How to block a phone's IMEI in the Philippines
The IMEI is a number that identifies the phone itself, not your SIM. This step can wait until your SIM, e-wallets and banks are blocked, so do those first. In another country? Pick yours here, because the rules are different.
What you'll need
- Your IMEI. You can find it without the phone.
- Form No. NTC 1-24 (Revision 02, 31 March 2023), the Affidavit of Ownership and Loss with Undertaking. It's worded for an adult Filipino citizen, with lines for a TIN and a residence certificate, so if that doesn't fit you, ask the NTC or the notary. An affidavit is a sworn written statement. Fill it in and have it notarized, which means signing it in front of a notary. The form says it isn't for sale and can be copied.
- A copy of your ID: a government-issued ID or passport. Students can use a school ID. If you have no ID, the form accepts a birth certificate or NBI clearance.
- Proof the phone is yours, any one of these: the official receipt, the box showing the IMEI, or a certificate of purchase from an authorized seller with your name, the date and the IMEI.
The form says to have the originals available for comparison, so bring them if you go in person.
If you have no receipt or box
The form accepts an affidavit in their place. It should declare that the phone is yours and give a reference for blocking, such as the IMEI, with a police blotter attached if you have one. Smart's page puts it more firmly and says a police report is needed if you have no proof. So it's safest to get a police report first.
Where to send it
The NTC's Loss / Stolen Cellphone page has an online form. It asks for your full name, an updated contact number and email, the phone, and a summary of your complaint. You upload three things:
- A copy of a valid ID. Any government-issued ID, or a school ID for students. If you have no ID, a birth certificate or NBI clearance.
- A picture of the IMEI numbers. If you don't have one, ask the NTC what it will accept.
- A notarized Affidavit of Loss with Undertaking.
Other ways to reach them:
- The NTC's consumer hotline is 1682, shown as open 24 hours. Its other consumer lines are +63 2 8920 4464, +63 2 8926 7722 and +63 2 8921 3251, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. The email is [email protected]. The page doesn't say whether these lines take blocking requests, so ask.
- NTC Region 7 says you can also file in person at its regional office. Other regional offices may differ.
- Smart's page gives the NTC's number as 0919-299 9999.
- If you bought the phone from Globe, you can ask Globe to blacklist it, using the IMEI on the back of the box. Globe says the phone then can't be used, even with a different SIM.
Before you sign the form
The form is a sworn statement, so it needs to be true and correct. It also includes an undertaking: you agree not to hold the NTC or the carriers responsible for claims or damages from permanently blocking the phone. If the phone isn't yours alone, for example if it's a company phone, ask the owner first. This isn't legal advice, so if you're unsure, ask a lawyer or the notary.
The same form also lets you ask to block the SIM or number that was in the phone. Call your own network about this first anyway, so that codes sent by text stop reaching the phone. Your number stops working for you too, so read about getting it back.
What blocking can't do
- It doesn't locate the phone. Nothing we opened says blocking can find it. For an iPhone, use Apple's Find My.
- It doesn't protect your accounts. Someone who can open the phone may still reach what's on it, so change your passwords too.
- It's about mobile networks. The form is addressed to mobile carriers. It says nothing about Wi-Fi or networks in other countries, so don't assume those are covered.
Please don't pay anyone who offers to track or unblock a phone by its IMEI.
What we couldn't confirm
We couldn't read how long blocking takes, or whether the NTC charges a fee. A notary may charge for notarizing. Ask the NTC and the notary before you go.
How FirstHour helps
Plan B keeps your IMEI in your first-hour plan, so you aren't hunting for it later. You type it in yourself, because iPhone doesn't let apps read it. FirstHour can't block a phone or file the form for you, and blocking is up to the NTC and the networks.
Questions
Does a police report have to come first?
It depends on your proof. The NTC's form treats a blotter as something to attach if available, and Region 7's list doesn't mention one when you have a receipt or box. Smart says you need a police report if you have no proof.
Can a blocked phone be unblocked if I get it back?
The form has an Unblock box as well as a Block box, but it also talks about blocking permanently. Ask the NTC what applies before you rely on it.
Should I block the IMEI or erase the iPhone?
They do different things, and you can do both. Apple says to try everything else before erasing, because it can't be undone, and to keep the iPhone in Find My even after erasing it.
Sources
- Form No. NTC 1-24, Affidavit of Ownership and Loss with Undertaking, National Telecommunications Commission
- Loss / Stolen Cellphone, National Telecommunications Commission
- FAQs, NTC Region 7
- Temporary disconnection for lost SIM or phone, Globe
- How to report a lost or stolen phone, Smart
- Find the serial number or IMEI on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, Apple Support
- How to find your lost iPhone or iPad, Apple Support