Fake calls? Relief soon as DoT directs telcos to block international spoofed calls

To end the menace of fake international calls, the government has issued directions to block "incoming international spoofed calls" displaying Indian mobile numbers. In its latest advisory, the Ministry of Communications' Department of Telecom (DoT) says the department and telecom service providers have devised a system to identify and block such incoming international spoofed calls from reaching any Indian telecom subscriber. The ministry says it has directed TSPs to block such incoming international spoofed calls.

“It has been reported that fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial frauds. These calls appear to be originating within India but being made by the cyber-criminals from abroad by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI),” says the ministry.

It adds that international spoofed calls have been misused in recent cases of fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drugs/narcotics in couriers, impersonation of government and police officials, disconnections of mobile numbers by DoT/TRAI officials, etc. The ministry says the incoming international spoofed calls, with Indian landline numbers, are being already blocked by the TSPs as per the directions issued by the DoT. To protect telecom users from various frauds, the DoT has launched a citizen-centric “Sanchar Saathi”, people can report suspected communications at its Chakshu module.

What is  Sanchar Saathi?
At the Sanchar Saathi portal, mobile subscribers can know the mobile connections issued in their name, can get it disconnected if it's not taken by them or not required by them, block and trace stolen/lost mobile phones. They can also check the genuineness of devices while buying a new or old mobile phone. Sanchar Saathi also facilitates people in reporting suspected fraud communication. Sanchar Saathi contains various modules like Chakshu, CEIR, TAFCOP, KYM, RICWIN, KYI, etc.

How to report fraud?
The Sanchar Saathi’s “Chakshu” module facilitates people in reporting suspected or unsolicited communications received through call, SMS, or WhatsApp, which are intended for fraud. The ministry says such proactive reporting helps DoT in preventing the misuse of telecom resources for cyber-crime, and financial fraud.
Notably, 'Chakshu' is not a facility for reporting financial fraud or cyber-crime cases, but only suspected or unsolicited communications.

How to block stolen mobile?
Sanchar Saathi's CEIR module facilitates tracing of the lost or stolen mobile devices. It facilitates the blocking of lost or stolen mobile devices in the networks of all telecom operators, so the lost or stolen devices cannot be used anywhere in India. "If anyone tries to use the blocked mobile phone, its traceability is generated. Once the mobile phone is found it may be unblocked on the portal for its normal use by the citizens."

Know connections you own
Sanchar Saathi's TAFCOP module facilitates a mobile subscriber to check the number of mobile connections taken in his or her name. Here, one can also report mobile connection(s), which are either not required or not taken by the subscriber.

Report int'l calls with Indian no. 
If you receive an international call ((+91-xxxxxxxxxx)) with an Indian number, Sanchar Sathi's RICWIN module can facilitate in reporting such calls received. RICWIN enables citizens to be the government’s eye to report such calls for busting or unearthing suspected illegal telecom setups, which cause losses to the government's exchequer and pose a threat to national security.