The Federal Government’s app launches on Tuesday (19th) for those who want to lock their mobile phone after it is stolen. The tool, called Safe Cell Phone, will immediately block phone lines and mobile devices in cases of robbery and theft.

Government App Will Help Lock Cell Phones for Those Who Have Their Devices Stolen – Photo: Unsplash/Disclosure/ND

To use the app, users will need to register their details on a website that will be published by the federal government. The Chief Minister of the Secretariat of Social Communications under the President of the Republic, Paulo Pimenta, explained that in the event of theft, the system can be activated via a computer, instantly notifying the telephone operator and banks, thereby blocking access.

Application developed in collaboration between MJSP (Ministry of Justice and Public Security), Febraban (Brazilian Federation of Banks) and Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency).

According to the federal government, this measure is aimed at ensuring a quick response in situations of theft or robbery, reducing headaches and financial loss for victims. The department’s executive secretary, Riccardo Cappelli, stressed that after the blockade, stolen cell phones will become “a useless piece of metal.”

“The victim will be able to send a simultaneous alert to Anatel, banks, telephone operators and other applications with just one click,” Cappelli said.

How to block a mobile phone?

In case of theft or robbery, the user must access the Celular Seguro through the computer or mobile phone of someone nearby. The application will be available in a version for mobile devices and can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.

To use the application, you must be registered on the Gov.br platform. By entering the government platform user number and password, the user will be able to log into Celular Seguro.

Once logged in, the user will have the option to register the stolen mobile number. In addition, it will be possible to register a trusted person authorized to carry out blocking. Both alternatives will be available from the main screen of the application.

In situations of theft or robbery, a person needs to activate the “Register an incident” option in the application. Thus, the system will contact Anatel and previously registered banks to carry out the blocking.

With the launch of the application, it will be possible to check whether the devices will indeed become completely unusable. To turn a cell phone into a “useless piece of metal,” as Cappelli noted, it is necessary to lock down the system with the participation of the core developers.