In a sweeping move to combat rising cybercrime and financial scams, the Indian government has disconnected 39.43 lakh mobile connections across the country. This bold action also led to the blacklisting of 2.27 lakh mobile handsets and 1.31 lakh SMS templates, as revealed by Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, in the Rajya Sabha.
The initiative stems from the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), designed to monitor and curb misuse of telecom resources for fraudulent activities. ‘Sanchaar Saathi’, a citizen-friendly portal and app, empowers users to report suspicious calls, messages, or scams through its ‘Chakshu’ feature.
Dr. Chandrasekhar emphasized that while ‘Sanchaar Saathi’ focuses on attempted frauds without actual losses, cases involving financial damage are handled by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Home Ministry. Before any disconnection, users receive re-verification opportunities, with full action details transparent on the portal’s dashboard.
Remarkably, inputs from 7.7 lakh citizens triggered these measures: 39.43 lakh connections severed, 2.27 lakh handsets blacklisted, and 1.31 lakh SMS templates blocked. The DIP facilitates swift stakeholder actions on linked accounts and profiles.
The Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has been a game-changer, preventing over ₹1,000 crore in scams through transaction halts and timely alerts. WhatsApp has complemented these efforts by deactivating 28 lakh profiles and accounts tied to shared mobile numbers.
This crackdown signals a zero-tolerance stance against cyber fraud, urging citizens to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity promptly. As digital threats evolve, such proactive measures are vital for safeguarding the nation’s telecom ecosystem.