Protecting your phone from theft before it happens

Key rules

• SIM PIN: Set a SIM PIN, because bank codes often arrive by SMS.
• Bizum: There is no single Bizum hotline, so you switch it off through your own bank.
• Snatch: If someone grabs your phone, let go and report it on 112 or 091.
• Passcode: Use a passcode of six digits or more, not a short code or pattern.

Do these settings today

A thief who gets your phone should hit a locked screen, a locked SIM and locked bank apps. Set these up now, while you still have the phone.

• Tracking. On iPhone, turn on the Find tracking feature in your Apple account settings, plus location sharing. On Android, turn on Find Hub (the device-finding tool in your Google account) and location sharing. After a theft you can lock the phone remotely, show a message on it, or erase it.
• Passcode. Use a six-digit or longer passcode. Skip short codes and swipe patterns, which are easy to watch and copy.
• SIM PIN. Set a PIN on your SIM so a thief cannot pull it out and use it. This matters because bank codes often arrive by SMS.
• Theft locks. On iPhone, switch on Stolen Device Protection and a short auto-lock time. On Android, switch on theft detection lock and offline device lock, where your phone offers them.
• Lock screen. Hide notification content so codes and messages cannot be read on a locked phone.
• Accounts. Turn on two-factor authentication for your email and for your Apple or Google account. These accounts control everything else.

Limit what a thief can do with your banking

Set your banking apps to need both biometrics and a passcode. Set Screen Time (iPhone) or app limits (Android) and require authentication for purchases.

There is no single Bizum number to call. Bizum is run by each bank, so you stop it through your own bank. Save your bank's 24-hour card and security line now. After a theft, call it and ask to block online banking, the app and Bizum. Block your cards as a separate request. Many banks can also do this from web banking on another device. Then ask your operator to lock the SIM.

The checklist below covers the IMEI (your phone's 15-digit ID) and the other numbers to save before anything happens.

Carry your phone so it is hard to snatch

In a motorbike "tirón", a rider, often with a passenger, comes up from behind or from the road side. They grab a phone, bag or watch and speed away. It happens mostly on pavements beside roads, at crossings and outside cafés.

• Do not use your phone while walking near the kerb.
• Walk on the side away from traffic.
• Keep the phone in an inside pocket or a zipped bag.
• Carry bags on the shoulder away from the road. Do not wear them across your body in a way that could drag you.
• Do not leave the phone on a café table.
• If someone grabs something, let go. Your safety matters more than the phone.

If it happens, call 112 or 091 and file a denuncia, the police report. Do the bank steps above straight away.

Copies and numbers to keep before anything gets stolen

• Dial *#06# on your phone to see its 15-digit IMEI, the number that identifies your handset.

• Check the IMEI also in Settings (General > About on iPhone, About phone on Android), on the box label or receipt, or in your Apple ID or Google account device page.

• Write down the IMEI and keep it somewhere other than the phone.

• Save your bank's 24-hour card-blocking number from the card or the bank's website, and check that your banking app can freeze a card.

• Save the 24-hour emergency line of your card network (Visa or Mastercard), which can block a card and arrange an emergency replacement, including for foreign-issued cards.

• Save your home bank's international collect number if your cards were issued outside Spain.

• Scan or photograph your passport, TIE (residence card), NIE certificate, driving licence, health card and insurance policies, and store copies on paper and digitally in separate places.

• Keep your passport data page copy and a few passport photos ready for a replacement passport.

• Save the phone numbers of your embassy or consulate, your insurer and your landlord, plus 112, the emergency number.

• Note your SIM details and the serial numbers of your valuables.

• Turn on a cloud backup of your phone.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if a motorbike rider grabs my phone?

Let go of the phone rather than hold on, because resisting can drag you into the road. Once you are safe, call 112 or 091 and file a denuncia, the police report. Your insurer will usually ask for it.

Is there one Bizum number to call to switch it off?

No, there is no single Bizum hotline, because Bizum is run through each bank. Call your own bank's 24-hour security line and ask them to block online banking, the app and Bizum. Block your cards separately.

Why should I lock my SIM as well as my bank apps?

Your bank sends confirmation codes by SMS, so a thief with your SIM could receive them. Set a SIM PIN now. After a theft, ask your operator to lock the SIM.

Where do I walk and carry my phone to avoid a tirón?

Walk on the side of the pavement away from the traffic and keep your phone in an inside pocket or a zipped bag.