iPhone stolen in the United Arab Emirates: who to call
Take a breath, and ask someone to help if you can. We read each number below on an official page on 3 November 2026. Where it's a regulator's or government page rather than the company's own, the note says so. Numbers change, so if one doesn't work, use the official page beside it. Numbers that only work from your own network's phone won't help until you have a SIM again, so look for another way to reach them. Call costs vary.
First steps
- Mark your iPhone as lost at icloud.com/find. Here's the full plan.
- Block your SIM with your network, so nobody else can receive your login codes. Ask how to get your own codes or a replacement SIM.
- Call your banks and e-wallets, and ask them to protect your accounts.
- Report it to the police and ask about blocking the phone.
Emergency numbers
| Who | What to do |
|---|---|
| PoliceCall for a crime, or if you are in danger | 999 Official page |
| AmbulanceCall for a serious illness or injury | 998 Official page |
| Civil Defence (fire)Call for a fire | 997 Official page |
Mobile networks
| Who | What to do |
|---|---|
| e&Call customer care, and ask them to suspend your line | 101 from an e& line This support page doesn't mention lost phones or SIMs. A separate e& page says that if you lose an eSIM QR code before scanning it, you can call 101 or visit any e& outlet to deactivate it. Official page |
Banks
| Who | What to do |
|---|---|
| Emirates NBDBlock your card, or report that your accounts may be compromised | +971 600 540000 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Sundays and public days The page says the quickest way to block a lost card is in Online Banking or the mobile app, not by phone. It lists no separate overseas number. Official page |
| First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)Call the contact centre | 600 52 5500 +971 2 6811511 from outside the UAE The page gives no hours and doesn't say how to report a lost card. Use this line to reach the bank, and ask to block your cards and online banking. Official page |
| MashreqCall the helpline to block your cards | 04 424 4444 (NEO) +971 4 424 4444 from outside the UAE 800 44653, also written 800-4-GOLD (Mashreq Gold) +971 4 424 4653 from outside the UAE (Mashreq Gold) Hours: 24 hours, every day The page lists no separate lost-card number. Use the line for your type of account. Official page |
Report it to the police
Call 999 for a crime or an emergency. For a stolen phone when you are not in danger, report it to the police in your emirate, and tell your mobile network too: the telecoms regulator, TDRA, says to speak to the security authorities as well as your operator. We did not find an official page on how to report a stolen phone to the police, so the lines below are the police services the UAE government portal lists.
| Who | What to do |
|---|---|
| Dubai Police (Al Ameen service)Report a safety incident. It isn't for emergencies | 8004444 from within the UAE +9718004444 from outside the UAE The portal lists this for harassment and safety incidents. It doesn't say whether lost-phone reports are taken, or give hours. Official page |
| Abu Dhabi Police (Aman service)Report a safety incident. It isn't for emergencies | 8002626 SMS 2828 The portal lists this for harassment and safety incidents. It doesn't say whether lost-phone reports are taken, or give hours. Official page |
| Sharjah Police (Najeed service)Report a safety incident. It isn't for emergencies | 901 The portal lists this for harassment and safety incidents. It doesn't say whether lost-phone reports are taken, or give hours. Official page |
Block the phone
The UAE has a national block, and you ask for it through your own mobile operator. TDRA, the telecoms regulator, says you should report the loss or theft to your operator without delay. The operator checks who you are and confirms the phone's details. With your approval, it adds the phone's IMEI to a blocked-phones database. TDRA's press release of 18 November 2023 says the block starts within 24 hours of your report and stops the phone connecting to any wireless network in the UAE. Be ready to give your identity details, when and where it was lost or stolen, and the phone's details.
| Who | What to do |
|---|---|
| TDRA, the telecoms regulatorAsk a question about blocking a lost phone | 800 12 (toll free) This is the toll-free number in TDRA's page footer. The page doesn't say what it covers. Report to your operator. Official page |
| TDRA press release on reporting lost or stolen phonesRead how the block works | Use their official help page. Dated 18 November 2023. It also says the same 24-hour period applies to unblocking a recovered phone. Official page |
Not checked yet
We couldn't read these on an official page, so we don't list numbers for them. Check with them directly.
- du phone-blocking steps (155)
- ADCB
- Ministry of Interior emergency page
- Wallet and payment apps
- e& numbers from other networks or abroad
- du
Please don't
- Don't remove the iPhone from Find My. That takes off Activation Lock.
- Don't go after the phone yourself. If Find My shows where it is, tell the police.
- Don't trust a message saying your iPhone was found. Here's how that scam works.
How FirstHour helps
Plan B gets you ready before anything happens. FirstHour's built-in provider lists cover the Philippines and the US for now. In the United Arab Emirates, you get the general first-hour steps, and you can add your own providers and numbers. Send your plan to someone you trust or print it. FirstHour can't lock your accounts or find your phone for you.