How to block IMEI number of your phone in case your device gets lost or stolen? Find out

Every phone in the world has a unique IMEI number that can be used to identify or locate the device in case it gets lost or stolen. An IMEI number is unique to each device and no two devices can have the same IMEI number. In short, an IMEI is a digital fingerprint of the phone, unique to that particular device. On some occasions, IMEI is used to manually lock phones, such as when a user's phone gets stolen or lost. In this article, we'll take a look at what IMEI is, and how to block IMEI number of a phone. 

What is the IMEI Number of a Phone?

IMEI stands for Internation Mobile Equipment Identity. As the name suggests, an IMEI is a 15 digit number unique to each device. Service provider and phone manufacturers can use IMEI to track the particular device if the said device is lost or stolen. Often times, people confuse the serial number of the phone with the IMEI number. However, those are two completely separate numbers. The serial number is input by the manufacturers as a way to measure the model number of the device and is specific to that company. On the other hand, an IMEI number is a universal standard of mobile identification and can be used to verify the authenticity of the device. 

How to Block IMEI Number?

If you lost your mobile, or it gets stolen, there is a very good chance it will end up in the hands of someone else. If the phone ends up in the hands of a criminal, they can use your phone to carry out illegal transactions. However, when the police trace the number and IMEI, the phone will show up as registered under your name, and you could get into legal trouble because of the stolen device. In cases like these, it is advisable to lock the IMEI number of your phone as soon as you know your phone is lost/stolen. 

In order to block the IMEI number, you will need to register an FIR in a police station about your stolen/lost device. The police station will provide you with a copy of the FIR. Take the copy of the FIR to your service provider (Airtel, Vodafone etc) and show them the copy of the FIR. Tell them that you've lost/stolen your device and you want to lock the phone by locking the IMEI number. Blocking the IMEI will ensure the person in possession of your device cannot unlock the phone, or access any data inside. 

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