In a major move to curb cyber fraud and protect Indian citizens, the Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, launched the ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System.’
This innovative system, developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), aims to identify and block international calls that falsely appear as originating from Indian phone numbers.
The new system is a critical response to the rising threat of cybercrimes involving international spoofed calls, which have been used in various fraudulent incidents including financial scams, impersonation of government officials, and attempts to create public panic. In these cases, cybercriminals manipulate the Calling Line Identity (CLI) to make it seem as though the call is coming from a local Indian number, while it is made from abroad.
The ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System’ has already made a significant impact, since within just 24 hours of becoming operational, the system successfully identified and blocked approximately 1.35 crore spoofed calls, which account for 90% of all international calls posing as Indian numbers. This substantial reduction is expected to greatly minimize the chances of Indian telecom subscribers falling victim to such cybercrime.
The success of the spoofed calls prevention system reflects a collaborative effort between the DoT and TSPs, who have worked together to enhance the security of India’s telecom network. The system actively monitors and analyzes incoming international calls, detecting spoofed numbers and preventing them from reaching subscribers. By identifying discrepancies in the phone number and the origin of the call, the system ensures that these fraudulent attempts are blocked before they can do any harm.
Spoofed calls have long been a tool for cybercriminals to commit a variety of scams. From threatening users with disconnection notices to impersonating law enforcement officers, these fraudulent calls have left many vulnerable to financial losses and emotional distress. The launch of this system signals a proactive approach by the government to tackle cyber fraud at its source, offering a greater sense of security to the nation’s telecom users.
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