Phone Stolen? 5 Steps to Save Your UPI Money

Losing your phone can expose your bank accounts, UPI apps, and personal data to fraud within minutes. Here are the exact steps every Indian must take immediately to lock down their money and digital identity.

Here's what happened: Smartphones now hold UPI apps, net banking, Aadhaar OTPs, and email — making a stolen phone a master key to your finances.. SIM-based OTPs mean a thief with your number and an unlocked phone can reset passwords and authorise transactions instantly.. RBI rules offer zero-liability protection for unauthorised transactions — but only if you report the fraud promptly to your bank..

What you should do: Call your telecom operator immediately (Airtel: 121, Jio: 199, BSNL: 1503) to block your SIM and request a duplicate — this cuts off OTP access within hours.. Log into your bank's net banking portal from another device and disable mobile banking and UPI access for your lost phone — most banks let you do this under 'Manage Devices'.. File a police FIR for the stolen phone and then email your bank with the FIR copy to formally trigger zero-liability protection under RBI's unauthorised transaction guidelines..

After blocking your SIM, log into Google Account (myaccount.google.com) or Apple ID and use 'Sign out all devices' to remotely wipe saved passwords, autofill card details, and banking app sessions stored on your lost phone.