New Delhi: The Department of Telecom is preventing cybercrimes by conceptualizing and implementing an innovative AI based and Facial Recognition powered solution (ASTR). It is a nextGen platform for detecting and weeding out fake/forged SIMs. The ASTR project will analyze the whole subscriber base of all telecom Service Providers combined and cleanse the mobile subscriber database by identifying non-bonafide mobile numbers.
It is well known that SIMs subscribed on forged documents are involved in the majority of cybercrimes. Such is the expertise level of fraudsters that they have created fake proof of identity / address documents, which can never be detected by human beings by analyzing a single case in isolation.
The ASTR system uses subscriber images and subscriber databases provided by the Telecom Subscriber Providers (TSP) to DoT, to detect the same face and different names.
Maharashtra LSA carried out the analysis for its subscriber database and has identified a total 21031 SIM suspected to be issued on forged documents and have been disconnected. Action is being taken to book the culprits and SIM sellers who are involved in such fraudulent activities. Such PoS/SIM sellers are being blacklisted by and across Service providers. Police complaints are being made for further investigation and taking necessary action on the culprits.
