TRAI Warns Citizens About Fake Calls Threatening Mobile Number Disconnection
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued an advisory warning citizens about fraudulent calls claiming to be from TRAI. Scammers are using pre-recorded messages to threaten individuals, stating their mobile numbers will be blocked soon, and asking for personal information.
TRAI clarified that it does not initiate communication with customers regarding mobile number disconnection through messages or otherwise. The regulator has not authorized any third-party agency to contact customers for such purposes.
In an advisory put out on Wednesday, TRAI said, “It has been brought to the notice of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that a lot of pre-recorded calls are being made to the citizens claiming to be from TRAI. Citizens are being threatened that their numbers will be blocked soon, and they are asked to give certain personal information by fraudsters.”
TRAI advised that any form of communication (call, message, or notice) claiming to be from TRAI and threatening mobile number disconnection should be considered a potential fraudulent attempt and must not be entertained. The disconnection of any mobile number due to billing, KYC, or misuse, if any, is done by the respective Telecom Service Provider (TSP).
Citizens are advised to be vigilant and not panic about falling prey to suspected fraudsters. People are further advised to cross-verify such calls by contacting the authorized call centres or customer service centres of the respective telecom operators.
To prevent the misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud, citizens are encouraged to report suspected fraudulent communications through the Chakshu facility on the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi platform. This platform can be accessed at https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/.
For confirmed instances of cybercrime, victims should report the incident at the designated cybercrime helpline number ‘1930’ or through the official website at https://cybercrime.gov.in/.
Doubts Revealed
TRAI -: TRAI stands for Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. It is a government body that makes rules for telephone and internet services in India.
fraudulent -: Fraudulent means fake or not real. In this case, it refers to fake calls that try to trick people.
pre-recorded messages -: Pre-recorded messages are messages that are recorded in advance and played back to many people. Scammers use these to sound official.
mobile number disconnection -: Mobile number disconnection means stopping your phone number from working. Scammers threaten this to scare people.
personal information -: Personal information includes details like your name, address, and bank details. Scammers ask for this to steal from you.
Sanchar Saathi platform -: Sanchar Saathi is a platform where people can report fake calls and other telecom issues. It helps TRAI take action against scammers.
cybercrime helpline -: A cybercrime helpline is a phone number you can call to report internet-related crimes, like fake calls. It helps keep people safe online.
