In a significant stride towards securing India’s digital communication network, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has blocked more than 2 crore mobile connections linked to fraudulent activity.
The effort has resulted in a 97% reduction in spoof calls, according to DoT Secretary Dr Neeraj Mittal.
Dr Mittal made the announcement during the annual West Zone Conference on security-related matters, organised by the DoT in South Goa.
Addressing the event via video link, he highlighted the government’s achievements in combating telecom-related cyber fraud.
Sanchar Saathi Proves Effective
A major contributor to this success is the Sanchar Saathi initiative — a digital platform launched by the government to prevent misuse of telecom services.
Spoof calls, which involve scammers disguising their identity by tampering with caller ID data, have significantly decreased due to proactive surveillance and data analysis enabled by the platform.
Dr Mittal also introduced the Digital Intelligence Platform, designed to collect and share information on fraud, particularly in the financial sector.
The platform enables banks and financial institutions to access real-time scam data, improving their ability to respond quickly and reduce financial fraud risk.
Artificial Intelligence has played a critical role in the department’s crackdown on telecom fraud.
With the help of AI-driven tools, the DoT has deactivated over 78 lakh fake mobile connections and disconnected around 71,000 fraudulent retail points of sale (PoS).
Dr Mittal noted that as the number of telecom users in India continues to rise, the risk of misuse has also grown.
In response, the department has strengthened cybersecurity infrastructure across the telecom sector.
Upgrading Systems and Enhancing Surveillance
The Department of Telecommunication, in collaboration with industry partners, has developed the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator as another major initiative.
This tool assists in identifying mobile numbers involved in financial scams, offering a more effective response to fraud attempts.
Furthermore, the DoT is working to upgrade the Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) to tackle emerging cyber threats and enable real-time surveillance.
The department is also expanding its network of telecom testing labs to ensure only certified and high-quality equipment is deployed across the country.
The DoT is actively engaging with private stakeholders to enhance application-level and sector-specific security.
These partnerships aim to ensure a more resilient and trustworthy telecom infrastructure.
With these comprehensive efforts, Dr Mittal reaffirmed the DoT’s commitment to building a safer digital environment for millions of Indian mobile users, helping protect against both financial and identity-based fraud.
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