The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, has issued an important advisory to alert citizens about fake calls threatening to disconnect their mobile numbers or claiming their numbers are involved in illegal activities. This advisory is a crucial step in safeguarding individuals from falling victim to cybercriminals who use such tricks to steal personal information and carry out financial fraud.
In addition to this, the DoT has also warned against WhatsApp calls originating from foreign numbers (like +92-xxxxxxxxxx), which impersonate government officials to deceive people. These cybercriminals aim to create fear and manipulate individuals into providing sensitive information.
The DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) do not authorize anyone to make such calls on their behalf. Citizens are urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious communications using the ‘Chakshu – Report Suspected Fraud Communications’ facility of Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc).
For those who have already fallen victim to cybercrime or financial fraud, the DoT advises reporting the incident to the cyber-crime helpline number 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in.
To combat fraudulent communications and curb cybercrime activities, the DoT has implemented several measures:
- Under CHAKSHU facility, 52 Principal Entities, involved in sending malicious and phishing SMSs to the citizens have been blacklisted.
- 700 SMS content templates have been deactivated. 348 mobile handsets blacklisted on pan- India basis across all telecom operators.
- 10,834 suspected mobile numbers flagged for re-verification to the telecom operators out of which 8272 mobile connections disconnected failing re-verification till 30th April 2024.
- 1.86 lakh mobile handsets blocked on pan India basis for involvement in cybercrime/financial frauds.
- Advisories have been issued on a regular basis for the public to create awareness on fake notices impersonating DoT/TRAI, suspected fraud communications and malicious calls via press, SMS, and social media.
Citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and stay informed to protect themselves from falling prey to cybercriminals.
