Government Implements New System to Block Fraudulent International Calls Aimed at Protecting Citizens

Government Implements New System to Block Fraudulent International Calls Aimed at Protecting Citizens

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has introduced a comprehensive two-tiered system designed to detect and block fraudulent incoming calls originating from international numbers. This initiative seeks to enhance the security of telecom services and protect Indian citizens from the growing threat of scam and spam calls.

In the first phase of this initiative, telecom service providers (TSPs) are tasked with preventing international spoofed calls originating from phone numbers within their own networks. The second phase will focus on blocking international spoofed calls made from subscribers of other telecom operators. The Ministry of Communications released a statement on October 4, highlighting that all four major TSPs have successfully implemented this system. Currently, approximately one-third of total spoofed calls, amounting to about 4.5 million, are being effectively blocked from entering the Indian telecom network.

The Ministry noted that the centralized system aimed at eliminating the remaining spoofed calls across all TSPs is expected to be commissioned soon. However, despite these robust measures, the Ministry acknowledged that there may still be instances where fraudsters find alternative methods to succeed in their operations. Recently, numerous reports have emerged from Indian citizens receiving scam or spam calls from unknown international numbers via popular messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and other over-the-top (OTT) services.

In addition to the new call-blocking system, the Ministry outlined several steps it has taken in the past to combat the misuse of telecom resources. This includes the establishment of a Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) specifically aimed at tackling cybercrime and financial fraud. Additionally, the launch of the Sanchar Saathi portal allows citizens to block and track their lost or stolen mobile phones across India.

The DoT has also created a Digital Intelligence Platform that facilitates information sharing among local authorities, central agencies, banks, telecom operators, and other stakeholders, thereby enhancing efforts to prevent online scams. Moreover, the DoT utilizes advanced AI tools to identify and disable mobile connections acquired through forged Know Your Customer (KYC) documents.

Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued directives requiring all telecom operators to implement AI and machine learning (ML) spam detection systems to combat unwanted calls and SMS messages from unregistered telemarketers. To further reduce the prevalence of spam calls, TRAI has proposed the implementation of a mandatory caller ID system called Caller Name Announcement Protocol (CNAP) and is considering differential tariffs for subscribers who make over 50 calls or send more than 50 SMS messages daily.