Thummer

By Michael Harlow · Published November 7, 2026 · About 6 minutes to read

Rio Carnival 2027: How to Keep Your Phone Safe

Rio's street Carnival means packed crowds, costumes without good pockets, and hours of filming. It also draws thieves. The UK government's travel advice for Brazil puts it plainly: criminals target large-scale celebrations such as Carnival. Here's when the 2027 season runs, what past Carnivals show, and what to do before and after a theft.

When is Carnival 2027?

The final bloco schedule usually comes out closer to the season, so check Riotur before you go. For scale, in 2026 Riotur expected about 460 blocos and more than 6 million revelers between January 17 and February 22.

What past Carnivals show

The year-round backdrop is high. Brazil's 2026 public-safety yearbook counted 792,284 police reports of phone robbery and theft in 2025, covering 830,890 phones. Rio de Janeiro state recorded 72,228 phone thefts and robberies in 2025, and it was one of only two states where cases rose. Two areas stand out: a single downtown police precinct recorded more than 4,400 cases in 2025, and Copacabana more than 3,200, about nine in ten of them thefts rather than robberies.

Published Carnival figures are thinner, and most come from the agencies running the security operation:

Falling numbers are welcome, but they don't mean low risk. In 2026, undercover officers dressed as "Money Heist" robbers and as Jason in Santa Teresa watched a woman grab a phone from someone's hand and pass it to an accomplice; they found five phones on the pair. In 2025, police broke up a gang working bloco crowds and recovered 17 phones.

What to expect at the blocos

For Carnival 2026, the state set up 21 search points, five blocking points and metal detectors at the megablocos. The Military Police said the searches aim to remove objects used for intimidation and quick thefts, especially of phones. The 2027 plan hasn't been announced, but expect similar checks and allow extra time.

Timing matters too. The UK government says thieves target phones particularly between 4 and 9 p.m., and advises avoiding phone use in the street. Brazil's national data for 2025 shows thefts peaking from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 to 8 p.m., and about four in ten robberies happening between 6 and 11 p.m. Together, those windows cover much of a Carnival day.

Habits that help

  1. Consider leaving your main phone at the hotel. A cheap backup phone is enough for messages and maps at a bloco.
  2. Back up your photos and set up your phone before you go. On Android, turn on Find Hub and theft protection, including Remote Lock, which needs a verified phone number and has to be on before anything happens. On iPhone, turn on Find My and check Stolen Device Protection, which may already be on. In November 2025 Google said it would turn on Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock by default on newly activated or reset Android phones in Brazil, in a phased pilot. If your phone was set up elsewhere, check the settings yourself. Our Android theft protection guide explains each.
  3. Write down your IMEI. Dial *#06# and keep the number off the phone, along with your carrier's and bank's phone numbers.
  4. Use an inside or zipped pocket under your costume. Not a back pocket, and not a phone dangling loose.
  5. Film less, and step out of the crush to do it. Hold the phone with both hands and put it away when you're done.
  6. Take the cards out of your phone case. Carry only the cash and one card you need; the UK advises avoiding large sums of money and leaving valuables in a safe place.

Celular Seguro: useful, but not for most visitors

Celular Seguro is the federal program that alerts Brazilian carriers and participating banks so they can suspend a phone and the financial services tied to it. But it requires a gov.br login with a CPF, and the line must be registered to that CPF. That rules out most foreign visitors, though residents and long-stay visitors with a Brazilian line may qualify.

If you do qualify, register before Carnival and add a trusted contact who can file for you. Don't press the alert button to test it: the blocks can't be reversed automatically, and you'd have to call your carrier and banks to undo them. Use only the official app or site, since fake links have circulated.

If your phone is taken

Don't resist or chase. The UK government's advice for Brazil is not to resist attackers and to hand over valuables if threatened. Get clear of the crowd and borrow a phone. Our first 10 minutes checklist has the full list; here's the Rio version.

  1. Lock it. Use android.com/lock or Find Hub on Android, and Mark as Lost in Find My on iPhone. If the map shows the phone nearby, Apple's advice is not to try to recover it yourself.
  2. Call your bank, then change your email and banking passwords. Our guide to how thieves drain bank apps explains why speed matters.
  3. Call your carrier to suspend the line and block the phone. On a Brazilian line, Anatel recommends asking your carrier to block both the line and the device. On a foreign SIM, call your home carrier.
  4. Report it. Dial 190 for the police. For a report your insurer can use, go to the Tourist Police (DEAT) at Av. Afrânio de Melo Franco 159, Leblon, +55 21 2332-2893 or 2332-2887. Riotur lists no opening hours, so call ahead.
  5. Look for tourist help points. In 2026 the state offered bilingual guides at Posto 4 in Copacabana and a multilingual lounge in Sector 9 of the Sambódromo. The 2027 locations aren't confirmed yet.
  6. Contact your embassy or consulate if your passport or other documents were taken too.

Staying on in Brazil after Carnival? Our São Paulo and Rio guide covers the rest of the year.

The bottom line

Carnival is worth the trip, and a stolen phone doesn't have to spoil it. The 2027 dates are set, so prepare early: bring less, back up your photos, turn on remote locking and learn the steps above. If it happens, let the phone go.

Another option is an app that guards the phone while it's unlocked and in use. Apps like Thummer lock an Android phone when it's pulled from your hand.

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