The central government is making moves to combat the rise in fraud calls from international numbers and fake caller IDs. In the fiscal year 2023-24, the government blocked 65 telecom setups that were enabling these deceptive practices, allowing calls with fake Indian numbers.
"So far, 65 such illegal setups during FY 2023-24, 62 in FY 2022-23 and 35 in FY 2021-2022 have been unearthed," the Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan stated in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
Don't pick up Calls coming from these Number Codes
According to TOI, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is taking charge by instructing International Long Distance Operators (ILDOs) to reject incoming calls lacking proper Caller Line Identification (CLI) or carrying certain prefixes. Specifically, calls with prefixes like +11, 011, 11, +911 to +915 are being targeted to prevent international calls from having faked Indian landline numbers.
Fight against Illegal Setups
Working closely with Law Enforcement Agencies and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), the DoT is actively uncovering and dismantling these illegal telecom setups. These setups are often exploited for anti-national activities, cyber-crimes, and financial frauds.
Security Measures and App Blocking
To tackle the issue at its roots, the DoT is not only disconnecting reported mobile connections linked to such setups but also blocking apps that facilitate the generation of fraudulent calls. These apps are being barred from platforms like Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
New SIM Guidelines
The DoT has also implemented a set of security measures for purchasing new SIM cards, effective from December 1. These measures are aimed at curbing fraud related to SIM cards and enhancing overall security.
ALSO READ | New WhatsApp feature: Listen to music while video calling | Know how it works
ALSO READ | Your FB Messenger now got extra protection and new features: Check latest update here
