24 September,2026 07:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. File pic.
Planning to attend the Ganpati immersion procession with thousands of people? Participating in the festivities can come with risks, including losing your phone in a crowded area. Try to keep your phones secure and be alert if someone bumps, pushes or distracts you in the crowd. If you still lose your phone, take the following steps to protect yourself from financial loss.
With mobile and digital banking, your phone provides access to banking, payment, and personal data. To prevent a major financial loss, immediately inform your mobile network provider to block your SIM card. This will prevent the SIM from being misused for frauds.
Inform your bank through official customer care number that you have lost your phone and tell them to block your cards if necessary. If you have cards with multiple banks, then you will have to inform them individually. Your mobile or digital banking can be compromised, so inform your bank and request them to suspend your mobile banking and UPI apps.
Using Find My iPhone or Find My Device for Android phones, remotely lock the device with a message if possible. See if you can track your phone or erase the data remotely. This step protects your data, email and passwords.
From another trusted device, change your passwords for your email accounts, mobile banking, net banking, payment apps, and social media accounts.
Note down your phone's IMEI number. Report to the authorities if your phone is lost or stolen. They can track or block the IMEI number. Using net banking or by visiting your local branch, verify all the transactions and if you come across any transaction that is suspicious, immediately notify your bank and the police.
Request your service provider for a new SIM with the same number. Install your apps only after you are certain that your data has not been compromised and it is safe to use the apps. Before installing your apps, confirm with your bank that your accounts are secure and request them for new debit or credit cards if they were also lost with the phone. Continue to monitor your account.
