Last updated: 22 October 2026
If your phone is lost or stolen abroad, first lock it from any browser with Find My (iPhone) or Find Hub (Android) and mark it as lost, then call your carrier from another phone to suspend your line, then report it to the local police. That order matters: the lock stops anyone using the phone, the suspension stops anyone using your number, and the police report is the paper your insurer will ask for.
| Step | What to do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lock it | Mark as lost, play a sound, see it on a map | iPhone: icloud.com/find. Android: android.com/find |
| 2. Suspend your line | Report the phone lost or stolen | Verizon: My Verizon or (800) 922-0204. AT&T: myAT&T or +1 314 925 6925. T-Mobile: T-Life app or +1 505 998 3793 |
| 3. Police report | Get a written report or reference number | Local emergency number (112 across the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in Mexico) |
| 4. Secure accounts | Change your Apple or Google password, freeze cards if needed | Any device you trust |
| 5. Travel eSIM | Tell the seller; buy a plan for the replacement phone | Your eSIM provider's support |
1. Find it and lock it
Borrow a phone or use a laptop, hotel computer or tablet.
iPhone. Sign in at icloud.com/find, or open the Find My app on another Apple device. Play a sound if it might be nearby, then use Mark As Lost. Apple says this locks the phone with its passcode, turns off Apple Pay on it and can show a message on the screen. If the phone was stolen, Apple advises not putting your contact details in that message, because a thief can use them to trick you.
Two things not to do, per Apple: do not remove the phone from Find My, since that removes Activation Lock and makes it easier to resell, and do not erase it until you have tried everything else. An erase cannot be undone; if the phone is offline, it happens the next time it connects.
Android. Google's Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) is at android.com/find, or in the Find Hub app on another device. Choose the phone, add a message and a contact number, then Mark as lost. Factory reset is a separate option: Google warns it deletes everything and stops location updates.
Find My and Find Hub only see a phone that is switched on and connected. Verizon notes they cannot show a phone that is off or in airplane mode. If you see it on a map in a stranger's home, do not go after it: both Verizon and AT&T tell travelers to leave that to the police.
2. Suspend your line
Suspending stops calls, texts and data on your number, including any roaming charges someone else could run up.
- Verizon: log in to My Verizon, or call (800) 922-0204, to suspend service and report the device. Verizon says a line suspended for a lost or stolen phone must be reconnected within 30 days or it is disconnected.
- AT&T: call +1 314 925 6925, the number AT&T gives for a phone stolen abroad, or suspend the line yourself in myAT&T. You can also block the device if it was stolen.
- T-Mobile: in the T-Life app or on T-Mobile.com, choose the device and Report device lost or stolen. T-Mobile's international care number is +1 505 998 3793; it is free from a T-Mobile phone, and a call from a local landline may carry long-distance fees. T-Mobile says reporting a phone stolen blocks it on most networks, even with another SIM. Your bill and device payments stay due.
- UK and Australian carriers: use your carrier's app or website and the overseas number it lists. Have your account PIN or password ready.
A replacement phone is usually your problem while you are away. AT&T says it cannot ship a phone outside the US and suggests a backup phone or an inexpensive local phone with a prepaid SIM. Verizon says replacing a device abroad is unlikely and suggests Wi-Fi calling on a laptop or tablet, or a cheap prepaid phone. When you call, ask whether they can move your number to a new eSIM on a phone you buy locally, and what identity check they need. If you buy a phone abroad, make sure it is unlocked: our guide Is my phone unlocked? shows how to check.
3. File a police report
Go to the nearest police station or call the local emergency number. AT&T lists 112 in Italy and France, 999 in the UK and 911 in Mexico. Ask for a written report or at least a reference number: travel insurers, card issuers and phone insurance claims ask for one.
Apple says the police may ask for the phone's serial number, which is on the original box and receipt. If you have AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, Apple says not to remove the phone from Find My or your Apple Account until the claim is approved. Verizon Mobile Protect claims go through Asurion at (888) 881-2622.
4. Secure your accounts and bank codes
- Change your Apple Account or Google password from a trusted device. Apple also suggests removing the lost phone from your trusted devices once you know you will not get it back.
- Freeze or replace cards that were in a wallet app or a phone case. Mark As Lost turns off Apple Pay, but a physical card is a separate call.
- Bank codes by text will stop. Once your line is suspended, codes sent by SMS to your number do not arrive anywhere. Use what you set up before you left: an authenticator app on another device, printed backup codes, passkeys, or your bank's app on a tablet or laptop. If you have none of these, call your bank's international number (on the back of your card) and ask how to sign in while abroad.
5. Your travel eSIM
A travel eSIM lives on the phone it was installed on. Most can be installed only once, so it cannot simply be moved to the replacement. Our guide on transferring an eSIM to a new iPhone explains why your carrier's eSIM can move and a travel eSIM usually cannot.
If you bought it from us, write to support@esimlounge.com with your order reference (it starts with EL-) and what happened. We answer every day from 07:00 to 23:00 Paris time and reply within 2 hours. Be aware of what our refund policy says: it refunds in full when the problem is on our side, it does not list a lost or stolen phone among those cases, and it says an eSIM can be installed only once. We will reply and tell you what we can do.
For the phone you use for the rest of the trip, buy a new plan for where you are. The QR code arrives by email within minutes, and installing it needs Wi-Fi.
Before you fly: a five-minute checklist
- Turn on Find My or Find Hub. Apple says a phone without Find My turned on cannot be marked as lost or erased remotely. On iPhone, turn on Stolen Device Protection too.
- Write down your phone's IMEI (dial *#06#) and serial number, and keep them apart from the phone.
- Save your carrier's overseas number and your banks' international numbers somewhere other than the phone: on paper or in an email you can open from any computer.
- Set up an authenticator app and print backup codes for your email, Apple or Google account and banks.
- Check your travel insurance for phone theft cover, and what proof it needs.
- Keep your eSIM email in your inbox, so the order details are reachable from any device.
Losing your phone also means losing your maps and rides for a few hours. Our eSIM not working abroad guide covers the settings to check once you have a new phone online.
FAQ
What should I do first if my phone is stolen abroad?
Lock it. Mark it as lost at icloud.com/find for an iPhone or android.com/find for an Android phone, from any borrowed device. Then call your carrier to suspend your line, and file a police report.
Can I get a new SIM or eSIM from my carrier while abroad?
Ask when you call to suspend the line. Carriers rarely ship anything abroad: AT&T says it cannot ship a phone outside the US and Verizon says a replacement abroad is unlikely. Ask whether they can move your number to an eSIM on a phone you buy locally.
How do I call Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile from abroad?
Verizon lists (800) 922-0204 and My Verizon for a lost or stolen phone. AT&T gives +1 314 925 6925 for a phone stolen abroad. T-Mobile's international care line is +1 505 998 3793. You can also suspend a line in each carrier's app or website.
Can I move my travel eSIM to a new phone?
Usually not. Most travel eSIMs can be installed only once, on one phone. Contact the seller with your order number; for the rest of the trip, buy a new plan for the replacement phone.
How do I get bank verification codes without my phone number?
Use an authenticator app, printed backup codes or passkeys set up before the trip, or your bank's app on another device. Without any of those, call your bank's international number and ask how to sign in.
Do I need a police report for a stolen phone?
For an insurance claim, almost always. Ask the local police for a written report or a reference number, and keep it with your claim.
Facts checked on 22 October 2026 against Apple Support, Google's Find Hub help, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile's lost and stolen phone pages, and our own refund policy and terms.