Stealing a mobile phone

Verified 12 April 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In case of theft of your mobile phone or smartphone, you must immediately contact your operator to have your line suspended. You also have to file a complaint quickly with the police or the gendarmerie. You can get the replacement of your device if you have insurance and according to the terms of the contract.

Reach your operator

You must report as soon as possible the theft of your phone to your operator to suspend your line.

Suspending your line means blocking your SIM card. The thief will not be able to make any more calls.

You must make this declaration either on your operator's website (from your customer area) or by calling your operator's emergency telephone number.

Before this declaration, the communications made by the thief will be billed to you.

If you find your phone, your line (SIM card) can be reactivated.

FYI  

most recent telephones allow you to remotely erase the data (photos, SMS...) and disable access to emails and other applications.

IMEI Number

When you call your operator to suspend your line, they must give you the number IMEI: titleContent (15 digits) from your phone. It's his ID.

You will have to give it to the police or gendarmerie. Without this, your phone won't be blocked.

This number can also identify your phone if the police or gendarmerie find it.

If you are insured for the theft of your mobile phone, you must communicate the number to your insurance.

FYI  

you can find your IMEI: titleContent in your customer area on your operator's website (in your account settings).

Get your phone locked

You must complain as soon as possible at a police station or a gendarmerie brigade.

For that, you have to give them the number IMEI: titleContent of your device (15 digits).

Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact

The law enforcement authorities take care of sending the request to block the device to your operator.

The operator must block your line within a maximum of 4 days after your declaration.

It is the device itself that will be blocked and not just the line.

Please note

even if you are traveling abroad, you must go to a police station to file a theft complaint.

Find your phone

You can try to locate your phone. Several websites or mobile apps allow this. To do this, the “location” function of your phone must be activated.

If you locate him, notify the police or gendarmerie and don't act yourself.

Please note

if the police find your phone, your line can be reactivated, but you won't be able to use your device if it's already blocked.

Attach your insurance

If you have a assurance for the theft of your phone, you can use it to replace it.

This can be insurance taken from your operator or that linked to your credit card, or travel insurance.

You must contact your insurer within a short time after the flight (48 hours or a few days maximum).

The insurer will ask you for proof of your complaint. You'll have to provide him with the complaint.

Conditions for replacement

Whether a replacement is made depends on the insurance contract signed.

For example, insurance may work only in cases of robbery with violence (an assault) and not because of a pickpocket. It is advisable to ask your operator.

The insurer may ask you for more details before compensating you.

Misrepresentation

Making a false statement (such as claiming a violent assault when it's a pickpocket) to get your phone replaced is a case in pointswindle.

In addition, filing a false complaint with the police or gendarmerie is an offense punishable by 6 months in prison and €7,500 of fine.

Please note

the loss of a mobile phone may allow early termination of a subscription. You have to check whether your contract allows it.

If your phone contains apps such as your mailbox, bank account, social networks, it's a good idea to quickly change your passwords in each one.

Your passwords are stored in the memory of these applications. A thief can easily find them and use your confidential applications and data.

You can act early to minimize negative consequences and risks of fraud (e.g. use of your personal data).

These actions include:

  • Back Up often the data contained in your phone (on a computer, database, external hard drive, etc.)
  • Rate your IMEI: titleContentoutside of your phone. You can find it either in your customer area on your operator's website (your account settings), or in your phone's settings, or on its original packaging. You can also get it by tapping on your phone: *#06# and making the call.
  • Verify that the "location" of your phone is activated (it is in the confidential data of your settings)