How to Recover Your Lost Mobile Phone?

 In the year 2000, mobile services began in India and people, as consumers, knew very little about Indian laws on using cell phones. . The total Indian cell phone subscriber base, as per reports by Trak.in, totaled at 403.66 million. As per the 2009 news reports, India is the second largest market for cell phones, next to China. So, what happens if your cell phone is lost or stolen? Do you know what to do next? 

Legal Rights: How to Track Your Stolen Mobile Phone

 

First step, you have to understand and assert your legal rights. Start by filing a First Information Report (FIR) at the nearest police station. Don’t forget to mention each and every detail of the incident, in the FIR. Secondly, approach your service provider, with a copy of the FIR. You may go to any authorized center, of your service provider. Following your application, the company will block your Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, so that no one can misuse your number.  

 

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number plays an important part, in tracking back your mobile handset. The IMEI number is an international identity number, which is unique to every mobile handset. No two mobile handsets can have identical IMEI number. It is a 15 digit number, which acts as a digital finger print. Further, the IMEI number can identify the model and location of the handset, every time it is used.  

 

The IMEI number is usually printed in the compliance plate of the battery. Further, the IMEI number is flashed on most mobile phones, by dialing * # 0 6 #. The IMEI numbers are allotted by bodies authorized by GSM Association. This helps the police to track down your handset easily, with the help of the IMEI number. 

 

 

 

Final Legal Take Away Tip: The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) in India has ruled that it would ban all mobile phones that do not have the IMEI number. All Chinese mobile phones having no IMEI number are banned in India. Further, the DoT has issued a notice to all consumers; to buy mobile handsets, with a genuine IMEI number, from certified service centers. The Government of India has taken such a stand for the cause of national security. The phones with fake or no IMEI numbers are difficult to trace and can be misused by anti-social elements, terrorists and others.

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