How to blacklist a stolen phone in South Africa, network by network
Blacklisting blocks the phone itself, by its IMEI number, on every South African network, so whoever has it cannot simply put in a new SIM. It is one call. What you need to have ready, and whether you need a police case number first, depends on your network.
Phone only just stolen? Block your SIM before you do anything here. The SIM is what receives your bank's one-time PINs, and blacklisting does not protect it. Our first-hour checklist has the full order.
If you are still in danger, call 10111 first, or 112 from any mobile phone. Everything on this page can wait until you are somewhere safe.
Before you call: find your IMEI
The IMEI is the 15-digit number that identifies the handset. The network needs it to block the phone. You can usually find it in one of three places:
- The original box, on the label.
- The tax invoice or proof of purchase. If you bought the phone on contract, your network may have it on your account, so ask when you call.
- The phone itself, by dialling *#06#. Too late for a stolen phone, but worth doing on your next one, and writing the number down somewhere that is not the phone.
A dual-SIM phone has two IMEI numbers. Dialling *#06# shows both. Ask for both to be blacklisted. If only one is blocked, the phone can still be used with a SIM in the other slot. MTN and Cell C have said they block both on a dual-SIM phone, but ask anyway.
Who to call, and what to have ready
| Network | Call | Have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Vodacom | 082 135 Free from a Vodacom phone; normal rates from any other. Or visit a store. |
Your name, surname and ID number; the IMEI; the phone's make and model; the last date and number it was used with |
| MTN | 135 from an MTN phone 083 135 from any other Or visit an MTN store. |
Your ID number; the phone number or the IMEI |
| Cell C | 084 135 Or email blacklisting@cellc.co.za |
The phone number; the make and model; the IMEI; a case number for the reported theft |
| Telkom | 081 180 | Telkom does not publish a checklist. Have your ID, the phone number and the IMEI in front of you. |
Numbers change. These were correct on 28 September 2026, and each network's name links to its own page. If a number does not work, that page will have the current one.
Do you need a police case number first?
It depends on the network, and this is the question that costs people the most time.
- Vodacom does not list a case number among the things it needs.
- MTN does not need one first. It gives you an ITC reference number when you blacklist, and asks you to take that number to the police.
- Cell C lists a case number for the reported theft among its requirements.
- Telkom does not say. Ask when you call.
The police's own advice puts it the same way round: blacklist first, then report the theft with the reference number your network gives you. So call your network first. If they need a case number, open the case and call them back. Either way, write down the reference number they give you.
Then report it to the police
Go to any police station with your ID, the IMEI and your network's reference number. You will be given a case number. Your insurer will want it, and MTN points out that a report on record also protects you if the phone is later used in a crime.
How to tell it has worked
Vodacom describes what a blacklisted phone does: a three-tone beep when someone tries to make a call, and incoming calls ring once and then show as missed. It can still dial 112 for emergencies.
The block is shared between the networks, but not always instantly. Keep your reference number, and ask your network how long the block takes to reach every network.
What blacklisting will not do
It stops the phone using South African mobile networks. It does not stop the phone connecting to Wi-Fi, erase your data, or stop it working in another country. So lock the phone itself as well: on an iPhone, mark it as lost in Find My; on Android, use Find My Device to lock it.
If either shows you where the phone is, give that location to the police. Do not go there yourself.
Insured? Watch the clock
Insurers usually want proof of blacklisting and a police case number, and they set a deadline. Telkom's device insurance, for example, gives you 72 hours from the theft to supply both, or you lose the right to claim. Check your own policy's deadline today, not on the day your phone is stolen.
Got it back, or wrongly blacklisted? Getting a phone removed
Only the network that blacklisted the phone can remove it, and each asks for proof that you are entitled to it.
- Vodacom: complete and return its blacklisting and un-blacklisting form with the documents it asks for.
- MTN: dial 135 or email customercare@mtn.com. It asks for certified copies of the account holder's ID, proof of purchase, and a police affidavit giving the phone number, the IMEI, the ITC reference number and the reason for removal. Contract customers also need a signed copy of their contract.
- Cell C: call 084 135 or email blacklisting@cellc.co.za with the phone number and the IMEI, plus either proof of payment (or a payment arrangement) or an affidavit that the phone was blacklisted wrongly or fraudulently.
- Telkom: no process is published. Call 081 180.
Buying second-hand? Check first
A blacklisted phone will not work on any South African network, and the buyer usually cannot get it removed: MTN, for example, asks for the account holder's ID and proof of purchase. Before you pay:
- Dial *#06# on the phone and check that the IMEI matches the box and the receipt.
- Ask the seller for proof of purchase in their name.
- Ask a network to check the IMEI. Cell C says it will check any IMEI for you on 084 135 or at blacklisting@cellc.co.za.
Questions people ask
Is blacklisting the same as blocking my SIM?
No. Blocking the SIM protects your number, and the one-time PINs sent to it. Blacklisting blocks the handset itself, by its IMEI, on every South African network. You need both, and the SIM comes first.
Do I need a police case number to blacklist my phone?
It depends on the network. Vodacom and MTN do not list one: MTN gives you a reference number to take to the police afterwards. Cell C lists a case number as a requirement. Call your network first and ask.
My phone takes two SIMs. Is one blacklisting enough?
Ask for both. A dual-SIM phone has two IMEI numbers, and dialling *#06# shows both. If only one is blocked, the phone can still be used with a SIM in the other slot.
Can a blacklisted phone still be used?
Not on a South African mobile network, although it can still dial 112. It can still connect to Wi-Fi and may work in another country, so lock it as well with Find My on an iPhone or Find My Device on Android.
How do I get a phone taken off the blacklist?
Contact the network that blacklisted it. Each asks for proof, such as your ID and proof of purchase, and MTN also asks for a police affidavit. A second-hand buyer usually cannot get a phone removed without the original owner.
- 10111 — SAPS, for crime in progress or a threat to your safety
- 10177 — ambulance and fire
- 112 — from any mobile, routed to an emergency call centre; works with no airtime
More guides
- Your phone was just stolen. What to do in the first hour
- Stranded with no money and no phone: how to get home safely
When the phone and the wallet go together
A theft rarely takes only the phone. If your cards went too, blacklisting is not the problem you have tonight: getting home is.
That gap is what we are building SOS Wallet for — money set aside in advance that you can reach at a till with nothing but a mobile number and a four-digit PIN. It is in development and not yet open to the public.