DoT Warns Citizens of Fraudulent Calls Impersonating Government Officials

New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, has issued a stern advisory to citizens regarding fraudulent calls purportedly made in the name of DoT officials. According to reports, individuals are receiving calls where the callers, falsely claiming to represent DoT, threaten to disconnect their mobile numbers or allege their involvement in illegal activities. Additionally, the advisory highlights the emergence of WhatsApp calls originating from foreign mobile numbers, particularly those with country code +92, with scammers impersonating government officials to deceive unsuspecting victims.

These fraudulent calls, orchestrated by cyber criminals, aim to coerce individuals into divulging personal information, which could be subsequently exploited for cyber-crime or financial frauds. DoT emphasizes that it does not authorize any entity to make such calls on its behalf and urges citizens to exercise caution and refrain from sharing any sensitive information if they receive such calls.

In response to these alarming trends, DoT has rolled out the ‘Chakshu-Report Suspected Fraud Communications’ facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in), enabling citizens to proactively report instances of fraudulent communications. Timely reporting plays a crucial role in preventing the misuse of telecom resources for illicit activities.

Furthermore, citizens are encouraged to utilize the ‘Know Your Mobile Connections’ feature on the Sanchar Saathi portal to verify mobile connections registered under their name. Any unauthorized or unnecessary mobile connections can be promptly reported through this platform to mitigate the risk of fraudulent activities.

In the unfortunate event of falling victim to cyber-crime or financial fraud, individuals are urged to reach out to the cyber-crime helpline number 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in to seek assistance and report the incident.