Table of contents:
- How to get the IMEI of an Android phone
- Other ways to know the IMEI of your device
- Report your stolen phone
If you have reached this article, it is possible that you have had the bad luck of having lost your mobile or that it has been stolen. In addition, the normal thing is that you do not remember the IMEI number of your terminal by heart, something very important to unlock it and make it unusable. Basically, the IMEI is a number that identifies a mobile phone internationally. This is a data necessary to inform your operator of its loss or theft, and that it is no longer used by the company or by other operators in the country.
As we say, the normal thing is that at this moment you are blank and do not remember the IMEI number of your stolen mobile. Below we explain several ways to get hold of it, so that you can inform your operator as soon as possible and it can be blocked.
How to get the IMEI of an Android phone
If the mobile that has been stolen or you have lost has the Google Android operating system, you only have to take a few steps to discover the IMEI. Go to the Google Find my device page and click on the "i" icon that appears in the upper left. Logically, this only works if you previously had the stolen terminal associated with a Google account. Next, you will see in the device information the IMEI number, the first time it was registered and the last time it was seen.
The good thing about this system is that it gives you the possibility of knowing exactly where your phone is on a map. We recommend that before you block it by IMEI you try to find it. It is possible that you have lost it in a cafeteria or public place, you locate it on the map and you only have to go there to recover it. This same website also allows you to block the device from there, as well as log out of your Google account. In this way, if someone has stolen it from you, they will not be able to enter your email account or other company services. If you see that things are worse than you thought, you can even erase all the data on the device. Of course, keep in mind that once you do it you will not be able to locate it again.
You can also get the IMEI from Google's Find my device application, which you can download for free from Google Play. As you can imagine, to do this you will have to have another Android mobile to install it.
Other ways to know the IMEI of your device
If unfortunately you did not have your mobile phone associated with your Google account and the previous method is useless, don't worry, there are other ways to discover this number. One of them is to contact your operator from another mobile, give your information and check if you have the IMEI of your phone registered. This is usually frequent if at the time of contracting the rate you also bought the mobile.
On the other hand, if you still keep the purchase invoice, it is usual for the IMEI to appear on it. Sellers usually indicate this, since in case of claiming the warranty for a problem they could identify the equipment. If you don't have the physical paper, look in your mail. The normal thing is that when you acquire it you will receive a copy of the invoice, which you can still have in your inbox. If you bought it through Amazon, go to your account, in purchase orders, invoice.
Also, if you keep the mobile case, do not hesitate to look for it and get it. This is another place where the IMEI number is registered.
Report your stolen phone
Once you have obtained the IMEI of your stolen or lost mobile, you just have to contact your operator and report what happened to have it blocked. In the event that you end up recovering it, you will only have to ask for this lock to be lifted to be able to use it again. This solution only makes the phone unusable to make calls or send SMS or WhatsApp, but unfortunately it does not block other features, such as the camera, use of apps and other additional functions.
