The online complaint for theft, generalized across the entire territory since October 2024, is not limited to a web form. The system relies on a precise technical chain, from digital identification to the effective blocking of a stolen device, with time commitments that most guides overlook.
IMEI Blocking After Phone Theft: The Complaint as a Technical Trigger
The blocking of a stolen mobile by the operator directly depends on the transmission of the official theft report by the police or gendarmerie. Without this document, the operator cannot neutralize the device via its IMEI number.
The concrete sequence works as follows: you file the complaint online on the Ma Sécurité platform, an agent processes it, and then the report is transmitted to your operator. The effective blocking occurs in the days following this transmission. Arcep and Selectra confirm this arrangement.
We recommend noting your phone’s IMEI number before any incident (accessible by dialing *#06#). Without this number, blocking remains possible but slower, as the operator must retrieve it via your line. To report a theft online with the police, this technical data speeds up each step of the process.
Also, remember to contact your operator in parallel to suspend the line. Line suspension and IMEI blocking are two distinct operations: the first prevents the use of your plan, while the second makes the device unusable on all French networks.
FranceConnect and Authentication: Enabling a Complaint Without Travel
The transition from pre-complaint to the complete online complaint relies on a major technical change: identification via FranceConnect. With this system, electronic signature replaces the physical trip to the police station or brigade.
If you do not have FranceConnect, filing a complaint online is still possible, but an appointment will be scheduled to verify your identity. We observe that this distinction is rarely explained, even though it conditions the fully dematerialized nature of the process.
Time commitments have been framed since the service was generalized:
- Assistance by an agent within 48 hours after submitting the online form
- Processing of the file generally within 7 days following this assistance
- Possibility to download the report directly from the platform once the complaint is validated
These timeframes represent a real gain compared to the old pre-complaint, which systematically required an in-person visit to finalize the process.
Multiple or Combined Thefts: One Form or Multiple Submissions
The Ma Sécurité help sheets specify specific rules for combined incidents. A theft accompanied by damage (forced door, broken window) is reported on a single form if the incidents occurred at the same time and place.
On the other hand, incidents that occurred on different dates or locations require separate forms. This rule has a direct impact on processing by the services: a single form for separate incidents risks being returned for correction, which lengthens the procedure.
The service’s scope covers property offenses with an unknown perpetrator. This includes simple thefts, thefts with damage, burglaries without identification of the suspect. If you know or suspect the perpetrator, the online complaint is not the appropriate channel: a visit to the police station or gendarmerie remains mandatory.
Online Complaint and Insurance Declaration: Two Processes to Coordinate
The online complaint generates a receipt, followed by a downloadable report. This document is the key piece of your claim to your insurance.
The deadline for reporting to the insurer is generally two working days for a theft (check your contract conditions). We recommend not waiting for the receipt of the final report to contact your insurance: the complaint receipt is sufficient to open the file.
Documents to gather in parallel with the complaint:
- Purchase invoices for the stolen items or any proof of value (photos, bank statements)
- IMEI number for a phone, serial number for a computer or a engraved bicycle
- Damage report if applicable (photos of the damage, repair estimates)
- Operator’s certificate confirming line suspension in case of mobile theft
For credit card thefts, opposition with your bank must be made immediately, even before filing a complaint. The complaint remains necessary to contest any fraudulent transactions, but blocking the card falls under a separate process.
Stolen Identity Card or License: The Complaint Does Not Replace the Duplicate Request
After the theft of identity documents, the online complaint covers the declaration of the offense. The request for a new title is made separately, via ANTS for the identity card and driver’s license.
The complaint is a prerequisite for obtaining a duplicate, but the two processes are not technically linked. You will need to attach the complaint receipt to your ANTS file. Without this document, the renewal request will be blocked.
The online complaint service handles a considerable volume of cases related to property offenses each year. The majority of complaints filed in France concern this type of offense. Centralizing the process on Ma Sécurité simplifies the journey, provided you master the articulation between the complaint itself and the administrative or insurance procedures that follow.