The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced new rules to combat the spread of spam and phishing attacks through SMS. These rules will take effect from September 1 and require institutions such as banks and app-based services to register and whitelist their numbers by August 31 in order to send one-time passwords (OTPs). The new system will also scan messages for suspicious links, potentially causing delays in OTP delivery to users.
Under the existing system, companies or institutions must register the header and template of the message with telecom companies before sending OTPs and other authentication messages. However, the content of these messages is not registered or scanned, allowing for quick OTP delivery. The new rules will require telecom companies to scan each message, granting them access to message contents. Messages that do not comply with the new template may be blocked, even if they contain benign OTPs from a bank.
TRAI's new regulations will also affect the delivery of transactional alerts, potentially disrupting users' access to the latest updates from their banks if they do not adhere to the new template. While the telecom regulatory authority claims that these rules will help reduce fraudulent activities, telecom companies are seeking an extension to the September 1 deadline. Despite this, reports suggest that TRAI is firm on the deadline and may not extend it.
Additionally, TRAI is collaborating with telecom companies to display the name of the caller according to their KYC (Know Your Customer) documents. This move aims to reveal the true identity of a caller, eliminating the need for caller identification apps such as Truecaller that rely on user data to identify a phone number. TRAI's system will associate a number with the owner's government-issued documents, reducing the potential for fraud.
Meanwhile, recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a warning to caution users about this scam. Scammers are sending deceptive SMS messages to individuals, falsely claiming to represent TRAI, and instructing them to deactivate their mobile numbers. TRAI has emphasised that this is a fraudulent tactic, as they do not communicate with users regarding the closure of their mobile connections through calls or messages.
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