On September 18, PIB Fact Check flagged a counterfeit BSNL notice threatening SIM suspension over KYC issues.
The forged document, dressed with TRAI and government logos, raises fresh concerns about increasingly polished cyber fraud.
BSNL, through its official handle @BSNLCorporate, denied issuing any such communication and urged customers not to fall for fraudulent messages.
The company emphasised that no directive requiring blanket suspension of SIM cards for KYC lapses had been issued.
The fake alert comes against the backdrop of a surge in telecom-related fraud.
According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), cybercrime incidents on Airtel’s network dropped by 14.3% in 2024 after AI-powered anti-fraud mechanisms were introduced.
However, fraudsters continue to exploit loopholes, often using forged documents and cloned branding to trick consumers.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in its 2023 regulatory update, mandated suspension of telecom resources involved in unauthorised commercial communications, a rule scammers now mimic to lend credibility to fake warnings.
Experts note that such tactics are not new. BSNL had previously cautioned against fake websites designed to imitate its branding and dupe users into making payments.
The latest fake notice demonstrates how criminals exploit official design elements to mislead the public.
Scams didn’t vanish in 2025, but Airtel managed to curb their impact, reducing customer losses by 68.7% with AI monitoring.
Officials repeated their warning: ‘fraudsters thrive on haste’. Customers must confirm doubtful messages with telecom providers and avoid sharing private details or sending payments through unsafe channels.
Also Read: PIB Debunks Fake Deepfake Video Featuring Finance Minister Sitharaman
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