Status and lifecycle
Lost, Stolen or Damaged Registered SIM: What to Do
Immediate reporting, carrier contacts, replacement evidence, eSIM safety and the difference between a lost SIM and an expired number.
Report a lost or stolen registered SIM to the carrier through an official channel and ask it to bar/deactivate the old SIM. RA 11934 requires the carrier to deactivate after a valid loss report within 24 hours. Then follow that carrier’s identity and ownership checks for a replacement or number transfer. Also secure email, banking, wallet and social accounts that use the number for recovery.
Immediate response checklist
Contact the carrier
Use the verified app, hotline, social account or store listed below. Report the exact mobile number as lost or stolen.
Request barring/deactivation
Ask the carrier to disable the old SIM/eSIM and note the report reference.
Secure linked accounts
Change the email and carrier-account passwords first, then banking, wallet, social and messaging accounts. Remove the number as a recovery method where appropriate until control is restored.
Preserve ownership evidence
Gather a valid photo ID, SIM bed/packaging or eSIM purchase record, carrier account details and the loss report information.
Complete the carrier’s replacement process
Follow the current store/app route. Do not buy a pre-activated replacement from a third party.
Verify the old SIM is dead
After replacement or transfer, confirm the old physical SIM/eSIM cannot receive service and review account activity.
What RA 11934 requires
The registered end-user must immediately report a SIM loss through the carrier’s established facility. After a valid report, the carrier must deactivate the lost SIM within 24 hours. The law also covers a requested deactivation and the death of the registered end-user. Registration data is retained according to the Act even after deactivation.
Carrier reporting and replacement routes
| Carrier | Report the loss | Replacement guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Globe / TM | Use official Globe Messenger support or call 211 from a Globe line; a Globe Store can assist. | Globe’s replacement help says a supported replacement can retain the same mobile number. Lost/stolen cases use the store/support route; bring the evidence Globe requests. |
| Smart / TNT / Smart Bro | Use official Smart Cares on Facebook/X, call *888 from Smart/TNT or (02) 8888-1111. | Smart directs Prepaid and Postpaid replacement to a Smart Store and asks for a valid ID with name, photo, ID number, signature and issuing authority. |
| DITO | Use the DITO App/help chat, call 185 from DITO or use DITO’s official accounts. | DITO’s public materials are not fully consistent about replacing a lost/damaged physical card versus transferring its registered number. Ask DITO to confirm the current supported process, evidence and fee. |
| GOMO | Use official in-app support in GOMO PH. | GOMO’s public site does not publish a complete current replacement checklist. Follow the in-app case instructions and do not use an unofficial GOMO website. |
Do not hard-code a replacement fee or delivery time from an old article. Carrier terms and channel availability can change.
Lost, damaged, defective, deactivated or expired?
| Condition | Meaning | Correct route |
|---|---|---|
| Lost or stolen | You no longer control the SIM/device. | Report immediately, bar the old SIM and request carrier replacement/transfer. |
| Physically damaged | You still possess the SIM, but it is broken or unreadable. | Use the carrier’s damaged/defective replacement route; bring the old SIM if possible. |
| Defective new SIM | The card failed without misuse. | Check the carrier’s purchase/warranty or early replacement terms. |
| Deactivated after a report | The carrier deliberately barred the old SIM. | Complete the approved replacement/identity process. |
| Ordinarily expired prepaid number | Carrier load/activity validity ended and the number may have been permanently disconnected. | Registration does not restore it; ask the carrier whether recovery is still possible. |
Read deactivated versus expired SIMs.
What to prepare for replacement
- A current government-issued photo ID accepted by the carrier.
- The mobile number and account name.
- The SIM bed/packaging, serial, PUK or purchase record if available.
- The carrier app/account and recent account information the carrier lawfully uses to verify ownership.
- A loss/theft report reference and police report only if the carrier or circumstances require one.
- The old damaged SIM or device when still available.
Do not publish or send these records through an unverified social account. The carrier decides which evidence is sufficient for the specific case.
Lost phone with an eSIM
- Use another device to report the eSIM line and ask the carrier to bar it.
- Use Apple/Google/device controls to mark, lock or erase the lost handset where appropriate.
- Secure the email or app account holding the eSIM QR/recovery information.
- Do not simply scan the old QR on a new phone unless the carrier says it is reusable.
- Follow the carrier’s eSIM replacement/transfer process; number retention and QR policies vary.
See eSIM registration and QR safety.
After the replacement
- Confirm the replacement receives calls, texts and data.
- Confirm the old SIM/eSIM no longer works.
- Review bank, wallet, email and social account sessions and recovery methods.
- Reset carrier-app credentials and enable available account security.
- Keep the new SIM bed/eSIM record and replacement reference securely.
- Check registration status through the carrier if the replacement record is unclear.
Death of the subscriber or ownership transfer
RA 11934 says immediate family, relatives or a guardian report the registered end-user’s death, after which the carrier deactivates the SIM within 24 hours of a valid report. A number should not simply be handed to another person. Any sale or transfer must comply with the registration requirements and carrier process.
See ownership transfer and updating registration information.
Watch for SIM-swap fraud
The National Privacy Commission warns that criminals can use a fraudulent replacement to receive authentication codes and take over financial or online accounts. Treat an unexpected loss of signal, replacement notification or password-reset message as urgent, especially when the physical SIM is still in your possession.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first if my SIM is lost?
Report it to the carrier immediately and ask it to bar/deactivate the old SIM.
How quickly must the carrier deactivate it?
RA 11934 says within 24 hours after a valid loss report. That is not a replacement-time guarantee.
Can I keep the same number?
It depends on the carrier’s verification and number state. Globe and Smart publish same-number replacement routes; ask DITO/GOMO for the current case process.
What if the SIM is damaged but not lost?
Keep the card and use the carrier’s damaged/defective replacement route.
Can registration revive an expired prepaid number?
No. Identity registration does not override ordinary prepaid expiration or number-recycling rules.
What if my phone with an eSIM is lost?
Report the line, lock/erase the device where appropriate, secure linked accounts and obtain the carrier’s eSIM transfer/replacement instructions.
What if my physical SIM suddenly loses signal?
Contact the carrier immediately to rule out an unauthorized replacement or port request.
Can I give the replacement SIM to another person?
Not without completing the carrier’s ownership and registration process.