Stolen Xiaomi phone and turned off: 7 steps to search and lock

Losing a smartphone is stressful, and if it is stolen and turned off immediately, the panic is greatly increased. Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO, Black Shark) have built-in protection mechanisms, but their effectiveness depends on your actions in the first hours after the theft. In this article, a specific algorithm will help lock the device, track it before turning it off, delete personal data and increase the chances of returning through law enforcement.

The main problem with a phone turned off is the loss of communication with Mi Cloud servers, which makes remote control impossible, but even then there are ways to lock the device over IMEI, file an account-linked report to the police, and use operator data for search, and we will analyze each step with the specifics of MIUI firmware and Chinese versions of smartphones.

Important: if you haven't set up Settings → Mi Account → Find the device in advance, some of the features will be unavailable, but even then there are legal and technical levers left, which we'll also look at.

1. Check the last location before turning off

If the phone was turned on even a few minutes after the theft, its coordinates could be saved in the Mi Cloud.

• 📍 Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
• 🔍 In Devices, select a stolen smartphone. If it shows up as Offline, click on it and the system will show the last known dot on the map (even if the device is turned off right now).
• ⏳ Check the time of last activity: if less than 30 minutes have passed, the chances of a successful search are higher.

If the phone is turned off immediately, this method will not work, in which case proceed to the next step - locking by IMEI.

2. Lock your phone through Mi Account (if it was tied)

Even when the device is turned off, you can delete all data or lock the screen through the Mi Cloud, which will not prevent thieves from using the device as a “brick”, but will protect your data:

1. Go to the Mi Account account.
2. Select the stolen phone from the list of devices.
3. Click Find the device → Block or Erase the data.
4. Enter a new password to unlock (if you choose to lock) or confirm the deletion.

Important: once the data is erased, it will be impossible to track the phone, and only use this feature if the device stores critical data (bank applications, photo documents, etc.).

Check the last location |Block the device |Delete the data (if necessary) |Save screenshots for the police-->

3. Block the IMEI through the carrier

IMEI is a unique phone identifier that can be locked at the operator network level, making the device useless to attackers (they can't make calls, use mobile Internet).

1. Find it. IMEI phone: 📄 In documents (box, warranty card). 📱 On another Xiaomi device via Settings → The phone. → General information (if the account has been synchronized). 💻 In Mi Cloud on the site (Devices section).

• 📞 MTS: *111# → "Lock the phone".
• 📞 Beeline: *110*11# → "Lockdown IMEI".
• 📞 MegaFon: *105*00# → "Lock the machine down".
• 📞 Tele2: 611 → "Security".

IMEI is blocked for all Russian operators, and if the phone was purchased on credit or leasing, additionally notify the bank - they can help with the search through their channels.

💡

If you don't remember IMEI, but the phone was tied to Mi Account, go to your account settings → "Device management. It shows all the attached gadgets with their IMEI.

4.Put a report to the police with a link to the Mi Account

Without a police report, operators and Xiaomi will not be able to help with the search, and your job is to provide the most complete information possible:

• 📝 Phone data: model, IMEI, Serial number (on the box or in the Mi Cloud).
• 📱 Screenshots from Mi Cloud: latest location, device status (Offline), lock attempts.
• 💳 Checks and documents: confirmation of purchase (even electronic check).
• 📋 Statement: Please indicate that the phone is linked to Mi Account (this will make it easier to identify when you are in the phone).

Model statement:

I'm asking you to file a criminal case for the theft of my smartphone [model], IMEI: [number], serial number: [number]. The device is tied to a Xiaomi account (login: [email], phone: [number]). Last location on the Mi Cloud: [address, time]. Please help with the search.

Police can request data from Xiaomi Russia through official channels, and some regions have partnered with operators to track the base of stations (if the phone turned on after the theft).

5. Check used sites and service centers

Thieves often try to sell stolen phones through Avito, Yulu, or hand over for repairs.

• 🔍 Monitor ads: - Use filters by model and IMEI (If the site supports search by serial number. - Check the photo: sometimes thieves forget to delete personal data from the lock screen.
• 🛠️ Contact the service centers: - Give them IMEI and a serial number asking you to let us know if the phone goes for repair. - Xiaomi has a list of authorized SCs - their contacts can be found on the official website.

If you find your device on sale:

1. Contact the seller under the pretext of buying and request additional photos (they may show your data).
2. Collect evidence (screenshots, correspondence) and report it to the police.
3. Don’t try to return your phone yourself, it’s dangerous.

6.Revoke access to accounts and payment systems

Even if your phone is locked, attackers can try to access your accounts through:

• 📧 Email (if synchronization has been set up).
• 💰 Banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, VTB, etc.).
• 🔑 Two-factor authentication (if you have two-factor authentication) SMS They come to the stolen number).

Actions required:

If a bank card was tied to the phone, immediately block it through the bank’s mobile application or by the number on the back of the card.

💡

Even if the phone is turned off, attackers can extract SIM-map and use it to obtain SMS-Make sure to lock the number from the operator or move it to a new one. SIM.

7.Additional measures: what to do if nothing helps

If the phone is not found, there are long-term measures:

• 📵 Blacklist IMEI: contact MTS, Beeline or MegaFon with a request to make IMEI It will block it at the level of all Russian operators.
• 🛡️ Insurance: If your phone is insured, collect all the documents (police statement, checks, screenshots from Mi Cloud) and contact your insurance company.
• 🔄 Buying a new phone: When buying a new Xiaomi, move data from the Mi Cloud backup (if it was created before the theft).

If the phone was bought on credit, notify the bank of the theft - they can suspend payments until the situation is resolved.

⚠️ Do not buy phones "with hands" without checking IMEI! You can check the status of the device on the SNDeeP (Stolen Gadgets Database). IMEI The transaction may be declared invalid, and the phone seized by the police.

FAQ: Frequent questions after Xiaomi theft