Warning! Fake callers posing as officials can steal your data
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a public advisory, alerting citizens about fraudulent calls. These scammers are reportedly impersonating TRAI officials and using pre-recorded messages to intimidate individuals. The deceptive communication warns that their mobile numbers will be blocked soon and requests certain personal information from the unsuspecting victims.
TRAI denies initiating communication regarding mobile number disconnection
TRAI has clarified that it does not initiate any communication with customers about mobile number disconnection, either through messages or other means. The regulatory body also stated that it has not authorized any third-party agency to contact customers for such purposes. "Therefore, any form of communication (call, message or notice) claiming to be from TRAI and threatening mobile number disconnection should be considered a potential fraudulent attempt and must not be entertained," the advisory warned.
Citizens advised to cross-verify such calls
TRAI further clarified that any disconnection of a mobile number due to billing, KYC or misuse is handled by the respective Telecom Service Provider (TSP), not TRAI. The regulator has urged citizens to remain vigilant and not panic in response to these fraudulent calls. It also advised people to cross-verify such fraudulent calls by contacting authorized call centers or customer service centers of their respective TSPs.
Report suspected fraudulent communications
To curb the misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud, TRAI is encouraging citizens to report any suspected fraudulent communications. This can be done through the Chakshu facility on the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)'s Sanchar Saathi platform. In confirmed cases of cybercrime, victims are advised to report the incident at the designated cybercrime helpline number '1930' or via the official website at cybercrime.gov.in.
