Mobile Tower Fraud Is Robbing Ignorant Citizens: Don’t Pay Money To Fraudsters, Warn Telecom Companies
DIPA (Digital Infrastructure Providers Association) and COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India), have cautioned the public against fraud related to the installation of mobile towers on their properties.
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How it works
The two telecom industry representative bodies have asked people to exercise caution against companies, agencies or individuals who may approach them under the pretense of installing a mobile tower on the property.
They then ask for money to be deposited in bank accounts, calling it government tax for leasing the premises.
Fake certificates
The industry bodies said that such malicious actors sometimes produce fake “No Objection Certificates” from the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology to appear legitimate.
Apart from swindling the public, such frauds are also resulting in a trust deficit and a sense of insecurity towards the team personnel working on the ground to build a communication network.
What is the government doing?
Several steps are being taken to warn the public and collect information about potential locations through various channels such as toll-free numbers, websites, e-mails etc.
It is also taking responsibility to publish public notices in newspapers for alerting the public about the tower frauds.
They informed that mobile towers are installed by the Telecom Infrastructure providers like Indus Towers, American Tower Corporation, Summit Digital Infrastructure, Ascend Telecom, Tower Vision.
What the public can do
If anyone has been approached by a Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) or Infrastructure Providers (IPs) who install the towers, the individual can verify their authenticity by visiting the updated list of approved TSPs and IPs on the Department of Telecommunications’ website at dot.gov.in.
Members of the public can also call on the national consumer helpline from anywhere in India by dialing 14404 or 1800114000 for more information on this matter.
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