The Central Government has instructed all telecom companies in the country to halt counterfeit phone calls originating from overseas that appear to be Indian phone numbers. The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) released a statement on Sunday announcing the development of a system by the department and telecom firms to detect and prevent such international calls from reaching Indian consumers. Consequently, companies have been directed to cease these calls due to concerns that cybercriminals are engaging in cybercrimes and financial fraud by deceiving Indian customers with calls that seem to be domestic but are actually made from abroad through manipulation of the Calling Line Identity (CLI). Recent incidents involving digital arrests, courier scams, and fraud attempts warning of mobile service blockages by the Department of Telecommunications have occurred as a result of these phone calls. The public is urged to report fake calls on the Sanchar Saathi platform. The Department of Telecommunications mentioned that while companies are already blocking international calls that pretend to be Indian landline numbers, there is still a possibility that some scammers may succeed in their schemes. Individuals are advised to report such phone calls on the Sanchar Sathi portal.
