Mumbai: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), has introduced an advanced system designed to identify and block incoming international spoofed calls before they can reach Indian telecom subscribers, officials said on Friday.
This system is being deployed in two phases: first, at the TSP level, to prevent calls spoofed with phone numbers of their own subscribers; and second, at a central level, to stop calls spoofed with the numbers of subscribers from other TSPs. The criminals mask the actual origin of the calls, which has led to a spate of incidents involving threats of mobile number disconnection, fake digital arrests, and even impersonation of government officials or law enforcement agencies, officials said.
"In recent times, citizens are receiving many fraudulent calls, often disguised as originating from Indian mobile numbers. These calls are in fact manipulated by cyber-criminals operating from abroad. These criminals exploit the Calling Line Identity (CLI) to mask the actual origin of the calls, which has led to a spate of crimes that have included false accusations involving drugs, narcotics, and sex rackets, further intensifying public concern. As of now, all four TSPs have successfully implemented the system. About one third of total spoofed calls at 4.5 million spoofed calls are being stopped from entering the Indian telecom network. The next phase, involving a centralized system that will eliminate the remaining spoofed calls across all TSPs, is expected to be commissioned shortly," said a government official.
"Fraudsters, however, continue to adapt and devise new methods to deceive the public. DoT is taking timely measures to protect telecom users as these new ways are reported. In the age of rapidly evolving technology, the DoT has taken multiple measures to make the telecom eco-systems safer and secure. However, even with these robust safeguards, there may still be instances where fraudsters succeed through other means. In such cases, DoT encourages citizens to proactively report suspected fraud communications to help DoT in identification and prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cyber-crime, financial frauds. It will also help in safeguarding citizens from impersonation, exploitation, and enabling proactive action against potential threats," the official said.
Citizen can report such calls at Chakshu facility available on the Sanchar Saathi platform (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/) by providing details about suspected fraud calls, SMS, and WhatsApp messages including screenshot, medium of receipt, category of intended fraud, date and time of receiving such communication. An OTP based verification will be carried out.
"The Chakshu facility is a significant step towards safeguarding citizens from cyber fraud. By providing a streamlined process for reporting suspicious activities, it helps in the early detection and prevention of potential frauds, thereby protecting users from financial and personal losses," official said.
