Check If a Phone Was Registered in Your Name With PTA in Pakistan: Dial *8484#

Dial *8484# from a SIM issued on your own ID, or log in to PTA's device registration system, and look at the device count against your name. If you never registered a phone and a number shows up, your credentials were misused, and PTA has a complaint route to remove it.

Most people only think about SIMs on their CNIC. Phones are a second record. We read PTA's DIRBS FAQ document, file dated 14 October 2025, on 11 October 2026. This guide follows its section on misuse of credentials.

Why phones can be registered on your ID

Every SIM based phone brought into Pakistan, or bought without registration, has to be registered in DIRBS, PTA's device system. The applicant enters a CNIC or a passport number, a SIM number issued on that ID, and the phone's IMEI. A tax slip follows, and the phone is then allowed on the network.

That means your number can be typed in by someone else. A dealer or a stranger can use your credentials to register a phone, and the registration then sits in your name. PTA calls it misuse of credentials.

There is also a quota. PTA says an individual can register up to five devices in a calendar year. A phone registered in your name that you never bought is a phone that someone else is using under your identity.

How to check the count

PTA gives two ways. Dial *8484# from a SIM that is issued on your own ID, or log in to the Device Registration System at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs. Both show the mobile device count registered against your credentials, and the details of each device.

1. Use a SIM that is registered on your own CNIC or passport.
2. Dial *8484# and read the count and device details that come back.
3. Or open dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs and log in with the SIM number used for your account.
4. Compare each IMEI with the phones you actually registered.
5. Take screenshots of anything you did not register.

The FAQ's own test is plain. If you have not registered any device yourself and some figure shows up against your passport, it means your credentials have been misused. The FAQ speaks of passports. Local applicants register with a CNIC in the same system, so check with the SIM issued on your CNIC as well.

What to do if you find a phone you did not register

File an online complaint on PTA's Complaint Management System under the "Misuse of Credentials" category. PTA also asks for a signed undertaking on its prescribed format, attached to the complaint. PTA then removes the registered device and updates the account.

The undertaking states that your credentials were misused without your knowledge, that you want PTA to take legal action against the person, and that any device registered on them should be removed. It carries your name, CNIC or passport number and signature. PTA warns that false information can lead to legal action.

The "already exists" message when you open an account

A related warning appears when you try to open your own account. If the system says "Passport Already Exists", there are two cases. In the first, you opened an account once and forgot the password. In the second, someone else used your details.

In the first case, go to dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, choose forgot password and enter the same SIM number you used before. In the second case, file a CMS complaint with the nature "Account related issues" under the credentials category and give PTA the details.

Going after the person who misused your ID

PTA cannot give you the person's details. For legal action it points you to the Federal Investigation Agency. Our guide to protecting your CNIC from misuse lists other free checks, and a separate walkthrough shows how to check the SIMs on your CNIC and block those you did not buy.

How to avoid it happening again

Do not give your CNIC or passport copy to a shop for registering "a favour" phone. Do not share the SIM used for your DRS account. When you register your own phone, keep the PSID slip and the customs duty record. Our guide on registering a mobile with PTA shows what a genuine registration looks like.

Common questions

What does *8484# show?

PTA says it shows the mobile device count registered against your credentials and the details of each device.

Is checking free?

PTA's FAQ does not mention a charge for the check. Your operator may charge for a USSD session, so confirm on your own SIM.

Which complaint category do I choose?

Choose "Misuse of Credentials" on PTA's Complaint Management System, and attach the signed undertaking.

Can PTA tell me who used my ID?

PTA's FAQ does not offer that. It tells you to complain to the FIA for legal action against the person.

What if I forgot my DRS password?

Open dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, choose forgot password, and enter the SIM number you used to dial *8484# or to create the account.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 11 October 2026. We downloaded and read PTA's DIRBS Frequently Asked Questions document, file name 2025-10-14-FAQs_updated.pdf, on pta.gov.pk. The *8484# and DRS checks, the misuse of credentials complaint category, the undertaking format, the "Passport Already Exists" cases, the FIA route and the five devices a year limit all come from that document. The FAQ speaks of passports in the misuse section, so we say plainly that CNIC based checks are our reading of the same system. We did not file a misuse complaint and we do not know how long PTA takes. Confirm the current steps on pta.gov.pk before you act.