Government plans app for people who have had their cell phones stolen. Check out how the app can help protect your data.
The Ministry of Justice and Public Security is studying the launch of applications aimed at preventing data leaks from stolen, misplaced or lost cell phones. The applications currently being researched by the Ministry should allow users to register a trusted person to have permission to deactivate the device on their own, if necessary.
The information comes from the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino. According to him, the blocking will be done through an application installed on the cell phone of a trusted person, through a third party's phone or even through a computer. To ensure the security of the operations, authentication through the gov.br platform is required. Continue reading and learn more about the app.
Coming soon
In addition to the Ministry, discussions on this request included the participation of the Brazilian Federation of Banks (Febraban), the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), telephone operators and even companies such as Google and Meta. Dino announced that the platform should go live in November.
The Minister of Justice also announced that, according to the proposal, the application will have a single command that, when pressed, will announce that Anatel and the operators will block the cell phone. This will prevent its use for calls or access to the mobile network. Febraban and the banks will suspend access to users' accounts via the internet, which will make it difficult, for example, to transfer money via PIX and reduce the risk of financial losses for victims.
The Ministry of Justice will also notify the local police about the crime. Currently, you can have your cell phone blocked by contacting your carrier or, in some states, by filing a police report. Blocking deactivates the line and prevents the device from accessing the country's mobile phone network. Anatel said it hopes that the app developed by the ministry will make blocking cell phones “more accessible and simple for the entire population.” According to Anatel, since 2020, around 3.2 million cell phones have been blocked in the country. However, while the app is not yet launched, check out some ways to protect your cell phone in case of a robbery below.
Lock your phone to protect your data
Remotely locking your phone will prevent third parties from accessing your personal data. This includes banking apps, credit card passwords, social media accounts, and emails. You can also add messages to the lock screen, such as your contact information. This feature is especially useful if your device is lost rather than stolen.
Erase all data from your phone
Data can be erased from your stolen phone using each brand's official apps. Android and iPhone have native tools for this: Google's Find My Device and Apple's Find My. Samsung and Xiaomi also offer alternatives for removing information from your device. Phones with iOS 15 or later and Xiaomi devices can still be tracked even if they are turned off. However, it is important to remember that this process is irreversible: restore the device to factory settings, all information will be permanently erased.
Block IMEI with carrier
To the block IMEI By registering your cell phone with your carrier, you prevent the device from accessing the Claro, TIM and Vivo networks. It will still be able to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi and transfer data via Bluetooth, but it will no longer be able to make calls or access the carrier's data network (3G, 4G and 5G).
