The Ministry of Justice announced on Monday (30/03) the launch of a new phase of the Safe Cell Phone program, aimed at recovering up to one million stolen or robbed mobile devices across the country since 2022. The initiative involves collecting data from devices reported as stolen or robbed during this period, building a national database, and sending messages to current users instructing them to return the devices to a police station. If the device is not returned, the individual in possession of it may face charges for receiving stolen property. However, those who voluntarily return the device will not be held liable, as authorities recognize that the current holder may not have been aware that the phone was stolen.
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Database
According to the National Secretary of Public Security, Chico Lucas, the ministry will request police reports related to cell phone theft and robbery from all 26 states and the Federal District, covering cases since 2022. “We estimate that around five million cell phones were stolen or robbed across the country during this period. However, not all reports contain essential information, such as the IMEI number, which uniquely identifies each device. Therefore, we believe it will be possible to recover approximately one million devices,” he stated. Based on these reports, the ministry will compile a national database of stolen devices. Text messages will then be sent to the current users, informing them that the device has a record of theft or robbery and instructing them to take it to a police station. The expectation is that the messages will begin to be sent starting in May.
Service will be made available progressively
The system will operate directly under the Ministry of Justice, without requiring formal adhesion from state governments, and will be implemented progressively. According to the ministry, 14 states that already participate in the Mobile Device Ecosystem Protection Program (PPE) will have immediate access to advanced features, such as integration between police reports and the automatic blocking of devices. Additional measures are also planned, including financial protections like suspending access to online banking services. In other states, new functionalities will be incorporated through technical cooperation agreements and integration with local systems. The initiative is also designed to work alongside existing state-level programs to combat cell phone theft and robbery, allowing states to maintain their own strategies while benefiting from nationwide tools.
Application operational since 2023
Developed by the Ministry of Justice, the Secure Cell Phone application has been in operation since December 2023. By the end of last year, the platform had registered nearly 200,000 requests to block devices due to theft, robbery, loss, or other incidents. The alert system within the application enables users to block not only the device itself but also the associated phone line and access to banking and financial applications, reducing the risk of further damage.
How to Use Secure Cell Phone
To use the Secure Cell Phone application, users must download it on Android or iPhone (iOS), log in with a gov.br account, and register their device by entering information such as the phone number, carrier, and brand, as well as optionally adding a trusted contact. To report theft, robbery, or loss, users should access the “Issue alert” option, select the relevant device—either their own or a trusted person’s—enter details about the incident, including date, time, type, state, and city, and confirm the alert.
Analysis:
The new phase of the Safe Cell Phone program announced by Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security represents an important shift toward a more data-driven and preventive approach to tackling one of the country’s most pervasive urban crimes. By consolidating police reports into a national database and leveraging identifiers such as IMEI numbers, the initiative seeks to disrupt the secondary market that sustains large-scale phone theft. This is a critical move, as the economic logic of these crimes depends less on the act of theft itself and more on the ability to quickly resell devices with limited traceability. If effectively implemented, the program could increase the perceived risk for buyers and intermediaries, thereby reducing incentives across the entire chain.
