The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has partnered with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to tackle the growing issue of spoofed international calls. This collaborative effort has successfully blocked 4.5 million fraudulent calls before they could reach Indian telecom subscribers.
Understanding the Threat
Fraudsters have been exploiting the Calling Line Identity (CLI) system to disguise foreign-origin calls as Indian numbers. This has led to an increase in:
- Fake threats of mobile disconnections
- False accusations
- Impersonation of government officials
Two-Phase System to Combat Spoofed Calls
Phase 1: Active and Successful
- Implemented across all major TSPs (Airtel, BSNL, Vodafone Idea, Jio)
- Blocks calls spoofed with numbers from within their networks
- Currently stopping about one-third of total spoofed calls (4.5 million)
Phase 2: Coming Soon
- Will involve a centralized system
- Aims to eliminate remaining spoofed calls across all TSPs
Citizen Involvement: The Chakshu Facility
- Part of the Sanchar Saathi platform
- Allows users to report suspicious communications via calls, SMS, and WhatsApp
- Aids in early detection and prevention of fraud
Additional Security Measures
Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) and Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)
- Launched to further safeguard telecom resources
- Resulted in:
- Disconnection of 1.77 crore mobile connections taken on fake documents
- Blocking of 2.29 lakh phones linked to cybercrime
- Disengagement of 11 lakh fraudulent WhatsApp accounts
Crackdown on Fraudulent SIM Agents
- 71,000 agents blacklisted
- 365 FIRs registered
Ongoing Efforts and Future Plans
The DoT continues to enhance measures to stay ahead of evolving fraud techniques. The success of the current initiatives demonstrates the government’s commitment to securing India’s telecom networks and protecting citizens from fraudulent activities.
Conclusion
The blocking of 4.5 million spoofed calls marks a significant milestone in India’s fight against telecom fraud. As the DoT and TSPs continue to collaborate and innovate, we can expect even more robust security measures in the future, ensuring a safer communication environment for all Indian telecom subscribers.
