You are on vacation in Rio de Janeiro and your phone was just stolen from you.
We understand that your thoughts are currently scrambled in your head and you need some guidance with what to do now.
So, let us help you with the exact next steps you need now, right after your phone is stolen in Rio de Janeiro.
⚠️ I wish we could say that we don’t have any firsthand experience with this, but unfortunately we do.
If you want to know the details, you can read our personal account of the incident in Rio de Janeiro.
Personal Safety
Step 1: Check if you and your travel companion(s) are physically safe and unharmed.
Step 2: Immediately take a few steps to move to a location where you see police presence or there are other tourists and locals hanging out, but not in a crowd.
Step 3: Leave the area. Do not try to chase the thief. Get inside a hotel lobby, café, shop, or any establishment with staff and cameras.
Step 4: Do not take out another phone on the street. Use a safe indoor spot or get back to your accommodation before trying to use other devices.
✅ While it is fresh, take a mental note of the timing, the location and the sequence of events. This will help with the police report and insurance.
(Try to) Safeguard Your Phone Device Remotely
If you have a friend or family member next to you, try using their device to login to your Google or Apple account, remotely lock your phone device for use and mark it as lost or stolen.
❗️ Try this only when you are inside an establishment and not when on the road.
If you cannot do this using someone else’s trusted device, carry out these steps once you are back at your accommodation.
For iPhone Users
Step 1: Use the Find My app or on browser, go to iCloud.com/find to locate your phone. Mark the phone as Lost, add a contact number or email, and lock it with a strong passcode.
Step 2: Change your Apple account password so that many services are automatically signed out of on the stolen device.
Step 3: Once you have secured accounts and recorded the serial or IMEI, lock or erase the device remotely.
Step 4: For more details, refer to this help document from Apple Support.
For Android Phone Users
Step 1: Use Google Find My Device, now integrated with Find Hub or on browser, go to android.com/find to locate your phone. Mark the phone as Lost, add a contact number or email, and lock it with a strong passcode.
Step 2: Change your Google account password so that many services are automatically signed out of on the stolen device.
Step 3: Once you have secured accounts and recorded the serial or IMEI, lock or erase the device remotely.
Step 4: For more details, check this help document from Google Support.
File Police Complaint
When your phone is stolen in Rio, filing a police complaint is a mandatory step for some of the following action items, such as blocking the SIM card or filing an insurance claim for the theft.
To file a police complaint, go to directly to the Tourist Police Station in Leblon.
Given that you won’t have your phone on you, the easiest way to get to the station is by Metro. We took the Metro to get to the Jardim de Alah/ Leblon station, and from there, it’s a 5-minute walk to the Tourist Police Station.
You can go to the nearest police station from the place of incidence, however, we recommend you to go to the Tourist Police Station because, since they cater primarily to the tourists,
- There is English speaking staff at the station for smoother conversations
- You can get an incident reporting form in English, not just Portuguese
- It is comparatively less busy than other local police stations
Remember, you will need the following to complete the police complaint report:
- Passport details
- Phone make, model, price
- IMEI or serial number
- Detailed description of the incident
You can take a photo of the form you write and submit, and you will be sent an electronic copy of the official report (in Brazilian Portuguese) by email.
In our case, Indranil did not have the IMEI readily available. But we could send it later and get the updated police report.
Block Your SIM Card
Contact your mobile carrier and suspend your line so no one can receive SMS codes or make any charges on the stolen phone.
❗️ Do this for a Brazilian SIM or your home carrier if you were roaming, whichever was enabled on your stolen phone.
Home Carrier/ SIM Card: If you home carrier line/ SIM card was enabled and was on roaming on your stolen phone, request an eSIM for the same line and port your number to a new device.
Brazilian Local SIM Card: If a Brazilian local SIM card was active on the stolen phone, contact the carrier for procedures.
➡️ Related Reading: eSIM vs. Local SIM: Which One is Better for Rio?
Get A Replacement Phone
If you do not already have a second phone device, you will need to arrange for one.
The prices of iPhone may be higher in Brazil compared to your home country. So, get a temporary phone or a budget replacement.
Activate your new SIM or eSIM.
Reinstall only what you need first. I would suggest keeping the essential apps only, for communication, navigation, and ride share like Uber.
Set a strong passcode, enable biometrics, and turn on Find My (on iPhone) or Find Hub (on Android phone) from day one.
Phone Content
As soon as you return to your place of stay in Rio, use your laptop or another trusted device to handle the content and other accounts on your stolen phone.
Google Accounts
If you haven’t already done this, to manage your Google accounts, sign in to myaccount.google.com to:
- Change your password
- Review Security Activity
- Sign out of the stolen device
- Revoke app passwords and sessions
Move two-factor codes, if applicable, to a new authenticator and add backup codes.
Banking Apps
To manage your banking apps, log in to the online banking or contact customer support to:
- Deactivate the banking mobile app(s) on the lost device
- Change passwords and PINs
- Enable transaction alerts
- Reconfigure authenticator app on another device
Rideshare Apps
Log in to the web versions of Uber, DiDi and any other ride sharing apps that are installed and signed in to on your stolen device, and do the following:
- Remove stored cards or other saved payment methods
- Log out of all devices
- Turn on PIN verification for future rides, if that isn’t already active
OTT Apps
Log in to the web versions of Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify and any other OTT apps that are installed and signed in to on your stolen device, and do the following:
- Remove stored cards or other saved payment methods
- Sign out of all devices
Photos
Step 1: Check iCloud Photos or Google Photos to confirm your library and all albums are in place.
Step 2: Download critical albums for backup and adjust sharing settings.
Claim Travel Insurance
Assuming you have travel insurance including theft cover, initiate the claim process at the earliest.
Here are some of the things you will need for the insurance claim, so make sure you have them handy before filing:
- Copy of the police report
- Proof of ownership and value: the phone purchase invoice should suffice for this
- Proof of blocking your SIM card/ phone line and canceling your device
We use Heymondo Travel Insurance for our travels, did the claim with them for the stolen phone and although it took some back and forth, the claim was settled to our satisfaction.
Paradise Catchers Readers: Get 5% off on Heymondo travel insurance (discount automatically applied)
* Discount not applicable for US residents
Move On
When your phone is stolen in Rio de Janeiro, the incident is bound to have some impact on your mental well-being, and from our experience, we can tell you that it will take a while to completely get over what happened.
However, you need to move on.
🧐 Remind yourself that you and your loved ones are safe, and that gear is replaceable.
You have done all the right things after your phone was stolen in Rio. You have taken all the necessary steps and took measures to minimize the damage.
Remember, you can still enjoy everything that Rio has to offer.
If you are traveling with someone, carry only one phone between the two of you, keep the phone out of sight when on the street, preferably concealed in a money belt underneath your clothing, and keep exploring Rio de Janeiro.
Plan your Rio de Janeiro Trip with our detailed guides here:
- Is it worth taking the Maracana Stadium Tour?
- Watching a Football (Soccer) Match at the Maracana Stadium
If you enjoy reading our free travel guides, tips and stories, you can buy us a coffee and help us create more such travel planning tools for you. Thanks for supporting Paradise Catchers.
Travel Resources
- Flights: Skyscanner
- Hotels: Booking.com | Expedia
- Tours: Viator | GetYourGuide
- Travel Insurance:
- Heymondo (get 5% off)
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
- eSIMs:
- Transfers: Bookaway. Code PARADISE5 for 5% off
Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or a booking through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
