Cell phone theft: how to cancel the line and what insurance can be contracted

Martin Grosz

04/02/2021 6:00 AM

• Clarín.com

• Services

Updated 04/02/2021 6:00 AM

Going everywhere with your cell phone today means going out with $ 25,000, $ 60,000 or even

$ 130,000 in your pocket

or purse.

Thieves know this, and that is why robberies have become a dangerous and costly daily nightmare.

As

Clarín

reported

, the latest official data indicates that 166 stolen cell phones per hour are reported in the country: almost

4 thousand per day

or 1.4 million per year.

And this does not include the large number of episodes that fail to register.

At the least expected time and place, the outburst occurs.

And then the user must 

act quickly

so that the equipment and the line are bypassed.

But that's just the beginning.

You will then need to purchase and activate

a new device

.

This procedure can be very expensive, unless an insurance has been contracted to cover this replacement.

Here is a practical guide on how to act if your cell phone is stolen and an overview of the options and prices to insure your equipment.

Raids are carried out every so often, but the black market for stolen cell phones remains uncontrolled.

1. What to do if the cell phone is lost or stolen?

As soon as possible, another telephone must be borrowed to report the fact to the mobile service operator, which must attend to these requests 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Staff Users

.

They can be contacted at 0800-444-0800;

to * 111 from a cell phone from the same company;

or to * 910 from a cell line of any company.

Movistar users

.

They can be communicated from a landline at 0800-321-0611;

from a cell phone from any company to * 910;

from another Movistar line to * 611;

or from abroad to +5411 5321-4212. 

Claro users

.

They can be communicated at 0800-123-0611;

from another Claro to * 611;

by email to 611@claro.com.ar;

or from abroad to +54 351 414-6226.

2. What does the operator do when the theft notice?

Reporting the theft allows, on the one hand, that the line is immediately 

suspended

, with no chance that anyone will consume the balance, generate charges or use the number to call or connect to the Internet.

And on the other hand, the unique internal code of the equipment is also blocked on the spot, a kind of ID of the device, which is known as

IMEI

.

In this way, the smartphone is in the "negative band" and should no longer be able to be used in any mobile network in the country or in the world.

Some stolen equipment is resold in its entirety, others are taken apart to trade in parts.

3. Should a police report also be made?

Making the police report allows the fact to be investigated and eventually the equipment can be

recovered and used again

 (before processing the unlocking of the IMEI).

However, in most cases, the main motivation for

filing a

police report is that in order to

collect the insurance

, proof of this management must be presented.

4. How to verify that the new cell phone is not stolen?

When making the notification of theft or loss, companies usually take the opportunity to offer the user to buy a new device on the spot. 

If the replacement equipment is acquired through this route or in recognized stores, there is no reason to suspect the origin of the new device.

But if you go to little-known stores, it is advisable before purchasing to check if the IMEI of the offered smartphone is not blocked.

That is, if it is not a stolen device.

For that, you have to dial * # 06 # on your smartphone, copy the code that appears (that's the IMEI) and check its status at enacom.gob.ar/imei.

5. What insurance can be contracted to cover against cell phone theft and how much does it cost?

Just as there are insurances that pay certain sums for the theft of a car, there are also specific coverages for the theft of cell phones and other common risks.

The operation is similar: the user

pays a fee every month

and, in exchange, in the event of theft, the company is obliged to take full or partial charge of the cost of replacing the cell phone.

As with other insurances, what must be paid each month will be higher the more expensive the protected device or the amount to be disbursed after a possible loss.

MOBILE OPERATORS INSURANCE

One option is to

hire such coverages offered by own

provider companies

in the mobile service. 

Personal

, for example, promotes an insurance called Personal Protection Plus that is contracted for annual periods.

These are policies that cover the repair or replacement of the cell phone in cases of theft, loss, total destruction and screen breakage.

How do you respond in case of theft?

Covering 70%

of the purchase value of the new equipment.

Before a second robbery in the year, pay 50%.

And for the third claim of this type onwards, 30%. 

It also covers 70% of the replacement value in a case of total destruction and 70% of the repair cost if the screen is broken.

The

monthly

cost

of this protection offered by Personal is currently:

• $ 203

  for low-end cell phones (like an LG K9 or a Moto E6 Play)

• $ 265

  for the low-end premium (like a Galaxy A10 or LG K50)

• $ 452

  for the mid-range ones (like a Galaxy A20 or a Moto G8)

• $ 663

  for the high-end ones (like a Galaxy A70 or a Moto G7 Plus)

• $ 1,030

  for the high-end premium ones (like an iPhone 11 or a Galaxy S20)

In the case of

Movistar

, the coverage is called Movistar Protection.

It is an insurance that takes care of

70%

of the purchase of the same or similar equipment in the event of theft, theft or total destruction.

It is also responsible for 70% of the repair cost if the equipment fails or is accidentally damaged (eg

broken screen

).

In total, this policy covers up to 4 claims per year with a maximum of two replacements.

The cost of the fees, which depends on the equipment, should be consulted at 0800-444-4283.

IPhones and other high-end cell phones are the favorite targets of criminals.

INSURANCE FROM OTHER COMPANIES

Outside of mobile operators, numerous insurance companies offer cell phone coverage.

Some do it directly and others through supermarkets, electronics stores, banks and other companies.

The Fund

, for each case, has a Mobile Technology Insurance against theft or accidental damage, with different plans that establish a 20% franchise (that is the proportion of the claim that is not covered).

Paying

$ 250 a month,

the owner of the mobile is covered up to $ 17,500 in the event of a claim;

for $ 410 a month the company responds up to $ 27,500;

and for

$ 606 a month it

covers up to $ 42,500.

At

Garbarino

, those who purchase a cell phone have the chance to secure it on the spot against theft.

There, paying $ 261 a month you get coverage of up to $ 9,000.

And you must pay $ 977 a month to receive up to $ 35,000 after a loss.

In

Carrefour they

 have a Mobile Technology Insurance that covers all types of cell phones for theft or accidental damage, as well as tablets, notebooks and others.

Thus, there are plans of $ 351 per month that pay up to $ 30,800 in the event of a claim;

others of $ 449 per month covering up to $ 37,900;

and plans of $ 547 per month that respond up to $ 45,700. 

Finally, in the banks there are also various proposals in this area.

Some entities that offer cell phone insurance are Banco Ciudad, Santander, Macro and Naranja, among others.

MG

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