Blocking your SIM quickly isn’t just about stopping someone from running up call charges — a working SIM in the wrong hands can intercept the SMS one-time-passcodes banks and email providers send, which is why speed matters more than the replacement fee makes it seem.
Quick answer
Call Batelco on 196 from any phone and request an emergency SIM block.
Step 1: Block immediately
Call 196 (or +973 17 888 196 from abroad) and request an emergency block — this can be done from any phone, including a friend’s.
Step 2: File a police report
Required if the phone was stolen rather than simply lost, and needed later for the replacement SIM.
Step 3: Get a replacement
Visit a Batelco store with your CPR (Central Population Register) card. Identity is verified against the CPR, and a new SIM is issued keeping your existing number.
Step 4: Lock down your accounts
Change passwords on any account tied to your number for SMS verification — banking apps first, since those are the accounts a stolen SIM is typically used to attack.
Verified against Batelco’s official SIM replacement procedure, August 2026.
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1
Block
Call 196 from any phone.
- 2
Report
Police report if stolen.
- 3
Replace
Batelco store with CPR.
Troubleshooting
From abroad
Call +973 17 888 196.
Account misuse
Block immediately and report to police.
Look Up More USSD Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I keep my number?
Yes, the replacement SIM keeps your existing number.
Can Batelco block the device itself?
Yes — provide the IMEI (dial *#06# on the phone beforehand to find it) and the device can be blocked, not just the SIM.
What does replacement cost?
A small SIM replacement fee applies at the store — ask 196 for the current rate.
Why block so quickly if nobody's used it yet?
A working SIM can receive the SMS codes used to reset banking and email passwords, so the risk isn't just call charges — it's account takeover.