Launching the ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System’, Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said this is another government effort towards building a safe digital space and protecting citizens from cyber-crime.
The
Government of India has announced a new spam-tracking system to identify and block incoming international calls posing as Indian phone numbers. Within 24 hrs of the system being operational, about 1.35 crore or 90 per cent from all the incoming international calls with Indian phone numbers were identified as spoofed calls. Immediately they were blocked by telecom service providers (TSPs) from reaching Indian telecom subscribers. The ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System’, was launched by the
Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The
Department of Communications (DoT) and TSPs have collaborated and devised a system to identify and block such incoming international spoofed calls from reaching the Indian telecom subscribers. The spam-tracking system is expected to work in collaboration with telecom operators and regulatory bodies to ensure efficient blocking of such calls. The initiative also highlights the government's commitment to enhancing cybersecurity measures and protecting consumers from deceptive practices, contributing to a safer and more secure communication environment in India.
The minister said, "This is another government effort towards building a safe digital space and protecting citizens from cyber-crime."
This advanced spam-tracking system to tackle the growing issue of fraudulent international calls leverages sophisticated technology. The system will analyze call patterns and flag suspicious numbers, ensuring that fraudulent calls are intercepted before reaching users. This move comes as part of a broader initiative to safeguard the public from increasing cases of spam, phishing, and financial fraud, which have become more prevalent with the rise of mobile communication.
In addition to blocking fraudulent calls, this system will also play a key role in educating users about the risks associated with answering unknown or suspicious numbers, further empowering individuals to protect themselves against scams. These spoofed calls have been used for financial scams, impersonating government officials and creating panic. There have also been cases of cyber-crime threatening disconnection of mobile numbers by DoT/TRAI officials, fake digital arrests, drugs/narcotics in courier, impersonation as police officials, arrest in sex racket etc.
Despite such best efforts, there could be cases where fraudsters succeed through other means. For such calls, one should help by reporting such suspected fraud communications at Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saath.
