or Lost Mode option, which remotely secures the device and lets you display a message with contact info. You can also sign out of your Google Account or use Stolen Device Protection on newer iPhones for extra security before reporting to the police.
In Find Hub, select the "Secure device" or “Mark as lost” option. This locks your phone with your PIN, pattern, or password, and logs you out of your Google Account.
Contact Your Carrier
Next, reach out to your mobile carrier and report your phone as stolen. They can block your stolen phone from their network, preventing the thief from using it with a new SIM card. You'll need to provide your account information and your phone's IMEI number.
Enable Theft Detection Lock (Android)
Android has a handy feature called 'Theft Detection Lock' which, when active, detects the motion of your phone being snatched and instantly locks your phone's screen.
Contacting Your Carrier
How to blacklist your phone
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
Beyond the loss of the device, the risks are also in the stored personal and financial information, which criminals can use to access bank accounts, make unauthorized purchases, or even identity theft. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize these risks.
If you type in your phone *#06# it will give you your IMEI number if your phone is stolen tell the police immediately keep the code Safe!
Google's Find Hub provides free remote locking capabilities for Android devices through multiple access methods. The service requires a connected Google account, enabled location services, and Find My Device activation during initial setup. The fastest remote locking method uses android.com/lock from any web browser.
If the handset is listed as stolen on the blacklist, it can be disabled electronically and the handset will then be unusable on several GSM networks around the world. To blacklist your phone, you need to know the serial number (IMEI) of your cellphone.
Online safety advocate Amy Bunn emphasizes the scope of this vulnerability: “What many people don't realize is how much information is stored or accessible through their phone — not just apps, but things like saved passwords, cloud backups, and multi-factor authentication codes.
You can dial *123*7*4# or *123*7# and select option 4 to block a stolen line. The affected number will be required and you will be asked some security questions before the line will be blocked, if the details provided are correct.
It's important to know what your IMEI number is so you can give it to the police when you report your phone as stolen. You can also call your network if your phone is nabbed and tell them your IMEI number so they can block (blacklist) your phone to stop it from connecting to any network.
If a robber has access to stolen biometric data, they could potentially use it to bypass the iPhone's security measures such as FaceID or TouchID to unlock an iPhone.
Call up your mobile network provider's customer service line. Inform them that your phone has been lost or stolen and provide them with the IMEI number. They can then proceed to block your phone, ensuring that the device cannot be used on any network with any SIM card.
Call barring allows you to block certain types of incoming or outgoing calls. Dialing *#33# displays your device's current call barring status. If you're receiving excessive spam calls, enabling call barring can help prevent unwanted calls, including those from potential hackers.
*3001#12345#* on an iPhone activates the hidden Field Test Mode, a diagnostic tool for network engineers and power users to see detailed cellular data like signal strength (dBm), cell tower info, and network quality, accessible by dialing the code in the Phone app and pressing call, often after turning off Wi-Fi for accurate cellular readings.
Dialing *#21# on your phone checks the status of your unconditional call forwarding, revealing if your calls, texts, or data are being redirected to another number without you knowing, often without leaving traces on your phone bill; it's a standard network code to see your carrier's call forwarding settings, not a definitive "hacking" tool, but useful for detecting unauthorized forwarding.
If they gain access to a lost phone, criminals can carry out numerous attacks and crimes, such as: Stealing money from bank accounts linked to the phone. Make unauthorized purchases using credit cards stored in the phone's wallet. Access any stored login credentials for accounts.
You should report it to your local police station as soon as you can by calling 101 or going in person. Your network provider will give you your phone's identification number (IMEI), which you should pass on to the police. Make a note of the crime reference number - you'll need it if you want to claim on insurance.
With just your number, a cybercriminal could try and scam you or your loved ones, sell it on the dark web, or dupe you into disclosing more info. Then, combined with other data like your name, email, and birthday, they could attempt to hack your personal accounts or commit identity theft.
You can double-tap or triple-tap the back of iPhone to perform actions such as taking a screenshot, turning on an accessibility feature, running a shortcut, and more. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then choose an action.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
If you know your Apple ID and password, you can sign into iCloud® on another device to unlock your iPhone without your passcode. Go to iCloud.com on another device and sign in with your Apple ID and password. Select Find My, and sign in if you're prompted.