The government's crackdown on cyber fraud is ongoing and shows no signs of letting up. As of February this year, over 780,000 SIM cards, more than 3,000 Skype IDs, and upwards of 83,000 WhatsApp accounts have been blocked. This information was shared in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home, Bundi Sanjay Kumar, in response to a written inquiry about measures taken against digital fraud.
In detail, the Union Minister reported that by February 28, authorities had blocked over 781,000 SIM cards linked to cyber fraud. In addition, the government has cut off 208,469 IMEI numbers, which were flagged by police and other investigative agencies. Each mobile device has a unique IMEI number, and these blocked devices were associated with criminal activities online.
The government is taking strict measures to combat digital crime. I4C, a subsidiary agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has identified and blocked 3,962 Skype IDs and 83,668 WhatsApp accounts, both of which were utilised in these fraud cases. Launched by the Modi government in 2021, I4C acts quickly to respond to financial fraud incidents.
So far, it has saved people Rs 4,389 crore in response to 13.36 lakh reported complaints. Additionally, the government has established the National Helpline Number 1930 to assist victims of cyber fraud.
To further support the public, individuals can report spam calls and fraudulent communications through the Sanchar Saathi portal. The Department of Telecommunications introduced this portal a few years ago, and it has recently launched an app available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
In other news, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that BSNL's 5G rollout may begin as early as June this year. Additionally, BSNL’s CMD, Robert J Ravi, provided details on the locations where the 5G services will be introduced.
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