What can you do if you've lost your phone or had it stolen in Qatar? Firstly, as a general precaution, ensure all your passwords are strong and have two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Make sure sensitive information like photos, etc are password protected on the mobile device & have all the important information backed up on the cloud. Do take note of the phone's serial (IMEI) number. Most public places in Qatar (for example, malls) have a dedicated lost and found space; this will usually be your first point of contact to check with.

The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team has listed some of the ways you can try to retrieve it. Check them out below.

Track your phone

If you are an iPhone user, you can go to the iCloud Find My iPhone website and type in your Apple ID and password. It will show you the location of your Apple devices, and you can trace the location and try to retrieve it from there. You can also sign in here to check your device's serial number (IMEI).

If you are an Android phone user and are logged into Google on your phone, go to Google Find My Device, and you can choose for your device to ring even if set on silent, or you can choose to secure your data by locking your phone, logging out of your Google account and erase data.

If you choose the erase option, all data will be permanently deleted from the device and after your device has been erased; you can’t locate it. If your device is offline, erasing will begin when it next comes online. You can also find the device's IMEI number via Google Find My Device.

Inform your service provider

Inform your network provider immediately after losing your phone. This will allow them to block calls, messages, and transactions using your phone numbers.

It will also prevent unauthorized transactions made using your debit and credit cards, which require an OTP (one-time password) sent to your registered mobile number for any successful transaction. You can also ask them to give you a replacement SIM card with your old number. They can also provide the phone's identification number (IMEI).

Report lost phone via Metrash2

1. The first step is to log in to your Metrash2 app and click on "General Services".
2. The next step is to click on the "Report Lost Objects" option.
3. Next, type in your Qatar ID or QID and click next.
4. On this page, you are allowed to select the mobile phone option. Click on it and then click on next.
5. Fill in the lost period of the item and the lost place and click on register.
6. Your notification will get registered with them.
7. Once the report is registered, you will receive a lost object certificate via the registered email after approval from MoI. As per the Metrash2 call centre, further investigation will take place after this.

Lodge a police complaint

You can also personally lodge a complaint at your nearest police station (find the location of the nearest one to you by logging into the Metrash2 app > General Services > Important locations > Police Stations).

Lodging a complaint will be useful if the person who stole it attempts to use your financial information to make a fraudulent purchase using your account information. You can also provide the IMEI number to the police, which they can use to trace your phone and give you further instructions.

RELATED:

• What to do if you lose an item in Qatar
• How to replace lost or damaged QID for expats?
• How to renew Qatar driving license online?
• How to report traffic violations on Metrash2

Source: Metrash2, Google Find My Device, Apple Support

Have you ever lost your phone in Qatar? What did you do after that, did you manage to get it back? Let us know in the comments below. Do share this article - it keeps us going!

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Vrinda Abilash

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