Government Launches System to Combat International Spoofed Calls to Indian Numbers

The Indian government introduced a new system on Tuesday designed to track and eliminate fraudulent international calls masquerading as domestic numbers.

Within just 24 hours of its launch, the system successfully identified and blocked approximately 1.35 crore (13.5 million) incoming international calls that were spoofing Indian numbers, accounting for 90% of such calls that reached Indian telecom subscribers.

At the unveiling of the ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System,’ Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia , emphasized that this initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to foster a secure digital environment and shield citizens from cyber threats .

With this new mechanism in place, Indian telecom users can expect a marked decline in spoofed calls displaying the country code +91.

Cybercriminals have previously exploited international calls by displaying Indian mobile numbers, leading recipients to believe they are legitimate domestic calls. These deceptive practices involve altering the calling line identity (CLI), enabling fraudsters to operate from overseas while appearing to call from within India.

Such spoofed communications have been linked to various scams, including financial fraud, impersonations of government officials, and other distressing situations. Reports have highlighted incidents involving threats of mobile disconnection by officials, fake arrests related to drug trafficking, and impersonation of police personnel.

The Department of Communications (DoT) collaborated with telecom service providers (TSPs) to create an effective system to detect and block these incoming international spoofed calls.

Despite these proactive measures, the government cautions that there may still be instances where scammers manage to bypass the system. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious calls through the Chakshu facility available on Sanchar Saathi.

This initiative represents a significant step by the DoT in its ongoing efforts to safeguard citizens against cyber fraud, effectively identifying and preventing the influx of international spoofed calls.