The first thing worth doing is to remotely lock the device through the device-finding service by accessing it from any other device. On Android, the corresponding function is called Find Hub; on Apple devices, it works through Find My. Locking closes the device with a code or account password, and at the same time you can show a message with a contact for communication on the screen, which sometimes really helps if the phone has been lost rather than stolen. It is important to lock it specifically, rather than erase the data, and the reason is in the next point.

Why Data Erasure Is Done Last

After remote data erasure, the device disappears from the finding system, and tracking it becomes significantly more difficult. That is, you simultaneously protect the data and deprive yourself of the ability to find the device. Therefore, erasure is left until the end, when it becomes clear that the phone cannot be returned, or when it contains truly critical data for the sake of which the device can be sacrificed. A locked device with the screen password enabled is already inaccessible to another person, so there is no need to rush with erasure.

Step Two: SIM Card

Next, call your operator and block the SIM card. The reason is urgent, since the phone number is a channel for recovering passwords and confirming banking operations, and therefore a person with your SIM card gets access to much more than the phone itself. The support numbers of operators should be checked on their official websites, since they change, and some calls are free only from the networks of specific operators. Number recovery takes place at the operator's store after identification, and the tariff plan, balance at the moment of blocking, and connected services are preserved, while a new SIM card costs a symbolic amount.

Step Three: Banks and Accounts

Call the bank using the number on the back of the card and block the cards linked to applications on the phone. There is a risk here that is rarely mentioned, although it is very relevant for Ukraine. Having access to your phone, criminals try to take out microloans from financial companies or use the credit limit on bank cards, and this is precisely why a report to the police acquires practical significance. Next, change the passwords to your mailbox, since it is what provides access to the recovery of all other services. End all active login sessions in your main accounts and check whether any unknown devices have appeared among the connected devices. Review the two-factor authentication settings, since when you lose your phone you may also lose access to the authenticator app, and backup codes, which are issued when it is enabled, exist precisely for this situation.

Step Four: Report to the Police

It is worth filing a report even when you are sure that the phone will not be found. There are two reasons, and both are practical. The first is that without a report, the police do not have legal grounds to seize your device, even if it is found somewhere, since seizure is possible only within the framework of criminal proceedings. The second is protection from financial consequences, since a recorded fact of theft with a specific date becomes your argument if a loan is taken out in your name. For the report, you will need documents confirming the purchase of the phone, that is, a receipt or invoice on which the IMEI number is indicated. The IMEI itself is displayed on the screen using the combination star hash zero six hash, and finding it out from a stolen device is no longer possible, so it is worth writing it down in advance. Information from the report is entered into the relevant register within one day. Separately, it is worth saying something about safety. If you find out where your phone is, do not go to retrieve it yourself, since you risk encountering people who may harm you. This is a matter for the police, not for a personal visit.

About Blocking by IMEI

Here, honesty is needed, since there is a lot of conflicting advice on this topic on the internet. The possibility of blocking the device itself by its IMEI number depends on the operator and on the specific situation, so this question should be asked directly to your support service rather than relying on general claims from the internet.

What to Do in Advance

The most useful part of the material concerns not the theft itself, but preparation for it. Write down the IMEI separately from the phone, that is, on paper or in a cloud note that can be accessed from another device. This is the one action that later saves hours. Enable screen locking with a password or code, since without it some remote functions do not work, and the data remains open. Biometrics is a convenient addition, but the code itself is the main protection. Check that the device-finding function is enabled, and do this now, not when the phone has already disappeared. Write down the PUK code of your SIM card, which is indicated on the plastic holder, and keep this holder. In important accounts, specify a backup phone number for recovery that is different from the main one. Link your number to your passport details with the operator, since this makes it more difficult for another person to reissue the SIM card. Save two-factor authentication backup codes outside the phone. Keep important contacts not only in the phone book, but also in the cloud or in the mailbox. Make backups regularly, and I wrote separately about how to organize this properly in the material about a digital archive. Keep the receipt and box from the phone, since they will be needed for the report.


Sources: State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, ZN.ua materials, The Village Ukraine, Ekonomichna Pravda, Dnipro Operatyvnyi.