Government instructs Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea to block international calls

The government has taken a significant step in the fight against cybercrime by directing telecom operators to block all incoming international spoofed calls that display Indian mobile numbers. This move comes in response to the increasing number of fraudsters making international calls to Indian citizens, posing as legitimate callers and committing cybercrimes and financial frauds.

According to the Department of Telecom (DoT), these fraudulent calls appear to be originating within India but are actually being made by cybercriminals from abroad who manipulate the calling line identity (CLI). These spoofed calls have been misused in various scams such as fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drug-related courier frauds, impersonation of government and police officials, and unauthorized disconnections of mobile numbers.

In order to combat this growing threat, DoT and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have collaborated to develop a system to identify and block such international spoofed calls from reaching Indian telecom subscribers. The government has now issued directives to telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, and BSNL to implement these measures and prevent fraudulent calls from reaching unsuspecting individuals.

Additionally, the telecom ministry has instructed operators to conduct immediate re-verification of 6.8 lakh mobile numbers suspected of being obtained using invalid, non-existent, or fake documents. This initiative aims to crack down on fraudulent activities and protect consumers from falling victim to scams orchestrated by cybercriminals.

As the government continues to ramp up efforts to combat cybercrime, it is essential for individuals to remain vigilant and report any suspected fraudulent communications to the authorities. By working together, we can help prevent these scams and safeguard the integrity of our telecommunications network.