The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has urged the public to notify telecom service providers in case of loss or stolen of their mobile devices.
This comes as TDRA, especially considering the increasing importance of these devices in daily life.
In a statement, on Saturday, November 18, the UAE authority said that customers can report incidents through customer service call centers, live chat services on websites, and other affiliated channels.
Reporting an incident, the reporter’s identity is verified, and the lost/stolen device details are confirmed. The service provider communicates blocking terms to the customer.
The service provider adds the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) to the blacklisted devices database upon customer approval.
The device will be blocked within 24 hours of the report, preventing access to any networks, and unblocking it will also take 24 hours.
Saif Bin Ghelaita, Director of Technology Development Affairs at TDRA, said, “By implementing the procedures for reporting the loss or theft of mobile phones, TDRA seeks to raise awareness on how to respond in such situations.
“The surge in electronic services, both in government and the private sector, has led the majority of users to depend primarily on mobile phones for a wide array of transactions.
“These transactions encompass governmental processes, financial payments, and service applications. Consequently, there was a need to introduce more services and implement additional measures, ensuring the safeguarding of customers’ security and privacy.”
TDRA urges the public to provide accurate information about their personal identity, the time and location of the loss or theft incident, and the device’s specifications.
